Op shop sunday

 

 I know its really spring, and nearly summer when it's French-fest.

Akaroa was where the French landed, just a few short week of the Brits who claimed NZ way back.

Overfamiliarity (we go there all the time) doesn't make it any less lovely in my eyes.

(As are the French sailors, in uniform, who sail over every year from French Polynesia for the celebrations, and drive the local teenage population wild. Mmmmm).

I wore these, one of a HUGE box of gifts I will slowly unveil, from Leonie courtesy of Cat's Tilda Christmas swap THANK YOU LEONIE!

We beachcombed and picnic-ed

And I saw somemore cool letter boxes whilst we were out there

Dolly house!

Tea and taps at The Giants House, a big mosaic garden thing, like a tacky Gaudi take-off. 

                                            This, I believe is where the Akaroa plumber resides!

                           And there was the lure of the annual bowling club fundraising book sale

This kids book is so beautiful, every page made me sigh and think it was written about Claudine.

Umm and the dirt wiped off ;)

There is both a play and a book about what might have happened to New Zealand had the French arrived first.

Nuclear power aside (and don't mention the Rainbow Warrior) it's quite an alluring what-if...

j'aime le macaron

J'aime les macaron. I really, really do. The perfect pastel palette, the sugar high (I never ever eat just one, restraint is for boring things like sandwiches), and for a girl raised on stodgy puddings, the daintiness. Not that I'm giving up the sticky toffee pudding forever, just until next winter. For now it's pink-blossom macaron spring. J'aime les macaron. Also the name of the gorgeous Christhcurch macaron shop, where I no longer need to shop. Hee!

                       I wish to announce that have succeded in making the most perfect macarons

                                                                          Ta da!

                                                                    *cue applause*

Ahhh.

                                    I would like to thanks the following things that made it all possible:-

1. the most perfect, and in no way difficult, macaron instruction guide (and I tried a few) on this blog
http://foodnouveau.com/2010/03/29/paris-france/how-to-make-macarons-a-detailed-illustrated-step-by-step-recipe/comment-page-2/#comments


2. What is now christened my 'lucky' eiffel tower apron (a handmade, secret post gift from Keri)

Thank you so much, I love it!

3. Persistance. This was attempt #4. 

Attempt #1 Recipe said it made about 36 shells, my version made 6. Hmm. Not a good sign. Rock hard. Literally like a rock, weighty, would break a window rock hard. Even hubby wouldn't couldn't eat them.
Attempt #2 Soggy, cracked and stuck to baking paper and had to be scraped off into the bin
Attempt #3 Soggy, stuck to baking paper having to be scraped off into bin
Attempt #4 Aimed to burn them in an attempt to get them sufficiently cooked...bingo (for me and my cooker with a broken seal)
                                                    
                       

I tucked their pert wee pink bums into bed the fridge overnight as is necessary

for macaron perfection (that was the restraint part)

Then the next afternoon me and the girl had a tea party

Sugar and spice and all things nice, Claud with her mini-macaron

Light, with a whisker of chewy-ness. Raspberry flavoured, with a creamy marscapone and raspberry jam filling.

Kids look cute using china do they not?

Cuteness factor intensified when she says "nac-ron"

Ahhh.

Thats when I remembered I had that dainty side plate, perfect for finally finishing the tiered cake stand that went so wrong at the last attempt

                                                             Another success, hurray!
                                        With all the success, sugar and spring warmth I'm on a high!

                         Can you take any more cuteness? I have another macaron related project in mind...

These doll house macarons, from here.

Ahhhh.

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