A Parisian Proposal and My First Macaron Tower

Dessert Table of Dreams

When I was asked to do a dessert table for the wedding of my beloved cousin Joey, I was delighted. He had always appreciated my baking, which, of course, endeared him to me. When he and Lauren got engaged in front of the Eiffel Tower, my daughter Madeline encouraged me to bake macarons for the wedding in honor of Joey’s Parisian proposal.

How I Came to Master Macarons

My first attempt at making these cookies was a flop, as the technique was so different than anything I’d done before: whipping egg whites; sifting the almond flour and sugar; the process of blending the dry ingredients with the egg whites (called “macaronage”); and drying the shells when they are just the right level of “done.” I realized I had much to learn if I was going to pull this off, so I took a baking class. Voilà! Five hundred macarons later, I was a pro. Or at least a semi-pro.

A Surprise Reward

The macarons turned out to be a big hit at the wedding, with their beautiful array of pastel colors and variety of fillings. So many compliments at the wedding! And after it was all done, a lovely reward from my husband: a trip to Paris with my mother-in-law.