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A Lesson in French Macarons

Posted by Tracey | Jun 19, 2014 | In The Kitchen | 0 |

A Lesson in French Macarons

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About The Author

Tracey

Tracey

Join me on my journey as I taste and drink in all that life has to offer!

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Join me on my journey as I take one big gulp out of life one small sip at a time #lifefoodwine
#30daysinwinecountry - Day 10 – Spring Fling, Bi #30daysinwinecountry - Day 10 – Spring Fling, Birds of Prey & Free Champers. As with many Napa mornings, I woke up stupidly refreshed. It’s madness how well I sleep here. My Chicago self is jealous of Napa-me, who hibernates like a squirrel. Yesterday was a beauty, thanks to the Cakebread Spring Fling. We arrived around 11:30am and started with the 2024 Vin de Porche Rosé—crisp, summery, and seriously fun. Through the garden gates, it was sunshine, chic spring outfits, and food and wine pairings that were next level. Oh—and Birds of Prey! Gorgeous creatures with a story. Their trainer told us they’ve protected Cakebread’s groves for 20 years. We asked, “What if they don’t come back?” She replied, “They’re free birds—but they usually return. They imprint on the provider.” Poetry, really. Wine + food highlights: Sauvignon Blanc + Oysters = perfection Pinot Noir + a mauve-aged Gouda = dreamy Cab Franc + Lamb Sliders = the pièce de résistance After that, it was coffee and a blissful two hours of backyard lounging with a podcast. For Karen’s final night 🥲, we dined at Bouchon. The cherry on top? A local gifted us a bottle of Petit Bajan Champagne—a dry, elegant stunner. The kindness of strangers! Dinner on the patio began with warm bread, salted butter, and white bean purée. I convinced Karen to try the Salmon Rillettes—reluctant until the first bite. She went with the Steak Frites (perfection), and I ordered the Trout Almondine—buttery and divine. We ended the day at home, wrapped in blankets, finishing The Four Seasons on Netflix with a final glass of Sequoia Grove Rosé of Grenache. Some sobbing may have occurred, both for the final episodes and with Karen leaving 🙁. A perfect finale to a perfect weekend. 💫 #napavalley #cakebreadcellars #springfling #birdsandbubbles #bouchon #napalife #troutalmondine #roséallday #kindnessofstrangers
#30daysinwinecountry - Day 9 – Exercise, Bubbles #30daysinwinecountry - Day 9 – Exercise, Bubbles, and Don G’s. The day started strong. While Karen went for a run (overachiever), I opted for a more… stationary workout—writing (typing). Writing is a core exercise, right? Okay fine, but we did go for a long walk and discovered Vineyard Park, complete with free outdoor machine weights—think Muscle Beach, but instead of ocean views and protein shakes, it’s grapevines and Chardonnay. A walk, some reps, another walk. I felt positively virtuous. Then came the fancy part. We dressed up, hopped in an Uber, and headed to Domaine Carneros for a sparkling wine + Mediterranean bites tasting. The official instructions were “sip, bite, sip”—which we followed like professionals. 🥂 Ultra Brut + Halibut Crudo: pure magic. Karen was sold when she learned the entire bottle had just 200 calories. I was sold by the sparkle. 🥂 Estate Brut Cuvée + Stracciatella Salad: whipped burrata, seasonal fruit, olive tapenade… chef’s kiss. 🥂 Brut Rosé (a forever fave) + Aubergine: not my vegetable, but the cashew purée underneath? Life-changing. I now have the recipe. DM me. 🥂Verméil Demi-Sec + Harissa Chicken:: loved the chicken, but the Demi-Sec was a bit sweet for me. 🥂 Rosewater Panna Cotta Tart: light, floral, and lovely. Our host, Dillon even surprised us with a pour of “the good stuff”—he didn’t say stuff. And that’s how you know it’s good. Back home, we attempted a 90-degree power nap in the yard, then headed to Bistro Don Giovanni (my reliable Italian comfort spot, and Karen’s first time). It delivered, as always. 🥗 Fried Spanish Olives with Marcona almonds—Karen may have found her new fave snack. 🦀 Soft Shell Crab—a special and a must-order. 🍝 Rigatoni Bolognese for Karen, with extra parm because obviously. 🐟 Grilled Branzino for me, with crispy potatoes and lemon-caper butter. Never. A. Regret. We wrapped up with a couple more episodes of The Four Seasons on Netflix, a splash of Hill Family Rosé, and a toast to the kind of day that’s equal parts sparkle, sunshine, and soft-shell crab. #napavalley #domainecarneros #donGs #napawinetasting #branzinoforever #sippitysip #musclebeachbutmakeitnapa
