The Best Tonic is with Indian Curry Macarons
As Paris is finally enjoying summer, we’ve been enjoying life in the garden. For the past three weeks, we’ve surpassed our miserable weather of May and June with this glorious French canicule or heat wave. Wouah! I love the heat but as a Scot, the mosquitos and other beasties love my macaron-tasting blood.
I must be the best repellent there is for our house guests in the garden. This time around, this double-biting beastie was a bête grâve. Was it a spider? A mosquito? Heaven knows but nearly 3 weeks later, I’m still on antibiotics and other stuff just to bring down the swelling of a rather unsexy looking club foot.
Never mind the club foot, look at our sexy macaron feet!
Is all this just my excuse why it has been so quiet on le blog? Yes. Well, it did turn purple, couldn’t walk on it, went to Germany’s Black Forest in the meantime, hobbled along trying to join in the fun and WHAM! I put my back out last weekend, Milord. I did.
As plans were scrapped for London this week and the French insurance paperwork completed, it’s that moment when Bach’s Air on a G String plays in the background (for all Hamlet cigar ad lovers), stick my foot up and drink a chilled glass of G&T – purely for the quinine, of course – and, instead of a cigar, use a straw to contemplate how to drink the stuff without locking in position and looking totally ridiculous.
Feeling blue? Apero’clock with a Gin and Tonic and mini spicy curry macs.
As I write this, the family are enjoying Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre in London. I’m certainly no lover of spam (see post of spam macarons without the spam) but we’re Monty Python Fans. To get over my nervousness at piano or flute exams and music competitions in my teens, I pictured the scene of Eric Idle at the piano, completely naked with, “…and now for something completely different”.
That’s what brings me to curry macarons. They are completely different.
Mini Tikka Macsala macarons
For those of you who haven’t yet tried the savoury Mad Macs chapter in Mad About Macarons, I urge you to give them a go. Mini curry macarons are great for something completely different at parties and weddings. The intriguing macaron sweetness (I add a bit curry powder to the shells) and the Indian heat of the curry ensures a delicious giggle or two. Drink suggestions are given in the book but my favourite is with a G&T using Bombay Sapphire and Schweppes tonic.
I need to stop now as I’m turning into Groan-alot and it’s time to heat a frozen Picard version of Butter Chicken (I miss cooking!) I have many recipes to share with you but they’re too long to write for the moment, so will be back soon with holiday fun and perhaps a surprise if I can get there.
Remember; always look on the bright side of life, tadum; tadum-tadum-tadum.
Have you been macaroning-alot? Have you tried the mini curry macs yet?
Curry macarons…wow!
Would you recommend curry powder or a masala powder? Or making your own spice? 🙂
Hi Preeti,
It depends on your own preferences. I have a good quality curry powder I love ‘Lahlahs’ which is excellent. I can imagine you make your own spice a lot better, though, so whatever tickles your fancy!
Oh, Jill! What a bummer! Glad to hear you’re on the mend — G&Ts help everything 🙂
Jill, I love how you take your quinine. And how delectable it must be when paired with a couple of these gorgeous macarons. For whatever bit you in the garden, I say bite back!
Your back AND your foot? Oh, my. That just stinks. Wishing you a speedy journey back to normal. I second Mardi’s advice! xo
I remember tasting the curry macs at Alan’s wedding Jill and I can certainly recommend them as they were (as all your macarons are) delicious. So sorry that you missed seeing Spamalot but things can only get better!!! lol
Thanks so much, Shirley. It’s not so much Spamalot that we’ve had to cancel our Safari. Would have been on the plane right now. Och well. Life is a macaron and things are getting better. Appetite returning, thankfully, so you’ll see recipes again soon. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m not trying to curry favour but I too, loved your blog!
Haha! Dad, congratulations on your FIRST ever comment on the web! It’s an honour. Now who’s currying favour? 😀
The mini and maxi curry macs at your brother’s wedding reception last year were a really special surprise with champagne on the boat. How you managed to transport them intact from Paris to Edinburgh on a plane through security I’ll never know. The messages on the maxi ones were really special too. Thank you Jill for making such a treat for us all.
With love and pleasure, Mum xo
even without a gin and tonic, could fall for these macs 🙂
Tony, they’re also great with lager, Champagne or chilled white wines such as Chenin Blanc, Gewurtzraminer…. cheers!
Glad the ‘cannae cool’ has arrived after your dismal Spring, Jill, although sorry to hear you’ve been in the wars with your poor foot and your back. Hopefully that’s the end of your troubles. Meanwhile, you continue to be creative as ever. Love the savoury macs. Hx
Cannae cool, canicule – love it, Hester! Thanks for the wishes. On the mend but we were supposed to take off on Safari to Tanzania tonight. It’s cancelled 🙁 but better to be on top form to see the animals!
Ooooh what a bummer! And to miss Spamolot 🙁 But you seem to be well able to amuse yourself all alone….or at least well able to amuse us with your funny posts. I am so intrigued by these curry macarons! And yes, I do hope to see you on my next trip to Paris so heal thy foot!
Yep, kids were so excited and need to see it! Jamie, it’s amazing what you can accomplish when you’re on your own! I need more of this to push forward on projects! Back on the mend, at least, and looks like I may get to take off next week. Roll on our Paris meet-up.
So sorry to hear about your insect (unidentified) bite! I was bitten by an insect in Corsica once and was in sheer agony for a few hours, never found out what it was!
And I still can’t get those darn ‘feet’ on my macas!! Wonder what a tapenade flavour macaron would be like…hmmm…
Oh, Claudine. Corsicans are full of strange things and I even married one, lol. What? No feet? Let’s get priorities here: if you’re using my recipe from the book (as recipes do differ), then suggest you increase the whipping egg whites time and leave them out longer to air before baking.
Tapenade? Great idea! This is catching…
These are gorge!
Do they come in G&T flavor also to eat with curry?
What a brilliant idea, Carol! Now you’ve got the bug in creating your own flavours, see? Thrilled, as this is what I was hoping to achieve from the book. OK, who’s making a G&T macaron?
Oh Jill, I’m so sorry your summer has turned into a bit of a bust. Keep on drinking those G&Ts though and I am sure things will look better 😉 Hugs xo
Thanks, Mardi. It’s all gradually on the mend, thankfully, and as another lovely reader suggested was to take priobotics for the stomach after the antibiotics – good advice! Bonne continuation with your hols in France.