The Cookie + Cuppa party was cozy, because most guests ended up picking up their orders and leaving for dinner. Though a few managed to stay, and that was fun.
As with most parties, I was running in and out of the kitchen a lot, so it was really hard to entertain. Sorry folks! I promise it'll be less harried next time :)
Here's the flavor card with the inspiration behind each cookie and key ingredients:
- Chocolate: Double chocolate sablés with a hint of fleur de sel. The quick fix when I'm craving chocolate. Key ingredients: Valrhona 55%, Valrhona cocoa and Mediterranean fleur de sel
- Coconut: A crispy Summer BBQ Favorite. In San Francisco, we used to serve these with ice cream and raspberries. Sometimes I would bake them slightly wider and thicker for ice cream sandwiches, which we then freeze and snack on all through summer. Key ingredients: Unsweetened coconut flakes from California (not sure of the actual origin)
- Earl Grey: My rendition of the "grown-up shortbread," flavored with TWG Earl Grey. While this tea may not be the strongest of Earl Greys, it does have pretty blue cornflowers. If you're lucky, you might just spot one amidst the crushed tea leaves. A touch of orange brings out the best in bergamot. Key ingredients: TWG Tea Company Earl Grey tea, freshly grated orange zest
- Fruit & Nut: A play on my childhood favorite candy bar: Cadbury's Fruit & Nut. Chewy drop cookies with generous chunks of toasted walnuts and pecans, followed by the occasional raisin. The brownie-like interior is what makes this the bf's favorite. Key ingredients: Valrhona 64%/70%, Australian pecans, apricots, Californian walnuts and raisins
- Matcha: Think green tea shaved ice with condense milk :) This shortbread flavor is highly dependent on the kind of matcha powder used. This time around, I used one that's slightly lighter than the norm to accommodate tea cookie novices who may prefer less "green" with each bite. White chocolate rounds up the flavor, especially when strong matcha powder is used. Key ingredients: Japanese matcha powder and Valrhona white chocolate
- White Russian: Tribute to the Big Lebowski. A classic cocktail of coffee liquor and vodka. This one's not for the kids ;) Key ingredients: hazelnuts, Kahlua, Absolut Vodka, Valrhona cocoa and Illy espresso powder
- Hibiscus: My all-time favorite macaron. What used to be exotic (not so much anymore now that I live in Asia!) hibiscus flower soaked in Persian rose tea. Because this flavor is often overlooked and undervalued, I thought I'd include it in the sample pack for your tasting. Key ingredients: Dried Roselle and Persian rose tea
- Vanilla bean raspberry: A new Macarune flavor, combining the familiar richness of vanilla bean and the tartness of freeze dried raspberries. Key ingredients: Tahitian vanilla bean and Californian freeze dried raspberries
Getting the packaging together alone, took half a day. Well worth it though!
A single order
Half of 4 orders
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