Hooray!

**Correction** Eugenia will not be at the market this week, but next Saturday, March 6th.

Good news to all of you who visit the Old Town Scottsdale Farmer’s Market, Eugenia Theodosopoulos from Essence Bakery Café will be bringing her delectable Parisian treats to the market this Saturday. She will be bringing her incredible croissants and brioche, as well as her famous French macarons. If you haven’t been to Essence in Tempe yet, make sure you find Eugenia on Saturday at the market and see what you have been missing. I am predicting you will need to get there early.

Oh la la...

A few months ago Eugenia Theodosopoulos told us that her friend and mentor Jean Louis Clement was coming from Paris to work with her at Essence Bakery Cafe. He was coming for a week to help Eugenia and her staff refine and perfect some new recipes and products for the bakery. Jean Louis is a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) en Boulangerie/Veinnoiserie recipient. He earned the MOF award in bread baking. This is the highest and most distinguished honor a chef can receive in France and Jean Louis was presented the award by the President of France.

I asked if I could come and just sit and observe (and hopefully taste test, sample and indulge) while they went about their work. Sadly, as excited as I was to meet Jean Louis, when that day came I had a head cold that no chef would want near a kitchen.

But lucky for me a little box from Essence found its way to me and look what was inside!

It was a beautiful sampling of the croissants Eugenia and Jean Louis created. There was one traditional croissant, as well as a two an chocolate and almond version. They were perfect and a reminder nothing can replace authenticity. These croissants are the real deal, not Americanized version of a croissant. A Parisian would be proud.

Each bite took me through a million buttery layers from the top crunchy shell down through to the airy center. They have a rich buttery decadence with just a hint of salt. Croissants are so beautifully complex. They are light and yet rich, flakey and still chewy, they can be a breakfast or a dessert. I would have thought that the chocolate would be my favorite, but the almond croissant won out. I don't know what it was, the sweet almond filling, the dusting of confectioners sugar on top, the little slivers of almonds. All of them were thoroughly enjoyed in our home.

I am still very sad that I missed meeting Jean Louis and watching as he and Eugenia create a little of Parisian magic in Tempe, but I am so grateful to now enjoy the results of their work. You too can enjoy the gift that she and Jean Louis brought to our valley at the Essence Bakery Cafe. You can also see them for yourself online. Eugenia posted a video of their work on her website. Bob said he didn't know that croissants could taste like that. They can, although not on this side of the Atlantic, until now.

Essence Bakery Cafe

825 W. University Drive

Tempe, Arizona 85281

480.966.2745

www.essencebakery.com

You say Macaron, I say Macaroon...

I have told you about the incredible Parisian Macarons that Eugenia Theodosopoulos makes at the Essence Bakery Cafe in Tempe. I probably will again and again, they are THAT good! Recently she was kind enough to invite all of the McClendons over for dinner at her house. We had a wonderful evening with her and her charming husband Gilles hearing about their life in France and their experiences owning the restaurant and their former life in catering. She served an incredible dinner and introduced foie gras and rabbit to Aidan. We may now be in trouble, because he loved both.

I wanted to bring something to dinner, so I made my own macaroons. They are the coconut version, and while they pale in comparison to the old world elegance of her Macarons, they are still rich and decadent in their own way.

Chocolate-dipped Macaroons

3 egg whites (medium eggs or 2 large eggs)

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups finely shredded coconut

Bittersweet dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix egg whites and salt with electric mixer until stiff. Fold in sugar and vanilla, then stir in coconut. Scoop on to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate over low heat. Drizzle tops with melted chocolate. Let cool for another 30 minutes.

This recipe is pretty easy, but then again, so is ordering Eugenia's Macarons online. Visit www.essencemacaron.com to order some for yourself or for a friend. (Or for a favorite blogger... should you know one who likes them!)

Your own French love affair...

Chef Eugenia Theodosopoulos of Essence Bakery Café makes the most amazing Parisian Macarons. Do not confuse these with their stateside coconut cousins. These beautiful cookies hark back to 18th Century French courts. They come in a pastel rainbow of colors and are filled inside with flavors like Caramel Cream, French Chocolate, Hazelnut, Espresso and Pumpkin Spice. My favorite is Raspberry-Rose. Sean favors Chocolate Mint, but we will devour them all equally. She uses McClendon’s Select grapefruits for the Pink Grapefruit macaron, which all of us love.

Eugenia makes each cookie by hand at her bakery in Tempe. She learned her art while studying and living in Paris, and it truly is an art. If you have never tried an authentic Parisian Macaron, you are missing out. These meringue sandwich-like cookies are decadent. They are elegant enough to be a centerpiece all on their own or would make for the perfect hostess gift. But be warned, they are hard to share, so make sure you get enough to keep some for yourself.

The Essence Bakery Café serves both breakfast and lunch and has a pastry case filled with Eugenia’s Macarons, along with other wonderful French confections. I have also tried her Luscious Lemon Chiffon Cake, which I highly recommend.

You can also order her Macarons online at www.essencemacaron.com. They come in both large and small sizes and trust me it will be the perfect gift whatever the occasion. Go try one for yourself. It is quicker than a flight to Paris!

Essence Bakery Cafe

www.essencebakery.com

825 West University

Tempe, AZ 85281

480-966-2745