Ooh la la.

                    

It's Friday, ladies & gentlemen.  5 more days until I'm officially in my "Mid Thirties."  I've always milked embraced my birthweekday... Maybe that'll change as the number gets higher, but for now - it's never too early to let the celebration begin.

                                  

Yesterday, my sister-in-law and I went to a French Macarons Workshop.  We loved it.  Prior to the class I hadn't tried baking these little luxuries myself, but I have heard horror stories... some from my SIL- who had tried.  Despite all of the "perfect macaron" pictures I've seen floating around food blogs, I knew I needed a little more skill under my belt before I joined this particular baking league.                                                                                                  

Mr. Lebovitz was absolutely right when he said, "Les Macarons are all about technique, rather than about just following a recipe... One extra fold, and it’s all over."  We learned the general technique- also the "nevers," the "shoulds" & "should-nots"... and 10 batches later, now armed to attempt on our own.  We're already planning which sugars to create (cardamom? lemon?), and of course which food color powders to toss into the mix.  A perfect Easter project.
                      

In class, we made vanilla bean and pistachio macarons, with ganache, creme brulee, and griottine fillings.

And to top it off, we enjoyed lunch with Rebecca, from The Reluctant Floridian (fortunately- she's no longer living in Florida).  What a pleasure.  She was just as charming, witty, thoughtful, and sophisticated (in a cool, unpretentious way), as I thought she'd be... and she loves to talk coffee... and food.  Can't get much better than that.  She was the one who informed me about the class, but when she tried to sign up (the same day that I did!) it was already full.  So, I was happy that I still got to meet, and get to know her - offline.

{My 2nd blogger meet-up was a success! ... No creepy exchanges or horror stories.  Yet.  Not that I was worried.}

Ooh la la.  It's Friday.   - Or did I already mention that??