Bastille Day Macarons

Bien sûr, Bastille Day is Thursday, July 14.

Call me crazy (I'm not even French), but I get into the spirit of the day. Typically Silly Hat Central celebrates Bastille Day with a French-style meal, a Bastille Day cocktail and a few impromptu exclamations of "Storm the Bastille!"

Not quite the fever of joviality that descends upon Paris, but il est bon, oui?

This year there will be macarons. Yes! There will be be macarons!

What? You want to get in on the mac action?

Bastille Day Macarons Near You

Lucky Australian tatters who wish to try these lighter-than-air confections can visit Baroque Bistro in Sydney for limited edition Bastille Day macarons.

Tatters who live in or around Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand can avail themselves of a FREE macaron at The Department Store.

Mount Holly, Vermont tatters and their neighbors can drop by A Dozen Eggs Bake Shoppe for Bastille Day sweet treats.

Pasadena, California, tatters who wish to try a tasty mac can go to 'Lette Macarons on South Fair Oaks Avenue. The PasadenaNow.com Living Section (Food and Wine column) had this to day: Let them eat macarons!

I will be making my own and nibbling them with tea on a picnic blanket, but however you celebrate your inner monsieur or mademoiselle...

Vive la France! Vive le macaron! Vive la frivolité!

Tatting Tea Tuesday - Macarons

To celebrate Macaroon Day (March 20, 2011) I drove 15 miles to a Swiss Bakery and picked up these little gems. They were sold in sets of 3 or a larger package of 6. I saw no reason to limit my taste test. All in the name of blog research, of course.

Their size may surprise you. At roughly 1 inch (2.54 cm) in diameter, they are tiny bites of pure pleasure.

Carol Gillott, author of Paris Breakfasts blog, advises, "Macarons are supposed to be petit - un péché mignon (a little sin)."

Macarons also come in two larger sizes but not many people buy them. Parisians prefer the smaller, guilty pleasures. Who am I to argue?

Light, crunchy meringue exteriors give way to soft, gently flavored interiors (lemon, lime and  strawberry are pictured) with a buttercream or ganache filling.

I am so wild about these almond-and-air confections that I bought this from Amazon.com:

The book should arrive later this week. Once it does, it will be time to get baking! Cross your fingers that I will be able to make macarons to feed my foodie appetite.

A Time for Tatting

As for lace, I have finished the first of two 12 1/3-inch (32 cm) edgings and am working on the second.

Nelson Edging © 2011
Design by Orsi (part of her Napoleon series)

These edgings will adorn a pair of Easter socks.

Adult size Easter socks for my niece Jalice. Silly hats and crazy socks are popular pieces in the fashion repertory of my family.

I still haven't begun the meandering vine edging that Lace-lovin' Librarian Diane has been testing for her sister. And there are still Easter egg laces to try. So much to do and so little time!

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful. See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

Happy Macaroon Day!

Since I missed Macaroon Day last year, (organized by François Payard himself to coincide with the jour du macaron in Paris), I feel compelled to spread the word about this little French confection.


This Tuesday, March 22, I propose celebrating the arrival of Spring by settling in for Tatting Tea Tuesday with your favorite cuppa and a tasty macaroon.

Who's with me?

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Curious about these meringue-like marvels?

National Public Radio published this story earlier this year:

NPR - Move Over Cupcake, Make Way for the Macaroon

Paris Breakfasts shares Jour du Macaron 2011 photos.

One of my Twitter pals, @NotQuiteNigella, posts this about her love-hate relationship with macaroon baking.

The Macaron Whisperer

I even competed in @NotQuiteNigella's Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge in 2008 and did much better than I expected.

A Parently Speaking (2008)- The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge

A Parently Speaking (2008) - You Still Have Time to Vote

Whether or not you have means to bake or acquire one or more of these tasty treats, I wish you a very Happy Macaroon Day!