Monday, May 10, 2010

Les Macarons de Californie


Today we leave Paris for just one day. We'll travel west from Paris to Brentwood, California. Last week while staying with my dear blog reader Judy, she thought of every single thing I might like to drink or eat. We paid a visit to Europane in Pasadena for a nice selection of macarons. I'll bet you're wondering if they were up to "Paris standards"...........OUI! They were delicieux. I had several, and I highly recommend them. I took this "food shot" poolside on Judy's gorgeous deck overlooking a canyon. Tellement la Californie!

26 comments:

Amy said...

I love the sea salt caramel macarons from Euro Pane!

Shell Sherree said...

HOW pretty! You've styled those macarons up exquisitely, Virginia! A beautiful colour combo, and I love the geraniums, too. I can think of a few people who must be happy to have Europane nearby {and yes, Amy's one of them, plus a certain puppy dog!}.

Judy - So California said...

Love it! Merci mon amie......I am surprised we left enough for your photo. They were good weren't they? Until next time......

Cafe Observer said...

Well, now my South of Alabama & my California South of France friends both like our local Euro Pane Macarons!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised since the owner was trained at the top pastry school in Paris.

I really like your pic! Makes the Macs look even tastier.

PeterParis said...

I have to believe what you say about the flavour, but at least the sight is perfect, a little piece of your art again!

Overthehillbutgreatview said...

Oh my.... have just sat here and mentally nibbled and savoured every morsel of this delicious photo. Transported back to Paree and my first taste of this delicacy. xD

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Beautiful macarons, beautiful flowers, beautiful weather ... what could be better?!

Daryl said...

You may have mine .. oddly I am not a lover of macarons ... but they look delicious

Lowell said...

A tower of goodness!

Owen said...

Oh my, but was that reasonable ?!?

They look sinfully delicious...

The Armchair Parisian said...

I am embarrassed to say I have never tried a macaroon ion all my journeys to Paris. I must remedy that!

Catherine said...

Just when I come to watch your Paris through your lens, Virginia, you leave it for California !
Fortunately, wiith your today picture, I feel at home !
I just wonder how you managed to keep macarons on their plate long enough to take some pictures... With these beautiful colors, and flavours (I guess) they would have disapeared at the opening of their box at home.
Let me guess....Violet or blackcurant (but I'm less sure on this one), coffee, pistachio, then chocolat for the end....?

Starman said...

They certainly look that same. Which was your favorite?

Virginia said...

Catherine,
Bienvenue, and I promise it's back to Paris tomorrow!

Starman,
This time I tried the caramel with sea salt and it was very good. I was surprised at how much I liked the sweet with the salty. Caramel is my favorite in Paris as well.

I think the top is raspberry, then caramel, then pistache (I see Peter smiling), then maybe expresso or chocolat. Very good and the filling was very creamy. Thanks dear Amy for the recommendation!

Parisbreakfasts said...

Very pretty colors!
How did you get them to line up like that in a mac tower?
I always imagin putting a stake through them :(
Maybe it's the altitude?

Shanna said...

I hope the weather was good to you when you were here. I'm afraid, though, that our skies were not as dramatic as in the Winter.
It has been chilly for Spring, which is nice but I'm hoping for some warmth because my studio is sooo cold and canvasses await me.

Your colors are very inspiring!

Katie said...

Mmmm, marvelous macarons! This is a stunning photo; I think you could start a new career as a food stylists! I hope these were gobbled up pronto after the photo shoot.

Virginia said...

Katie,
HA! Food behaves nicely and doesn't move but as you know, it's the people here and in Paris that really do it for me!
V

Shanna,
I can only imagine all the glorious things in California you could paint. THe weather was absolutely gorgeous pour moi!!

Rajesh said...

Beautiful shot. Just love those colors.

Cafe Pasadena said...

I'm hoping Shanna will become a food painter...starting with your Mac shot!

About those mac colours: a culinary professor at the CIA mentioned how EP's mac colors were, in her experience, unique. So, maybe there's something to all this afterall.

Mister Earl said...

Those colors, especially the purple and green, remind me of the colored ice cream cones that we used to get when I was a kid.

Ginnie Hart said...

What's so fun about this for me, Virginia, is knowing almost exactly where you were poolside at Judy's house. Doesn't THAT make the world sunddenly seem small...as I sit here in Holland, thousands of miles away! :)

Laurent said...

Ils ont l'air parfaits !

Alexa said...

Ooh, such lovely saturated colors—I can almost taste them. Lucky you!

Marie-Hélène Raletz said...

Yummy colours... a highly tempting Tour de Pise :)

Unknown said...

If you're ever in San Francisco and find yourself craving a macaron, I'd recommend sampling those on offer at the following fine patisseries:

http://www.paulettemacarons.com/

http://laboulangebakery.com/

http://www.miettecakes.com/

For me, La Boulange wins. Best macarons outside of Paris (and the best in Paris are from Laduree, in my opinion).

Great post!