#30daysinwinecountry - Day 8. PTO in full swing an #30daysinwinecountry - Day 8. PTO in full swing and to quote Karen: “I don’t taste the noise.” Vacation mode: activated. The day began, as all proper Napa days should, with coffee—specifically, a French roast from the one and only Café du Monde.. Paired with avocado toast and a poached egg. Then came the sweats and sneakers, and we wandered the town, mostly so I could show Karen all the houses I dream of buying but absolutely cannot afford. Post-walk, we cleaned up and headed to R+D Kitchen for a light late lunch—Rosé and salads—before hopping in an Uber to Frog’s Leap Winery for one of the most delightful tastings yet. Our host Leslie was equal parts wine expert and ghost whisperer, which is exactly the energy we needed. She charmed us with tales of the supernatural while guiding us through Frog’s Leap’s organic wines: from the La Grenouille Rougante (aka the “blushing frog” rosé) to stunning Sauv Blancs, Zins, Cabs, a surprise Chardonnay, and even a mellow Merlot we loved. When we were tasting the side-by-side of the Sauv Blancs, one citrusy and steel barrel fermented, which Karen loved, and the other concrete-aged, which I loved and Karen claimed “I don’t taste the noise!” I love that quote. We lingered long enough to earn the label “unofficial staff,” then made our way to Brix for dinner with my Napa friend Traci, where we sat on the dreamy patio overlooking vineyards and mountains. What did we eat? A great many things: ✨ Crispy Deviled Eggs stuffed with Dungeness crab and yes—fried. If you haven’t tried these, please re-evaluate your life choices. ✨ Shrimp & Pork Potstickers with soy-mirin sauce (a personal fave). ✨ Ahi Tuna Poke with avocado, macadamia nuts, coconut, and crispy wontons. ✨ And finally, Cary’s Truffled Mac-n-Cheese, which Karen and Traci declared “life-changing.” We returned home early like proper vacationers, enjoyed a final sip of wine in the yard, then, popped on an episode of The Four Seasons (Netflix comfort food), and were both snoring by 9:30pm. Early nights in Napa hit different—and I’m not mad about it. #napavalley #frogsleapwinery #brixnapa #napawinetasting #dungenesscrabdeviledeggs #vacationvibes #napanights
#30daysinwinecountry - Day 7. Power outage: round #30daysinwinecountry - Day 7. Power outage: round two. But at least this time, it ended with duck confit and rosé. Let’s not dwell on how hard it is to do actual work without internet—this isn’t a 90s nostalgia post. (Though I do faintly recall fax machines and floppy disks...) Instead, let’s skip to 4:30pm, when the day truly began: my dear friend of 26 years (don’t do the math, I beg you) arrived from Boston! We caught up over coffee, then made our way to Bistro Jeanty, my tried-and-true French restaurant BFF who’s never let me down in over a decade. Dinner began with a sparkle—Hill Family Rosé—and moved into a beautifully shared Salade Mâraichère with warm goat cheese, haricots verts, roasted tomatoes, and honey vinaigrette. Basically salad dressed in charm. For mains: Karen went full cozy mode with the Coq au Vin—a glorious stew of chicken, mushrooms, applewood-smoked bacon, and red wine. I chose the Cassoulet—because when there’s duck confit, sausage, and baked beans involved, how can one not? Naturally, we each ate about a third before waving the white napkin of surrender and boxing the rest for future joy. I’m usually terrible at leftovers, but this? This deserves a second act.We wrapped the night in pajamas, sipping a little Sequoia Grove Rosé of Grenache, and catching The Four Seasons on Netflix before tucking in early to be fresh for tomorrow’s PTO-fueled fun day. #napavalley #bistrojeanty #yountville #friendshipandfrenchfood #roséallday #napastyle
#30daysinwinecountry - Day 6. Full power restored, #30daysinwinecountry - Day 6. Full power restored, long workday survived, and saved by a little rosé magic. Honestly, no one needs a play-by-play of my laptop life today, so instead, let me introduce you to a fabulous rosé that turned things around: Sequoia Grove Rosé of Grenache, 2021. This beauty has just the faintest blush—like the Grenache grapes barely dipped their toes in the pool rather than doing a full 50-meter freestyle. On the nose: soft stone fruit and a whisper of citrus. On the palate: dangerously drinkable. Light, elegant, and with just the right touch of acidity to keep things interesting. It’s the kind of wine you sip thinking, “Oh, just one glass,” and suddenly you’re texting your friends about booking a patio brunch. Drink responsibly... or at least with snacks. Sequoia Grove Rosé of Grenache 2021 👃 Stone fruit | Light citrus 👅 Elegant | Soft acidity | Dangerously drinkable 💡 Like the grapes went for a quick dip—just a whisper of pink, and a whole lot of charm. #napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #sequoiagrove #roséallday #winewednesdaycameearly
#30daysinwinecountry - Day 5. Back to work… and #30daysinwinecountry - Day 5. Back to work… and a full-blown power outage, Napa style. Yesterday started strong. It was a workday, so I was caffeinated, productive, even slightly smug about my to-do list—until Yountville said, “Not today, friend.” Yep, total power outage. And not just Wi-Fi-gone, but full-on blackout. My laptop died, my phone tapped out, my fridge panicked, and my streaming shows? Lost to the digital abyss. What can one do in such a situation? Walk (I did). Read a book (I didn’t). Mostly, I just wandered around my house in silence, hunting for candles with the world’s dimmest flashlight. Spoiler alert: Napa at night with no lights is scary poop dark. As a gift from the chaos gods, I did stumble upon a bit of joy earlier in the week: this whimsical sculpture of a man with an umbrella in the garden at Hotel Yountville. I don’t know what it’s called (couldn’t Google it—hello, no power), but I found it utterly delightful, which is more than I can say for the rest of my blackout bonanza. Today, I have power and renewed energy, so there may be a wine review from Yountville coming tomorrow! #napavalley #napalife #yountville #poweroutagechronicles #umbrellaartandotherjoys
