Gone, all gone.

It seems I have been remiss in not keeping you up to date on all my macaroon adventures. Well, I'll just fix that right now!

I had limited success with black sesame. Delicious, but wrong texture. Pictures will not be forthcoming.

Saffron and allspice macaroons came out very nice. The allspice tasted almost like pumpkin pie. Sometime in November I'll have to re-do those with a full complement of pumpkin-pie spices.

Since those came out so well I decided to raise the difficulty level and go for basil macaroons again. It is difficult because basil is moist, and moisture makes steam in the oven and that is not a good thing for a macaroon. I solved that problem by using dried egg whites and re-constituting them with less water than was called for.

They were yummy, yummy, yummy, but now they are gone!

I've just found out that Pierre Hermé has a new recipe book all about macarons. I suppose I'll just have to buy it, if only so I can laugh at his recipe for ketchup macaro(o)ns. (Silly french chef!) And also according to Paris Breakfasts there is still time for me to get over to Paris for the opening of his newest store. I'll be checking airline prices tonight.

Though, really, he does seem to put too much gunk in his trunk. I think a little dab will do ya, and more is not better. Before Laudrée in 1930, no one would have dreamed of sticking goop between the cookies. Now, less than 100 years later, the goop is in danger of taking over.