Strangely, I cannot wait for the holidays.
[Alexis Mabille's quilted Chanel-bag version of a yule log for Angelina hot-chocolaterie in Paris via T magazine]

Masters at work

I have always been curious about the goings-on inside the couture houses of Paris. Whenever I see shots from the workshops of the fabric draping forms, silks and satins furled and unfurled about the cutting tables, the talented seamstresses and dress-makers zipping about the room clutching trims, baubles, and buttons—I swoon.

Ah, the French macaron—the perfection of a light crispy biscuit that can only be truly enjoyed fresh from Paris--which is perhaps why Ladurée doesn't ship internationally. 

Could it be the lovely box, the gentle papers cradling the macarons, or the Spring palette of colours that bring me so much excitement? A friend at work brought me some from Ladurée, my favorite patisserie in Paris, when he arrived in New York from the AW 2008 haute couture shows.

As a child, I could only imagine why Nora would sneakily indulge herself of such sweets behind closed doors in Ibsen's A Doll’s House. Now, I know why. It is all too easy to polish off a box of these fine treats.

Perfectly respectable versions of this delightful French confection are available in New York at Fauchon via Neiman Marcus, Payard Patisserie, and a slightly larger version from Bouchon Bakery.