You say macaron, I say macaroon

Last Friday I was on a quest. It had all started over a year ago, when I set my sights upon learning to make the perfect french macaroon. If you have ever attempted creating these delicate fancies you will know the dedication that is required of the amateur baker seeking perfection. Over a period of several months I developed a love-hate relationship with the whole pursuit. I loved the satisfaction of making the perfect batch but hated the disappointment of the failed attempts. The only encouragement was that by doing a quick google search I found that I was not alone. There are whole blogs dedicated to the art of the french macaroon. As I write now it has been several months since my last attempt.

With this in mind you can imagine my excitement when I heard on Twitter that a local artisan bakery was to start selling freshly baked french macaroons. A year on and my quest took me out of my kitchen and to the wonderful Grainger Market in the heart of Newcastle Upon Tyne. If you're a local you will probably know it well. For those from further afield,  if you ever find yourself in the city centre then do take the opportunity to have a stroll there and soak up the atmosphere. At the time of its opening in 1835 it was the largest covered market in Europe and it is now preserved as a Grade 1 listed building with elegant architecture and a vibrant and eclectic mix of stores. 

I am already familiar with some of the market stores such as the appropriately named MMM... described as food heaven for the best oils, balsamics, vinegars, jams, honey, chutneys, flour, herbs, spices and more. As you can see it is housed in a beautifully fronted shop unit and I would encourage you to pop in for inspirational ingredients. You can also follow on Twitter which is worth doing especially if you like a giggle at the odd food joke or two! 

Just over the way from MMM... is The French Oven which was where I was heading for my macaroon fix. 

When I got to the counter I was certainly not disappointed. As you can see there was a wonderful range of flavours and it was hard to choose which to go for. At £1 for a couple of mouthfuls these little beauties are a real luxury but knowing the skill required to make them I think that is a fair price to pay. At the moment The French Oven is offering a box of eight for £6 so naturally I went for the bargain and managed to pick eight to take home and share. All the flavours both looked and tasted delicious and it was agreed that it would be hard to pick a favourite. Besides which as The French Oven offers more than 8 options in their range there will need to be some repeat visits before I can even think about whittling it down to a top ten ;) I would definitely recommend that you follow on twitter if you want to keep up-to-date with which flavours are in stock on a given day. 

So, whilst I haven't yet made a return to baking macaroons I was inspired to finally get round to listing my lovely macaroon cards in the online shop. Featuring a colourful photograph of a box of macaroons made by my own fair hand (one of the attempts of which I was proud) they are printed on 100% recycled card and I think would make a lovely greeting for those spring birthdays coming up. For a unique Mothering Sunday present you could send a beautifully packaged gift pack containing six cards, perfect to send for any occasion.

I'd love to hear your stories about macaroons - your favourite flavours, successes (and failures if, like me, you've had them!) and top tips. Photos are always welcome over on my facebook page and do let me know what you think of my new macaroon cards. 

Rose x.