Living Colour

Since I started Lemon Tree a couple years ago, I've always maintained the policy that everything I bake should be from the most natural sources possible and of the best quality so that the finished product is nothing but delicious. I avoid artificial flavours and prepare most of the macaron fillings from scratch so that I know exactly what is going into them. The cakes I make have never seen the inside of a "mix" box and I use copious amounts of vanilla bean and extract in almost everything because I can't get enough of it myself. 

Mother's Day and a Landmark

Remember about three or four weeks ago when I was just back from vacation (*sigh* vacation) and I mentioned I had hit the ground running? Well, little did I know it was a marathon I was running and I haven't stopped yet. 

This week - week four of said marathon - I hit a pretty big mark on the patisserie bake-o-meter (I just made that up, but now I kind of actually want a bake-o-meter in the patisserie).

Royal Macarons

Just like a fairy tale - Kate and Wills leave Westminster Abbey in a carriage towards Buckingham Palace

I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones. There are bakers out there who are waking up and heading off to work at 4am to prepare breads, pastries, tarts, and cakes for those who rise early for the first taste of a crisp croissant or the smell of freshly baked sourdough.

I am not one of those bakers.

Not A Typical Easter.

 I have to admit that for the last week or two I have not been thinking about Easter. I haven't been stocking up on foil-wrapped chocolate eggs; I haven't been gluing cotton ball bunny tails on any crafty-type easter projects; I haven't even been staying up to date with my favourite blogs where I know the easter-inspired baking will keep me entertained for hours. Strangely enough, even church has not been preparing me for the festivities - not a palm frond was to be found at last week's Sunday service. How does one celebrate Palm Sunday without palm fronds?? So far this has not been a typical Easter. Sunday is yet to come.

I have, however, been spending every waking hour in the patisserie, baking and turning out cakes, macarons, cupcakes and all sorts of confections. Last week it was a wedding. This week it was the grand opening of Petite& Sweet in Toronto and macarons are always in demand there. And to adorn the sweets tables, a couple of gorgeous meringue towers were put together as well.

Vacation and Market Menu

WARNING

 The following images may incite feelings of jealousy and wistfulness. The content of this post may not be suitable for those under the influence of winter and should be avoided if the reader has no access to sunshine within the next 2 hours. Should you notice symptoms of desperate longing for warm weather after reading, click here for the cure. Continue reading at your own risk.

Market Menu - 25 March

As usual, you can find Lemon Tree on the lower level of the St. Lawrence Market this weekend! The macaron flavours are always changing and this Saturday you can choose from:

Macarons

Salted Caramel

Raspberry

Vanilla Bean

Chocolate Mint

Cinnabean

(cinnamon vanilla bean)

Roasted Pistachio

Petit Fours

Chocolate Almond Flourless Cake

(see the previous post for the recipe)

See you at the market.

Cheers,

Kelly

Estabar and Chocolate Flourless Cake

A couple years ago, when Husband and I were newly weds and traveling through Australia, we stayed for a time in a city called Newcastle, just a couple hours north of Sydney. I had visited Newcastle first in 2007 when I stayed with my college roommate, Rachel, who had married an Australian and left Canadian winters behind forever. Smart girl.

The small city with it's laid-back Novocastrians worked it's magic on me when I first visited and so Husband and I were eager to "get away from it all" and find our newly-wed life in a warmer clime. We packed our bags, said our goodbyes and left it all behind indefinitely.

It was a great decision and it looks even better as I sit here in our sixth month of Toronto winter.

Market Menu - 19 March

I haven't prepared a post with insightful things to say this week so I won't go on about nothing. I did, however, snap some photos of this week's treats for the Market and they say it all. I'm still crazy about cherry blossoms and they've worked their way into the market spread this week again. 

Strawberry Mocha Tin-pan Cakes

I have a surprise.

With a few extra hours, and some left over strawberry preserves a girl can accomplish a lot! I've added an extra item to the Market Menu for tomorrow so look for these oh-so-cute cherry blossom tin-pan cakes.

A Chocolate PB & Cherry Blossom Market Menu - 12 March

Chocolate. Peanutbutter. Cherry blossoms.

Wait.... what?

While the first two make a stellar combination, I can't say the natural next step is to cherry blossoms, it's true.

In my last post I mentioned a serious craving for cinnamon buns. I'm still craving them and just a general range of sweet and yummy comfort foods that winter and dreary, cold weather inspire. We are having our share of it (cold, dreary weather, that is).

Sitting at the top of my favourite comfort food list are both chocolate and peanut butter. Not just chocolate on it's own, and certainly not just peanut butter, but the perfect collaboration of the two joined in peaceful and harmonious bliss.