COAST CITIES — Carmel Valley resident Grace Abdo, chef and founder of La Reine des Macarons (in French, “The Queen of Macaroons”) has been invited to feature her gourmet, gluten-free food delicacy from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 at Williams-Sonoma in Fashion Valley mall, 7007 Friars Road.The presentation of the classic cookie is in celebration of Valentine’s Day and Chef Abdo will offer heart-shaped macaroons for sale with a portion of proceeds donated back to the non-profit organization, Hospice of the North Coast. The event will also include a chocolate ganache-making demonstration, samples of freshly made chocolate and three separate opportunity drawings.

Abdo is a Registered Clinical Dietitian and Food Consultant, who graduated from the Paul Bocuse Institute in France where she learned the art of making the delicate French macaroons. The macaroon is an almond and meringue-based, sandwich-style cookie that is filled with chocolate ganache, fruit or a variety of other fillings that may be either savory or sweet. Producing authentic French macaroons is laborious and tricky; it’s critical to keep all ingredients at the correct temperature and to utilize a special folding technique before piping each macaroon onto a baking sheet then assembling each one by hand. Abdo is particularly noted for incorporating unique flavor combinations into her macaroons, utilizing only the freshest herbs, nuts and local ingredients.

For additional information, visit lareinedesmacarons.com, e-mail grace@lareinedesmacarons or call (858) 243-4570.

 

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