February 27, 2014

Calling All Macarons

Come and see this year's March of Macarons! | Triedandtwisted@blogspot.com

The sun is shining, the snow is melting. It's almost that time of year again!

Well, sure, I guess it is almost spring too, but more importantly, it's almost March, which here on Tried & Twisted means it's almost time for the all month marathon of those delicious, colorful French Macarons!

French macarons are pastries of sugar, almond flour, egg white, and a dash of pure awesome. I might be biased though. I do have a diagnosed obsession with these happy little treats. 

Some concerned friends and family members have suggested professional help, but the doctors have just recommended immersion therapy, so bring on more macarons!

Last year, to celebrate the annual Jour du Macaron on March 20th, I dedicated the entire month of March to macarons. As it turns out, a lot of you out there are also lovers of these desserts too, and many of you asked if you could join the fun. 

So this year, I'll be hosting a party!

For this year's March of Macarons, let's share a parade of macarons on my blog!

All are invited! If you've been making macarons for years, share your favorite. If you bravely tried them for the first time, share the experience with us. Even if you just went to a local patisserie and found a cool new flavor, send it in! 

In March, I'll host a linky party for bloggers to share their favorite, colorful, flavorful macarons. 
If you'd like to write a guest post or if you'd like to share your baking experience, but you don't have a blog to post to, then just email me at triedandtwisted@gmail.com.

I'll be sharing new tips and new recipes all through the month of March, so stop by often for more of the March of Macarons.

I'll also be pinning macarons on my Minor Macaron Obsession board, so feel free to follow along!

Be sweet, everyone! 


Linking at:
Natasha in Oz Saturday Linky Party, Flaunt it Friday

February 8, 2014

Be My Valentine?

If Valentine’s Day is a holiday invented by Hallmark to sell cards, then consider this my formal declaration of rebellion...or at least polite dissent.

Top 14 Quirky Valentine's Day Cards

This is hardly anything new. My husband and I have always preferred handmade notes of love instead of a corporation’s interpretation of acceptable emotion. Handmade cards are all about the personal and honest touch, admitting that bed head is never attractive, but that the love in this relationship is far more powerful. 

Nothing against Hallmark, since some of their cards are quite hilarious and endearing, but some levels of intimacy, honesty, and nerdiness require that personal touch.

The past month has been pretty nutty, so I’ve actually been contemplating buying a card. (gasp!) This might be a first in our nearly seven years together! Not ready to fully drop the authentic feel of a handmade card, I turned to Etsy and all of its magical wonders. 

Who knew they had so many clever, nerdy, and honest cards! Today, I’d like to share a few of my favorites with you all.

February 5, 2014

DIY Chinese Calendar Wall Art

It's a new year, which means just like kuzoos, glitter, and novelty crowns, those freebie calendars are bound to turn up. Free calendars from dentists, calendars from your doctors, and sometimes, if you're lucky, calendars from your local Chinese restaurant.

Perhaps I'm just a little bit of a hoarder at heart, but I always felt bad throwing away the freebie Chinese calendars. Sure, you can't really write your appointments or friend's birthdays onto bamboo, but they have an artsy and exotic vibe to them which I just adore. So, I thought -- why let them go to waste? Why not upcycle a Chinese calendar into a free piece of art?