MACTWEETS: November 2011

Friday, November 18, 2011

MAC ATTACK #25 THE LAST OF THE YEAR: SEASONS & HOLIDAYS

THE END OF THE YEAR: SEASONS & HOLIDAYS

‘Tis the season to be jolly….. In fact, ‘Tis the season to be busy! Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas with New Year’s Eve dashing in before the door of 2011 shuts closed with a bang, we are up to our ears in baking, cooking, visiting, shopping, making list upon list of guests, gifts and recipes. The season turns chilly, summer has already faded into a gorgeous gold and red autumn and soon winter will blast in, bursting open the door on gale winds or fluttering in on the first gentle snow. And as the holiday spirit takes over, as our visits to our local markets leave us wide eyed in wonder at the spectacular cornucopia of fruits and vegetables in shades of burnt orange, golden yellow, musty creams and chocolaty browns, jade and garnet, as the aroma of cinnamon and caramel float through the air, our thoughts turn to macarons.

Late as usual, Deeba and Jamie have decided to turn it around and make our lateness our holiday gift to you! Instead of the usual 3 weeks to make your fabulous, stunning Macarons, you have 6 weeks to come up with as many as you please! But what, you wonder, scratching your head, no doubt leaving traces of flour in your hair from all the holiday baking, what is the theme? Well, let the seasons and her holidays inspire you… and make as many as you please!

Think COLOR: from the golds, oranges, yellows, reds and all the gorgeous shades of violet of Autumn to stunning Winter White. From the colors of a Thanksgiving Table to Hanukkah blue & white to Christmas’ cheery red and green.

Think FLAVOR: Pumpkin, citrus (yes, as summery cool as lemon and orange are, citrus is winter fruit!), pomegranate, fig, chestnut, apple or pear or any other fruit or vegetable star of the Autumn or Winter season! Be creative! Make it delicious! Or go celebratory with a kiss of cognac, a splash of Champagne, the sweetness of candy canes, the surprise of foie gras!

Think HOLIDAY! Need I spell it out for you? Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day! Any I am forgetting? Theme it, baby, make it work! Surprise us! Holiday nibblies, fun snack for the kids while baking Christmas cookies, elegant hors d’oeuvres while sipping Champagne, and gifts galore!

This is the season of office parties, school parties, parties at home and cozy family gatherings around a roaring blaze. Large, rambunctious, festive meals with family or sophisticated soirées with friends. Platter of cookies and milk morph into platters of macarons and milk placed out for Santa or a special snack filled with jam to be shared with those you love in the glow of the Hanukkah candles. Put on a party hat and wait for the fireworks while enjoying a multi-colored platter of macarons! Or bake away the same old same old Thanksgiving pies and turn those flavors into light, delicate, ethereal French macs!

So, dress in your seasonal colors, put on your holiday hats and let the festivities begin! Your Mac Attack challenge lets you use your creativity and imagination, slip into the season and get in the holiday spirit and MacBake!

You know the rules…they never change!

1. When you post your Mac Attack macarons on your blog, make sure that you mention the Mactweets Mac Attack challenge in your post and link back to the Mactweets blog. Please make sure that your Mac Attack #25 Seasons & Holidays Macarons are inspired by the theme!

2. Please link back to this challenge on your post.

3. Feel free to promote the Mactweets blog by proudly displaying the Mactweets badge in your Mac Attack post as well as in your sidebar! It isn't mandatory but is a nice way to get the word out!

4. Have your Seasonal or Holiday Macarons posted on your own blog by January 1, 2012. And being just a little bit late never hurt anybody...

5. Once your post is up, simply leave the link to the post as a comment to this Mac Attack Challenge post!

The round up will be posted on or about January 5, 2012!

And have a very sweet holiday season!

@lifesafeast and @vindee

Sometimes we must put aside the fun and frivolity and get serious. Food blogging is like a large playground where we meet friends, gossip, tell stories woven with whimsy and infused with charm. We bake cakes to tempt and titillate, serve up long-simmered stews to warm and comfort. We tease and we amuse, we entertain and we provoke, our hands pressed deep inside a luxurious mound of bread dough pungent with yeast or sweet, sticky cake batter smeared across our forehead. Our food blogs...and in extension, this crazy food blogosphere...is a place to let go and be gleeful and let loose our inner child.

And then sometimes our little food blogs can be a place to gather and share information, educate and inspire good actions. Pink October is such a time and such a place. As our own Mac Passionate Baker Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives posted:

Did you know, according to BreastCancerAwareness.com (Donate!):

* Every 2 minutes, there is a new breast cancer diagnosis.
* Every 14 minutes, a life is lost to the disease.
* Over 40,000 people will die this year; about 400 of them will be men.
* 85% of all diagnoses have no family history.
* 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
* Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between ages 40 and 55.

All of the above is jarring. This is why early detection is so important. Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health – and all adults should do regular self-exams. Hint – in the shower, with soap, works really well.

And so, our wonderful Mac Bakers banded together and baked Pink Macarons for Pink October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And spread the awareness and the love.