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 4. I’m in the wi #30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 4. I’m in the witness protection program now. Also, someone told me I looked beautiful, so I may never leave California. After a quiet breakfast at home—whole wheat muffins and poached eggs, because balance—I waved goodbye to my friends (🥲) and found myself solo in Napa on a stunningly perfect day. First order of business: movement. I threw on my sneakers and took myself on a 5-mile walk, partially for health, partially to justify more rosé later. Lunch was a make-it-work masterpiece: salad topped with leftover Ad Hoc fried chicken. Culinary genius or just lazy brilliance? You decide. In the afternoon, I wandered over to the R+D patio for a solo glass of Azur Rosé, which was light, crisp, and exactly what my afternoon needed. On the way, a woman randomly stopped me and said, “You look beautiful.” I mean—how lovely is that? Is this standard behavior in Napa? Because it’s definitely not happening on the streets of Chicago. Then, just as I was settling into an Adirondack chair, soaking in the sunshine and sipping my rosé, a 93-year-old man plopped down next to me and casually told me he was in the witness protection program. Yes, really. He turned out to be a self-proclaimed movie producer who invited me to a film premiere in October featuring unsung heroes of Hollywood’s golden age. I looked it up. I found nothing. But he gave me a flyer, so either it’s real… or I truly did meet a charming man in hiding who also happens to love rosé. Napa, you weird and wonderful gem, I adore you. #napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #napalife #roséallday #witnessprotectionwineclub #azurrose
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 3. Fried chicken for #30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 3. Fried chicken for breakfast, wine for lunch, and Branzino that didn’t stare at me for dinner. We kicked things off with a slow morning of coffee and catching up before making the totally reasonable breakfast decision: Ad Hoc’s fried chicken. Once you’ve had it, you’ll understand why it’s sold by the bucket. We shared a crisp green salad (for show) and a glorious pile of golden, crispy perfection. Colette headed back to Nevada just as Kathryn and Jaimee rolled into Yountville, bringing sunshine and fresh wine-tasting energy. We made our way to Sequoia Grove, where we happily lingered for hours on the members’ patio, sipping Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, a red blend, and a sneaky taste of Rosé of Grenache. The Cab Franc stole my heart—smooth, structured, and just a little flirty. Next up, cocktails at North Block, where Jaimee praised their martini, aka two drinks disguised as one. Dinner was at Bottega, out by the wood fire. We shared the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, then I ordered the Wood-Grilled Branzino—but not before asking them to remove the head. I draw the line at being judged by my fish. Jaimee and Kathryn shared the Spaghetti alla Sophia Loren and Braised Short Ribs, both of which were raved about in stereo. Napa, you’ve still got it. 🍷 #napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #friedchickenforbreakfast #cabfranccrush #napalife
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 2. Bouchon Bakery, H #30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 2. Bouchon Bakery, Hill Family, and Don G’s—aka carbs. My body clock is still doing interpretive dance routines, so I was up early and headed straight for Bouchon Bakery, where the croissants are roughly the size of my head—and just as flaky before coffee. We overindulged (because we’re not quitters), then laced up our sneakers and took a “guilt-cleansing” walk around town for about an hour, pretending we were earning back at least half a croissant. (We weren’t.) Our early afternoon was spent exactly how every afternoon should be: sipping sparkling, rosé, and white wines at Hill Family Winery in the company of good friends and no agenda. Their Rosé of Pinot Noir this year? Dangerously good. So good, in fact, a group text wine timeshare was formed on the spot with my Chicago friends. Two cases, divided three ways, and absolutely zero regrets. (Review coming soon once I stop swooning.) Dinner? Ohhh, dinner. We headed to the always divine Bistro Don Giovanni (or as the locals and lazy typers call it, Don G’s). We started with the dreamiest burrata, served with roasted red peppers alla puttanesca on garlicky toast—basically, a love letter to carbs. Then came the Lamb Meatballs in a white bean ragu, which made us briefly consider standing up and applauding. We paired it all with a Schramsberg Sparkling Rosé, which brightened our evening. Cheers to Napa for knowing how to do Tuesday nights properly. #napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #yountvilleartofthestroll #croissantcardio #roséresponsibly
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