The New Cookies and Milk: French Macaroons, Espresso or Hot Chocolate
By Gerry Furth-Sides

As if the taste of French macaroons, rich hot dark chocolate and organic espresso are not enough, this new form of "cookies and milk" as prepared by dedicated and passionate local artisans is also healthy and non-fattening!

Do not confuse French macaroons with candy-kiss-shaped almond meringue cookies. Yes, both originated in Italy, and are made of egg whites and almond paste. But leave it to the French. Their more fragile version with a crispy outer shell and pillowy- soft yet chewy inside is tricky to prepare.

"Macaroon," comes from the Italian word for paste, maccarone. The cookie arrived in France in 1533 with the pastry chefs of Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henri II, (she who spread many glorious culinary trends across Europe).

The story continues with two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marguerite and Sister Marie-Elisabeth, who when seeking asylum in the town of Nancy during the French Revolution (1789-1799), baked and sold so many French macarons to pay for their housing, they became known as the "Macaroon Sisters."

About that time Italian Jews adopted the cookie for Passover because it has no flour or leavening, adding chewy coconut to the dough. This "Jewish" sweet became popular all over Europe and America, and came to define macaroon - until now!

That's because about 10 years ago New York and Los Angeles bakers seized upon this confection. Pierre Desfontaines Ladurée had the inspiration to join two plain almond (no coconut) meringues, adding complementary fillings of ganache or jam and refining the exquisite texture into one both brittle and chewy. Oui! Oui! Fast forward.

Today the French macaroon arrives in a variety of classic and contemporary flavors all with bold, vibrant colors: Apricot and Raspberry each filled with jam; Lemon with lemon crème filling; sophisticated bittersweet chocolate; Coffee; Vanilla and Pistachio.

The new Chocolate Box Café has the best selection, delicate, gorgeous and in authentic bite-sized, nested in a gem of a box to match (www.chocolateboxcafe.com). Spago's Sherry Yard's macaroons are perfection as specials. For the richest raspberry macaroons, Bottega Louie (www.bottegalouie.com). For the most delicate lavender macaroons. (www.thelittledoor.com). For the finest coffee, La Provence Café www.laprovencecafe.com)

Macaroons combine beautifully with another new trend, hot chocolate. ChocolateBox Cafe shaves the best of European chocolate, Belgian, into their Classic Hot Chocolate drinks.

At ChcoVivo, Cacao beans are raised in specific Mexican fields for meticulous creator Patricia Tsai. She stone grinds the chocolate in the same way the Mayans and Aztecs made chocolate over 2000 years ago, with a tool similar to a mortar and pestle called a mano and metate. Entirely natural, the chocolate is never refined through rollers, conched or tempered.

The purity of ChocoVivo whole bean chocolate is intense and startling. One small piece is as satisfying as a whole manufactured candy bar. ChocoVivo hot chocolate can be prepared from canisters of powder or shavings of their "Rustic bars" inside spiffy little hand-folded brown paper packets. Flavors include Cherries & Almond, Orange & Cloves; Coffee & Vanilla, Mayan Tradition and Chocolate Daisies. (www.ilivechocolate.com).

For superb espresso (the cremea is the test), to accompany macaroons, try beans from The Ojai Coffee Roasting Co. Stacie and Kent Jones established Ojai Coffee Roasting Co. in Ojai in 1995 on a corner of the main drag of the town internationally known for artists and all things natural.

Here Coffee is "lovingly" roasted, 25 pounds at a time "until it reaches its peak varietal character," explains Jones. This way, "the roastmaster uses knowledge and finesse to allow the coffee beans to 'speak' of the terrain where they were grown and to bring out the unique character of each variety." Ojai Coffee Roasting Co. offers online delivery with a complete list and descriptions. (www.ojaicoffeeroastingco.com).

Locally, The Bean Coffee Company offers the most fragrant and natural Costa Rican Classic coffee, Organic Antioxidant coffee featuring CGA. Their unique roasting process ensures that the coffees retain much of the natural antioxidant content, typically lost during toasting so that is may fight the damaging effect of free radicals on the human body. You can find friendly, informative Alex and Dawn Badolato at Farmer's Markets around town or call: 1-877-331-BEAN.

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