paris: Mad MacNYC

Showing posts with label Mad MacNYC. Show all posts

quelle désastre MACARONS!

SOS! EMI...911?

Calling Dr. Jill (of Mad About Macarons)

OK So I DID IT!

Yes, I tried to make macarons this morning enfin. After consulting an insane number of books in THREE languages and being up till 1 AM checking again every internet recipe bla bla bla

And I have an insane amount of equipment some of which I kept losing in the process.

Like I lost this special scaper I bought with Dr. Jill in Paris at Mora. Go figure?

Somehow I managed to measure out the 90 grams of egg whites on my new metric scale (which I haven't figured out yet - never mind). I even had a few squiggles of yolk mixed in - it didn't seem to hurt a bit. Who knew?

PS - I did NOT age my egg whites for 16 days on the kitchen counter but instead nuked em for 20 seconds - I think it worked fine - qui sait?

I got the almond flour from Amazon - 5 POUNDS of it! So this is an ongoing process till I figure these %$#@ macarons out.

Dr. Jill says to beat the Hell out of the egg whites...hmmm
Practice makes perfect - not there yet.

The 'Macaronage' - the dreaded infernal mixing of the egg whites and almond flour etc. was a bitch. Getting the stuff into the pastry bag was an even bigger bitch.
Sorry PBers. This post is 'R' rated.

My little babies did not come out so nice - c'est la vie

But they did form the appropriate skin on them to the touch after 30 minutes.

The Doc said it's all about knowing YOUR oven and to get an oven thermometer - I did as I was told.

LOOK!

I got 'FEET'!

kind of.

Malheureusement I did not cook them long enough.

And I used 'Superfine' sugar instead of the required GRANULATED.I don't want to think about the mess I made of the macaronage :(

MAD MAC meets Sad Sack.

Still I am NOT discouraged dear PBers.

Ever onward into the breach!I will be tackling chocolate macarons as soon as I post this.

Pray that there is some improvement dear friends.

Besides I have FIVE POUNDS of Almond Flour to get through.

My ganache mess.

They say you must be organized to make macarons...hmmm

I will say even though I failed with flying colors it was A LOT OF FUN!

BONJOUR QUELLE desastre MACARONS!

New York Dolls!

New York Dolls are everywhere...

Particularly on subway walls...

And they are wearing RED lipstick...

Do New York girls love to doll up?

You bet!

Gimme some glitz Puleese!

Makeup?

Paint please SVP!

Hair?

Like their Paris and London sisters, New York dolls...

Are into lots of...

HAIR!

What do New York dolls eat?

Cupcakes!

Bagels!

Muffins!

Macarons!
with the occasional ballpark hotdog bought on any NYC street corner...ahem

Does the New York working doll...

Still wear hats and gloves?

This one does...

But nope, most do NOT!

Like their Paris sisters, they are tres decontracte/casual...

Can YOU be a New York Doll?

Surement oui!

Just show up like these cuties from Korea outside the Met museum, wear black, carry a camera, a big bag, big glasses, long hair etc.

And where can you find these stunning New York dolls?

Up on Bergdorf Goodman's 7th floor that's where.

They're from Primitive Twig and handmade by Marcia and Bill Fink.

BONJOUR NEW YORK DOLLS!!

Alliance Francaise de Washington

Friday morning at the crack of dawn...

OK I left the house at 4:30 AM and I DID NOT post on PB
Please forgive moi :(

Bonjour ~~Maison Blanche~~ Capitol Building!

In Washington everything is on a grand scale including Union Station...

And the Metro is divine.
Hello NYC MTA? Faites attention!

The Alliance Francaise de Washington is right in the midst of embassy row. Row upon row of simply gorgeous maisons...

My name was on the door...I have to crow a bit :)

25 Paris facade watercolors are on view...miam-miam

More than 100 (!) people showed up for the vernissage/opening.

A Photo by Marine Cornuet

multitude of macarons were provided by the excellent and very French Mad MacNYC..

Somehow through the blur of people and pictures, I spotted what looked decidedly like a macaron bag!?

What was inside the box?

The end of the soiree turned into a macaron fete! Comparing macaron 'feet' and parfums etc. Educational director, Sarah Pickup-Diligenti tests one out. Well we all did. And guest, Alexander, shared how easy it was to bake your own macarons! Poor guest Christopher's macarons from Michel Patisserie were more or less decimated. This is what happens when you dare to walk around with macaron bags in tow. Beware!

Saturday morning I received email instructions from Merisi of Vienna (a former DCer) that I must go to Eastern Market and off I went.

The Market Lunch is the place to eat brunch, let me tell you!

Not to worry about the long lines either. You will meet people who will only be too happy to advise you what to order when your chance at last comes...