I have always thought of macaroons (macarons) as a particularly French delicacy, a delightfully diminutive round cake, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle made from ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. Endless varieties of flavouring and delicate pastel colours can be found in tempting tower displays in the finest French patisseries. It would seem, however that they were originally invented in Italy and may date back as far as the middle ages, certainly to Renaissance Venice, the name deriving from the Italian macherone meaning fine paste. The little subjects in todays’ photos were purchased from the local supermarket and although not the finest of their kind, are certainly pretty enough to photograph. One day I dream of purchasing a very large box of macarons from that iconic French establishment Ladurée in Paris, the stunning packaging alone would be worth the investment from a photographer’s point of view – I just need to find someone to fund the mortgage………….
View from a French Hillside 
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
I was just thinking that it was time for coffee – and I thought these would go perfectly with a pot… Photographs from Jane Morley – she has a wonderful array of all things French so do pop in and browse…
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any time, of course… 🙂 the Ladurée ones are supposed to be THE top, by definition and by excellence, but some pâtissiers toulousains make them really yummy, too… 🙂
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I tried making them multiple of times. They are so hard to make! It is possible, but just a lot of tries. I just love how pretty and delicate they look
http://petiteandprettyco.wordpress.com/
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I must confess I’m not a very good cook – luckily for me Mr H is or I wouldn’t get to eat much – but I do like baking! Haven’t tried to make macarons yet but I really lust have a try, would be good for my tea-room!
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Hehehe let me know it goes! Would love to see how they turned out
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Perhaps I’ll turn it into a post series – diary notes from a terrible cook!
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I’d missed these Jane, doooo forgive….
Just looking at’em gives me toothache.
🙂
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Hello sh, I can personally vouch for the fact that they were very sugary, sweet, sickly and disgusting – all 12 of them
Hope you’re having better luck with your film processing?
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Re-shooting this morning…I’m afraid they were fooked!
😦
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I’m crossing my fingers
Hope it’s not raining there 😦
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It’s the West Midlands…It’s November…
Of course it’s raining!
🙂
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It’s Charente, it’s South Western France and it’s flippin’ well raining here as well! 😦
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How poo!
😦
Chin up Madame !
😀
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I figure we’re probably due some rubbish weather, it’s been 70°c and very balmy indeed here throughout October. Now it’s just me that’s barmy and the weaher’s gone to pot, or poo as you so rightly describe it 😦 and I can’t put my chin up because in the current clime my nose would fill up with water
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Euurrgh
Sub-marine schnozzle!!
To be avoided.
Stop in!
Have another macaroon!
🙂
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I’ve been photographing red onions actually – not as eye-watering as normal onions! Check your Reader for the results! 🙂
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I am the one responsible for onion prep in Shpics mansions….So, as the saying goes, ‘I know my onions’.
I tend to use red ones for everything apart from Asian and Indian food, when I go for the standard white cooking onion…….NEVER does a Spanish onion feel the keen Shpics blade…Spanish onions are such uninspiring things!
Here endeth the lesson.
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OOeer , I have to say sh, I am mega impressed at the idea of you and the trusty Shpics blade making mincemeat/skilfully chopped sections, of an onion, Spanish, Venezuelan or otherwise o_o I seem to have little aptitude for this sort of thing – hand me a golf club and I could belt said onion to the other side of Kingdom-come but with a kitchen knife I’m lucky if I leave with even one of my fingers uninjured 😦 PS I thought red onions Were Spanish? 😕
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Actually, (and I hate to admit gaps in my knowledge), I haven’t the faintest where red onions call home…….But ‘Spanish’ onions are those Big, Wet, Boringly Mild, Excuses for an onion, much loved by the frail and toothless……
And, (I am asking nicely), please don’t refer to golf, (shudder), on these pages again….
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Haha! Thought the idea of golf might amuse you, or not as it were 😦 Not all golfers wear plus fours and silly sweaters you know, I used to cut quite a dash on the fairways 🙂 and I was a lethal demon with a driver and a 1 iron 😀
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A lethal demon!!!
Hmmm…
I’m not sure if I like the sound of that…..
Sounds a bit ‘winny’ not ‘play’y’…….
As far as I’m concerned the ONLY good thing about golf IS the plus-fours..
😀
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