Monday, October 06, 2008

I Paint Macaron Dreams...

Macaron Rose,watercolor on Etsy, 9"x 11"
First and foremost
THANK YOU PB READERS!!!!
For helping me resolve the PB avatar mystery! A won by the way :)

Macaron Eiffel Tower,watercolor on Etsy, 9" x 11"

Secondly on today's menu, I get quite a few requests for some straightup macaron watercolors, so...

Before I became an obsessed student of the macaron, I had a great love for the meringue...

Probably dating back to the Lemon Meringue birthday cakes my mom used to make, since I refused to eat cake as a kid. I still refuse by the way...
I use to love buying meringues in Paris...
Meringues always equalled Paris in my eyes. That's all changed now...
These rock-like monsters can easily break a tooth - they are still everywhere in Paris. But it's my observation that you rarely see them at a place selling macarons. Hmmm...Many patisseries have gone upscale and now refuse to acknowledge the lowly meringue.
Only Berthillon had them side by side, kissing cousins as they should be. After all a macaron is made with French or Italian meringue is it not? But then Berthillon's nitch is ice cream so they don't have to worry. So many things in Paris give one pause for serious deep thought don't you think?
BONNE LUNDI!

26 comments:

  1. Ooh, I could no choose if I had to. They are cousins truly...I have made meringues...success so dependent on the amount of moisture in the air...I wonder how they keep them fresh in the stores? Out in the cases like that...
    Gorgeous. macaron paintings... and hm, reminds me I haven't had my breakfast...

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  2. I love meringues, too, but I always tell myself, "they're just air." (well, and maybe a 'bit' of sugar.) Lovely watercolors Carol!!!

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  3. Ahhhh Carol,
    Beautiful way to start my week; seeing your light and airy paintings!
    Just like your beloved Macarons, eh!?
    sjerseyboy

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  4. Dear BRUSH WITH COLOR, meringues are ALL SUGAR with just a touch of airiness. I have the cavities to prove it too.
    And JANICE, the lowly meringue will keep for MONTHS, quite possibly YEARS! It something you just know. I can't prove it. Whereas the elitist macaron has a VERY SHORT SHELF LIFE and is quite a delicate creation. 3-4 days tops.
    Longer and they become stale in a rather nasty way :(
    That I can proove!

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  5. PLEASE do not download my photos without asking permission first.
    Period end of sentence.

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  6. Anonymous11:17 AM

    tes aquerelles sont toujours belles et charmantes. bien à toi

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  7. Anonymous12:48 PM

    Your work is lovely!

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  8. Those meringues are over the top!! OMG, I so want one of those. I love letting the meringues just melt in my mouth. LOVE!!! And, your paintings today are sooo beautiful.

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  9. Anonymous1:37 PM

    Your watercolors are so romantic. I might be tempted to buy a couple of notecards again. I only give them to very special customers. Oh, I just launched a new site , you need to check out the animated "How to eat a macaron"

    http://www.petitesbouchees.com/aboutus/macaron.php

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  10. Love the spoon balancing the Macarons with the Eiffel Tower. Great paintings as usual.
    Never been much of a fan of just meringues tho. I just want more.

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  11. Anonymous2:12 PM

    I wanted to inquire: have you had these macarons?
    The baker used to work at Fauchon in NYC.
    www.madmacnyc.com.

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  12. I love macarons!

    Kiss!

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  13. Anonymous4:48 PM

    Yum. I love meringue! My diet might suffer but one of those meringues would make me a happy woman.

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  14. Anonymous4:49 PM

    Love it!
    Delicious...
    guess what I am filling? :)

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  15. im thinking of going to paris this weekend.. any nice tip? :) janka polliani

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  16. Carol, meringues are such a lovely way to load up on protein (it takes quite a few egg whites to get them all fluffy!). Macarons, of course, win hands down because of the addition of that phytochemical powerhouse, the almond. ;-)

    I love your new avator!

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  17. Anonymous5:10 PM

    Carol, have you ever had a baked alaska, meringue round icecream baked in the oven, it still suprises me putting icecream in a hot oven,
    Jill

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  18. Is that so MERISI?
    I've often told myself that Marshmallows must be full of protein too...usually while scarfing down a bag of them...boy has it been a long time since I've had the nerve to do that :(
    Quelle tristess...

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  19. Anonymous6:09 PM

    I'll have some macarons straight-up S.V.P.
    OK a dollop of ice cream on top if you insist..ahem

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  20. Anonymous6:26 PM

    I'm putting Merisi in my will for her clear and insightful nutritional analysis! I can't believe I didn't think of it first! After all, I invented the extremely nutritious breakfast of hot skim milk with flavanoids and polyphenols: the hot mocha.

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  21. Aw I missed the vote but that's the one I would have chosen anyway

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  22. Anonymous6:26 AM

    Oh... my vote was too late...
    Pleased to be in the winning wave though.
    MN

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  23. mmmm...it's all so delicious and I love meringues, maybe because they are the underdogs:)

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  24. Every time I'd go with my mom to the bakery I would ask for a big meringue..one half was dipped in dark chocolate. To this day, my favorite dessert is a vacherin: layers of meringue and ice cream...hmhmmhmh! One day we MUST eat our way through Paris patisserie together!!

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  25. Anonymous9:58 AM

    I knew we were kindred spirits...but didn't know how much...I always have a lemon meringue pie for my birthday "cake". I thought I was the only one on that page....and I'm tickled pink I am not.

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  26. love the beautiful pictures! I had no idea you did not like cake as a kid. love bel

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