To cheer up a grey rainy few weeks where I've been laden down at work, then coming home to a kitchen full of ants, sick children...
I took myself to La Belle Miette!
I am somewhat of a macaron fiend...
Ummmmmm...I may or may not have popped in for a quick cupcake as well :)
How adorable is the hippo mat!!
I came home to find Mr Bok had bought me a gift, a perfume I've been lusting after for so long. Smells of fig trees in all their gloriousness, the greenness of the fig tree and its leaves, the ripening fig itself, then the warm woodiness and somehow I get a hint of grass and coconut too. So lovely to wrap yourself in on a cold day. I keep catching whiffs of this divine fragrance and then realise belatedly that it's me! How lovely!
After dinner we huddled around the dining table and each took a teeny tiny bite of each macaron until they were all gone. Master Bok, Miss Bok, Mr Bok and me. Yummmeeeeeeee! My favourite was the pink grapefruit...and also the cherry blossom and sake...ooooh I also loved the salty caramel. And the pistachio. Hrmm...they were all delightful! Not a single crumb was left for the scavenous ants.
The ant problem now...this is the 6th day I've come home to find them in the house. They are so diligent, patiently tracking their way in through the laundry, around the dining area until they get to the kitchen. Thank goodness they move in neat orderly lines else I'd never be able to get rid of them.
Any tips on keeping them OUT?
Would you believe I have never tasted a macaroon. I know I'm missing out. Next time I'm in a city I promise to track at least one down. Yours sound absolutely delicious and I don't blame the ants for invading your house! gxo
ReplyDeleteThose macaron look divine!
ReplyDeleteAnts, argh, what a pest! We get a LOT of them here. I have been told that they hate cayene pepper and wont cros it. We have used borax mixed with sugar and water and that works well.
:)
ps lucky you receiving perfume!It sounds lovely.
they don't like talcum powder either. Find where they are coming in and douse liberally.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah & Hazel, have tried the talcum powder but they don't seem to care...we live in a very old tumble down cottage with cracks everywhere that they are coming in through. Not sure why - we haven't had them before! Think it's the wet perhaps? Sarah I'll give the borax a go...
ReplyDeleteGeorgie I cannot believe you've never had one! I love the things I could scoff down gazillions in one go :)
It is said that ants won't cross tumeric powder or plant. The first time I heard about macaron is here in OZ. Never tasted one yet! To be honest, I am a bit afraid of sweet things. Not of gain weight or health issues. Is just that sweet flavour...my taste bud can't take it that much.
ReplyDeleteDoes a Pink Grapefruit macaroon count as one of your Five A Day???
ReplyDeleteOK this post has some of my favourite things ever! Macarons, cupcakes and Diptyque! What a wonderful husband Mr Bok is but I think that's because you might be a wonderful wife too! :)
ReplyDeleteAwwwww Lorraine you are so sweet! :) That Philosykos is so divine. It gets better the longer it stays on your skin.
ReplyDeleteMark - definitely yes! Hee heeeeeeeee usually green is my favourite food group (because of course I love eating what I grow! And pistachio macaron!) but those macaron in all colours and oh that pink grapefruit one is so so soooooooooooooooo good!
Diane, I think you'd like them although the fruity ones are very sweet.
Ants are amazing (outside of the house ...) We had problems with ants in the spring and then I got the Council to keep the floors extremely clean. Apparently they leave a scent trail so the other ants know where to go. If you remove the track then they as specified don´t know where to walk and hold themselves out instead. I suspect you do not have the same species of ants that we have here in Sweden well, well ... Always worth a try. ;0)
ReplyDeleteAnna
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI am cleaning out my email box. I see you left a comment on my post about it almost being time for a new header photo. How funny that I came by for this post! I don't think we have macarons like that in the U.S. Maybe other states besides my Nebraska do, or maybe I just haven't been to bakeries.
We have ants come in from time to time. My husband uses a liquid ant killer you put on little pieces of cardboard. You can't kill any ants you see, because they are taking the poison to the queen. I don't use pesticides outside, and I don't like having them inside, either, but that's my husband's job to get rid of the ants, and that's how he does it.
I hope your work week goes better, and your kids are feeling better, too. I loved reading about each of you taking bites of the macarons. That will be a nice memory.
oh they look so pretty and I love the box as well. It's no secret Im another fan!! As for the pesky ants do you get a product called No More Ants in a yellow bottle? Works a treat.
ReplyDeleteArgh and urk i dont know why but cant eat those macarons...to mutch sugar!But in Sweden everybody buy theme right now they are so popular!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs from me!
oh! i have been lusting after that perfume as well! all the pretty ladies in my office used to sport it with their perfectly coiffed hair, 50s frocks and outrageous tattoos. its really stupid though but whilst i'm breastfeeding i have not worn any perfume. i just think my smell needn't be altered right now. y'know? that i have natures perfect perfume for Lottie!
ReplyDeleteOh, how lovely, sweets & treats... what a lovely husband, that perfume sounds gorgeous. Hope you sort your ant problem out, and have a more colourful week coming soon!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to treat yourself now and then isn't it :-)
ReplyDeleteThe ants... over summer the ants in my kitchen were quite... enthusiastic shall we say. I gave up trying to get rid of them and just lived with them. They then decided they couldn't live with me and moved out.
I'm with Georgie up the top, I don't think I have ever tasted a Macaroon before either. I must put this on my list of things to do when I next hit the big smoke. I must also take myself off to get a whiff of that Philosykos, it sound very nice... Lucky girl, Maybe thats what's attracting the ants too.... :)
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who swears by orange cleaning sprays as an ant barrier...
ReplyDeleteThe cake shop looks like it needs a regular visit! Yum. some good tips for the ants above, I might have to try a few as I seem to have a growing ant population although they haven't made it to the kitchen...yet.
ReplyDeleteHi, I have been having Blogger problems and yours is one of the blogs I have not been able to comment on.I have now downloaded Google chrome and it seems to be working!
ReplyDeleteI have not tasted macaroons as yet but they seem to be a world wide favourite a bit like cup cakes!