Good morning, welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: May 31st, 2022. Today is National Macaroon Day and as much as I love Cookies I’ve never had a Macaroon and I don’t think Charlie has either. As for David I am not sure if he has had one or not. How about you?
We have Mrs. Esther Levy to thank for popularizing the great Macaroon. In 1871 Mrs. Levy published the “First Jewish American Cookbook.” Mrs. Levy originally published this recipe in the chapter on ‘Cakes’ because there was not a chapter on Cookies. However, it’s understandable because the texture of a Macaroon isn’t very Cookie-like. It is soft and a little chewy, more like a Cake than a Cookie. However, the bite-size serving is most definitely Cookie-like.
Macaroons deserve to be celebrated and recognized for their own characteristics. Coconut was substituted for Almond Flour when the first Coconut Palms planted in Florida began to yield Fruit. Macaroons are not only tasty little delights, they were an early exercise in the locavore movement, eating produce grown close to home.
NATIONAL MACAROON DAY ACTIVITIES
- Make macaroons at home from scratch or use the shortcut of using Sweetened Condensed Milk, it’s a simple recipe to make. Did you know you can have homemade Macaroons ready to eat from scratch in less than an hour. If you are making Macaroons from scratch, be sure to have a kitchen mixer or hand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment to make the Egg Whites impossibly light and fluffy. The better you do at this step, the better the overall Macaroon will taste. Be warned: don’t make these when you are home alone or you may not be able to stop yourself from eating every last Macaroon.
- Don’t be upset by the fact that you don’t know how to separate your Egg Whites from your Egg Yolks. Or maybe you only use your oven to store shoes, because you never cook. Today don’t be deterred from celebrating National Macaroon Day! Although Macaroons are most commonly seen in stores around Spring, you can either purchase Macaroons at your local Grocery Store or order them online. There are a number of companies that make Macaroons in a range of prices and a variety of flavors!
- We have Esther Levy to thank for getting Coconut Macaroons the attention they deserve. We can thank Esther Levy too for informing people about Jewish cooking in the U.S. Make your family a whole Jewish feast. Be warned: Jewish food is comfort food at its best. You may have difficulty getting any guests to leave.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL MACAROON DAY
- The best way to describe a Coconut Macaroon? Is they are delicious and they have great texture from the Shredded Coconut. Macaroon’s are sweet. When the Sugar in the Cookie around the edges is cooked just right, it Caramelizes. Macaroons are both chewy and soft, like a Pastry, but your eyes tell you that clearly, based on size and portability, Macaroons must be a Cookie! Best of all Macaroons are insanely easy to make. You can use Shredded Coconut, Vanilla Extract, Egg Whites, and Sugar. Or you can cheat and use just Sweetened Condensed Milk and Shredded Coconut.
- Did you know Macaroons are Gluten-free? Long before Gluten was even recognized, Macaroons were being made by Jewish housewives for their Passover celebrations. The lack of any kind of leavening agent meant Macaroons satisfied the dietary laws that rule Passover. It was just a happy accident that Macaroons are so tasty as well. If you or a friend are doing a Gluten-free diet or someone is Allergic to Gluten, you can look like a hero by serving Macaroons. Once you taste Macaroons, you’ll know it’s not a sacrifice, but you don’t have to share that little fact.
- Dress them up or dress them down Macaroons have grown in versatility over the years. There’s a child-friendly Chocolate Chip Macaroon or the elegant-enough-for-a-tea-party Chocolate-dipped Macaroon. There are even Red Velvet Macaroons! You can bring a whole plate when you receive an invitation to an elegant and intimate dinner or you can whip up a batch and keep the Macaroons around for the kids to snack on. Macaroons are the perfect anytime, anywhere Cookie.
Five Facts about Macaroons:
1. Did you know the original Macaroon was a “small sweet Cake consisting largely of ground Almonds” similar to Italian Amaretti.
2. The English word Macaroon and French Macaron come from the Italian Maccarone or Maccherone.
3. Most Macaroon recipes call for Egg Whites which usually are whipped to stiff peaks, with ground or powdered seeds, generally Almonds or Nuts.
4. The Scottish Macaroon is a sweet confection with a thick velvety center covered in Chocolate and topped with Roasted Coconut.
5. In North America, Coconut Macaroon is the better known variety.
