Today we’re enjoying French tea and American macroons. Let me introduce you to the tea first and then let’s talk about the difference one “o” makes when baking.
My sister-in-law and I have spent a lot of time in Luxeuil-les-Bains where we found a lovely coffee/tea shop, Brûlerie Doillon. (If you don’t read French, you can find them on Facebook.) The small but attractive shop seemed to always be closed when we visited, but we peered in the windows to see all the canisters of tea, bags of coffee, a small seating area, and thought it would be lovely to sit on the outdoor patio during nice weather. To console ourselves when it was closed, we had to patronize a bakery or two in the area. 🙂 Well, maybe we were going to do that anyway.
Then one day, they were open! During subsequent visits, we enjoyed various coffee drinks, which came with a cube of brown sugar and a wrapped square of dark chocolate. I don’t use sugar in tea or coffee but those cubes are fun to just eat. 🙂 Before I left France the last time, my s-i-l presented me with a tin of Dammann Frères jasmine tea. From the Dammann Frères website:
“Of all the jasmine teas produced in China, Jasmin Chung Hao is one of the most delicate and fragrant. Made with a superb green tea, it produces a fresh and delicate brew.“
Dammann Frères has been around in one way or another since 1692 when Louis 14th granted Sir Damame the exclusive privilege to sell tea in France. What I love about jasmine tea is that beside the benefits of green tea, you have the wonderful, delicate scent of jasmine. Always remember that green tea should never been steeped in boiling water. Dammann Frères recommends 80°C/176°F for this tea.
For our treat today, let’s celebrate the historic relationship between France and the United States, as exemplified by the Statue of Liberty. If that grand lady were having a cup of tea with us, perhaps she’d enjoy coconut macaroons. Only one “o” separates macaroons (below) from macarons, those delicate French sandwich cookies made with almond flour and meringue. When I worked at Le Chocoat in Naperville, macrons (mak-uh-rons) were one of our best sellers, even though almost all customers asked for mack-uh-runes (macaroons). Both are tasty, but macaroons are much easier to make and one of my husband’s favorite cookies. Everyone at the shop loved when I brought them in and the owner even said mine were better than the ones she made. Thanks to Mark Bittman for the recipe! Making them with unsweetened coconut makes them not overly sweet. Just don’t overbake and be sure to line the baking pan with parchment paper. And just FYI, they make a great Valentine’s Day gift. 🙂
Enjoy!
This, that and the other thing 
Woww looks delicious
Both are. 🙂
janet
I love both macarons and macaroons — though only make the latter. Will have to check out your re I’ve Janet, as they look delicious.
Yes, I’ve never made macarons and I know they’re a lot of work. I just don’t care about them enough to bother. But macaroons are quite easy and easy + tasty is always a winner in my recipe book. 🙂
Yeah; it’s the effort that puts me off — even though I really enjoy eating them.
I made some macaroon-like coconut cookies, which almost made it onto our virtual tea table. T loves all things coconut-y, so I wasn’t fast enough.
Those three were all we had left by the time I thought of the photo. 🤭😊
Hehe.
Oh, these look soooo good! Will have to try out your recipe. (Hope you’ve not experienced the wave of grotty weather reluctantly leaving TX to visit us on the East Coast Thursday. )
They are very good. Our weather is still very nice. I feel a bit guilty at how nice it is when people are suffering in so many places.
janet
Glad to hear your area was outside the TX-grid situation. Everyone in the world faces severe weather at one time or another… no need to feel guilty. We’ve got that ‘lovely storm’ now on the East Coast, but so far ice is farther north than my location. Fingers crossed for everyone everywhere. Meanwhile, enjoy your wonderful tea! And do pass along another macaroon… 😉
Here’s your macaroon. Thanks for dropping by for tea. You’re always welcome.
Thank you, Janet! Always good to natter with you – remember the Weekly Photo Challenges from WP? Am still catching up with fellow posters I enjoyed!
