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!

♥ for Postie and Spring Bling

This past week I received three wonderful packages that made me feel so special! One had traveled all the way across the sea from JaneE. It reaffirmed my faith in Royal Mail.

This image is from Jane Eborall's Etsy shop listing. It is the butterfly bookmark I bought for Igoya, my twin sister.



Forgot to snap a photo before mailing it out, so I had to wait to share the images. Igoya should be receiving it today. Jane did such a splendid job!

I did, however, remember to take this seahorse bookmark photo. Isn't he a handsome gent!

They are both really stunning lace creations. It was quite difficult choosing which to send and which to keep.

Spring Bling

This second package was actually the first to arrive, but my dithering kept me from doing anything other than fondling the pretty papers and holding Clover shuttles up to them. Thank you, Lace-lovin' Librarian Diane, for your generosity and color-coordinating everything in advance.

The shuttles are mine for the blinging. Diane did not send them. Her gift of papers was generous enough!

Giveaway Prize 

The third package was jam-packed with even more shuttle decorations. Thank you, Bree, for sharing so generously. It is the biggest giveaway prize I have ever received. Now to get blinging!

Dip a Toe or Jump in?

So the moment of truth has come. I decided to toe-dip instead of jumping in.

I covered a bon bon box with mulberry paper and lined the inside with a glittery gold. Toss in a few shamrocks for luck and...

Voila! A travel box fit for a leprechaun.
(He might need Ray-Bans^®...)

(Image courtesy of Ray-Ban^® Virtual Mirror)

Holy cow! Where has the time gone? I have another whole post worth of macaroon goodness to share for Tatting Tea Tuesday. Ah well, it will have to wait until tomorrow. Check back for Mad for Macarons

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!