Entree: Macarons, Main: The Kaleels, Desert: Cool Wind and Rain

Today was an utterly fabulous day in spite of the wilting heat.  My macaron class was today and to be honest, while pretty frivolous, the class I have been most excited about.  Don’t get me wrong, strawberry tarts, chocolate mousse, fois gras/ orange fennel salad, mussles in a saffron cream sauce, shrimp with aioli, and croissants are all very exciting.  The macaron, though is something of a mystery to most Americans and the preparation of them was to me as well.  There were five of us in this class, a mother and daughter duo and two other women, as well as our fearless leader, Pino.  We made raspberry macarons first and then coffee flavored with caramel or chocolate ganache filling.  We worked and worked and some of them are actually quite beautiful!  I did not taste anything other than a piece of a broken shell.  I wanted to have the surprise of them when my copany shared them with me later.   I was hungry on the way home and decided to get Chinese carry out and bring it home.  IT was o.k. good except the little stinker forgot the sauce for my ravioli du porc (pot stickers) and they would have had a little more zip with some sauce.  I had to ask for chopsticks and I learned that they are called:  les baguette!  It was hot, hot, hot and I needed to run to Monoprix for some cream because I had the pleasure of having guests today for tea.  ON my way to Monoprix I encountered this little guy in the photo waiting for his momma while she shopped, wonder if Lucy could EVER be that good?  I was not sure if we would have coffee or tea, and so when I got home I eventually made some tea and chilled it.  In the end that was what sounded best to all of us.  I came back stripped down, pulled the covers back and took a brief nap.  It was such a pleasant thing to do on such a hot day.  SO about an hour later I got to meet Marilyn Kaleel and her husband Todd (This is me taking the cowards way out because her lovely husband is Egyptian and I heard her call him Todd a couple of times and I am to big a chicken to try to spell his proper name correctly!)  I hope I managed to hide me pleasure at my first bite of our morning creations!  They were wonderful, good, good, I mean really good!   I think that honestly they are better than any I have bought here!  I did freeze some for Jodi and the kids to try later.  I don’t know how I will keep myself away from the refrigerator!  Anyway I had a fabulous visit with the Kaleels (Thank you Jan!) and then we went to dinner at a little place at which Marilyn had made reservations.  It is called Chez Germaine, about 12 tables, maybe could seat 20 people.  I had Mozzarella and Tomatoes salad, Salmon with potatoes and pistou and Clafouti.  My meal was scrumptious and the company even better!  As I finish this us it is just beginning to rain, the wind is blowing and it is a blessing!