I remember and still miss it. I do the same. Every so often I come across somebody and think that I haven’t seen them for a long time.
💕
I’m not a coconut fan, but I imagine the host probably has non-coconut offerings … but I like the way you connected France and the USA.
There will be all sorts of food offerings, Frank. Don’t worry. 😉
👍🏻
Those look delicious, Janet. I just finished a cup of tea, but no cookie 🙁
I’d send you some if I could, Dan. And while I have you here, I meant to ask you if you could send me your address. I have a postcard I’d love to send you.
Actually now that I think about it we’ve got both! The coconut macarons are now reared to as “rochers coco” but when I was a kid, I recall them being called macarons.
Thats so interesting!
We have the Rocher confections here as well. I prefer the chocolate ones to the white ones, but my husband likes the white ones precisely because of the coconut.
I meant, “are now referred to as…”, damned spelling auto-correct!!!
🙂 I get that!!
The tea sounds wonderful. Am a tea drinker, but not priviledge to have a cup of tea this grand. Those coconut treats look delicious. Do like a little stevia in my tea.
I’m one of those oddballs that like all my tea unsweetened and without milk. I’d never make it in the South where sweet tea is a “thing.” And McDonald’s sell zillions of gallons of it a year! Yuck!
I do not use milk in tea, but do like it a little sweet. I have never had McDonald’s tea and have no desire to. If you like unsweetened tea – thats great. We are all different and that makes for an interesting world.
If I’m getting iced tea at McDo, I always get the biggest size of unsweetened and ask for half the ice. I get more actual tea that way and it’s plenty cold anyway.
Oh, how I would love those cookies even if I do pronounce them incorrectly. 🙂
You’d probably pronounce macaroons correctly and that’s what these are. And if you pronounced “macarons” the same way, if you were in the US, the person serving you might not even notice. 🙂
I love them both! But if I were the baker, I think I’d stick with macaroons instead 😂 since I don’t think I have the tools nor the skill to make the other.
It looks delicious! I love tea!!
You and I would feel right at home then, Aletta. I have an entire cabinet full of teas and some boxes under the bed as well. 🙂
Oh my goodness, I will have to come for tee! 😀☕☕
You’re always welcome.
Thank you!
I prefer macaroons to macarons, but I’ll eat both. This tea stop was lovely, Janet. Thanks for the lesson about that tea et les c̶o̶o̶k̶i̶e̶s̶ biscuits.
When we watch “The Great British Baking Show” and they talk about making biscuits, we always have to think “cookies.” 🙂 That would never fly in the South where they make what I think of as biscuits, even though I don’t really care for that sort of biscuit. I also prefer macaroons, but I have had some pretty tasty macarons.
Our biscuits are more like little cakes in French I think? My vocabulary is slipping!
But their little cakes aren’t for savory uses as biscuits usually are. British biscuits are like cookies for us, I believe. I like bread, but don’t really care for the texture of biscuits, I guess. My husband loves biscuits and gravy, but that’s not really my thing either. Not much of a gravy person.
I like biscuits with jam.
[…] at This,That and the Other Thing has made some totally yummy-looking macaroons (not […]
You don’t make the jasmine tea with boiling water? I don’t mind a macaroon 🙂 🙂
Green tea should be made with water that hasn’t reached a boil yet, as it’s delicate. Or if the water boils, let it cool for a minute or two before steeping, then make sure to save the leaves for a second brew.
Your macaroon is on the way. No calories. 🙂
Another history/culture lesson, and I love it!
The pics are fab, and I love these educational posts! Thank you, Janet!
My pleasure, Resa. I wish you could stop by for real tea and macaroons.
Perhaps one day, when this viral insanity is over. Thank you, Janet!
Wouldn’t that be great? You know you’re welcome to visit any time and I wouldn’t mind getting back to Canada one of these days, although that’s less likely in the short term.
It would be great!