The Foodie called me on Tuesday to ask if I might be free around teatime to sample the Laduree macarons and Angelina hot chocolate mix that had recently arrived from Paris.
Might I be free? Why yes. Yes, I was.
I decided to fancy up the table as much as I could at short notice with an embroidered table runner and napkins. The Foodie didn't mind waiting to have our treats until pictures were taken. In fact, he helped to style the photo shoot. I think the pictures look better than usual, and that's all him.
Even the packaging is elegant and pretty. I've got to hand it to the French: they know how to make a simple box of cookies just a bit more elegant. You know there is something special inside.
And there is: eight impossibly perfect and pretty macaron cookies. My favorite was the pistachio cookie in the upper-left-hand corner. It had a delicious marshmallow filling that resisted just a little when I bit into it.
The hot chocolate from Angelina perfectly complemented the macarons because it's slightly bitter and has a savory quality. We made it with lowfat milk and felt very virtuous about that.
It was a lovely treat at the end of the day -- not just the delectable sweets, but spending some time with The Foodie who has been busy with career-minded things of late. I hadn't seen him in a while, and it was nice to chat and catch up. But even if we don't get together as often as we'd like, we'll always have Paris.
