a giveaway: sucré macarons and two books to inspire you
Back in August 2011, I traveled to New Orleans for a food blogging conference. Shortly after arriving at the hotel, I met up with Jamie from Life’s a Feast, and we went on an adventure into an area of New Orleans that I was unfamiliar with. We were hunting a bakery on Magazine Street, Sucré, and specifically, the delicate macarons made by Sucré’s executive pastry chef, Tariq Hanna.
Jamie knows all about macarons, and if you search her blog for “macaron”, you’ll find all sorts of recipes for them. I knew very little about macarons – including how to pronounce the word – until that trip to New Orleans, and to Sucré in particular. I bought an assortment of Sucré macarons that day, planning to take them home to my family. And I did take home some, but not as many as I had intended. Sucré’s macarons were almost too pretty to eat. Almost. In my hotel room later that day, I nibbled on one, sampled another, and I was hooked.
And now you have a chance to try them, too.
Sucré is going to send one of you, the winner of the giveaway, a box of their assorted signature macarons.
I love the idea of one of my readers getting a box of these colorful cookies delivered to their front door. But as I was thinking of doing this giveaway — and you know that giveaways are a rare occurrence around here — I realized I’d like to send something else along with the macarons.
I’d like to inspire a baker out there.
The reward of a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven or a wedge of tangy citrus tart is just a small – but tasty! – part of why I bake. The primary reason I bake is because I am comforted by the process, by the mind-centering rhythm of gathering ingredients, mixing together flour and sugar and eggs, rolling pie dough or pressing a shortbread crust into a tart pan. For 30 minutes or an hour, or hopefully longer, I’m a chemist, creating a multitude of chemical reactions that result in something beautiful, something that makes people smile.
In addition to the macarons from Sucré, the winner of the giveaway will receive (at my expense) these two cookbooks:
I don’t own the first of these two books, Gesine Bullock-Prado’s Bake It Like You Mean It: Gorgeous Cakes from Inside Out
So, to recap — one lucky reader will receive a 15-piece box of assorted signature macarons, courtesy of Sucré, and both of the cookbooks above, Bake It Like You Mean It
~ the giveaway ~
to enter:
It’s very simple to enter — no hoops to jump through. Just leave me a comment below answering this: Why do you bake or cook? What is it that draws you to the kitchen?
the fine print:
I’ll close comments on Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 12 noon EST, and I’ll randomly select one winner from the comments. Please, only one comment per person, and you must live in the continental United States to win the giveaway. For Sucré’s shipping purposes, you must be able to provide a physical address, not just a post office box number.
** 3/17/2013 UPDATE **
We have a winner! According to the random number generator, the lucky person is:
Congratulations, Suzanne W. I’ll be getting in touch with you very soon. Happy baking!
I love to cook for guests but my favorite thing is trying a new recipe (which I don’t do for guests) and having my husband say that it has to go into the weekly rotation! I love success stories! Thanks for the chance to win these beautiful prizes!
Honestly? Stress relief and sugar cravings. 🙂 I’ve had my eye on both these books and the bonus macarons don’t hurt either (since I’ve yet to figure out how to make them myself).
It clears my head! Working with my hands and having a tangible (and delicious) product at the end feels great. It refreshes me, and the food reenergizes me!
LOVE Sucre. Love that place.
I bake because there’s something incredibly satisfying about following a recipe, measuring carefully, and creating something new. Baking for me is less about what I make and more about the process it takes to make it.
I bake because I have a huge sweet tooth and I like the precision of baking.
I love to bake cakes and cookies. Typically my baking will involve chocolate!
I bake because I have a sweet tooth that can never be satisfied enough.
I bake because it’s how I show love.
I bake because it’s amazing to learn about science and be able to eat it, too.
I bake because it’s the only thing I’ve ever done really well.
I bake because it’s my salvation.
I like to see how people react to things I have made 🙂
I bake to give enjoyment to my family and friends.
I love the sense of accomplishing something beautiful and tasty that I can share with others. It’s win-win for everyone.
I bake to make my kids happy. I’m really more of a cook – M is the baker – but when I do it’s usually cookies or cupcakes. Something always goes wrong but kids are an easy audience and I end up wishing I did it more often. 🙂
I bake and cook because I love food! I love making tasty things for friends and using baking as a creative outlet. Fresh ingredients draw me to the kitchen (as does sugar!) I love cooking with my sister when we happen to be in the same town 🙂
I love to bake and cook because to me it is a way to express my love to those around me. Growing up Italian my great-grandmother taught me how to cook all the traditional foods – and as we would prepare Sunday dinner I’d pour my soul into it for all the family and friends who would be arriving to share our meal with us… A meal shared with friends and family is truly the greatest expression of love… <3
I bake and cook in order to manage what goes into our food. I’d rather combine simple, high-quality foods and seasonings than stare down another long, mysterious ingredient list on the side of a box. And that leaves room for the occasional macaron!
I cook because it is how I show love. I cook because it grounds me. I cook more for the smell than the actual taste. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone I said that.
I bake to make people happy.
I love to bake because I love sweets and my family and friends love to eat what I bake. It helps my creative side come out.
What a fantastic giveaway! I bake and cook because homemade food is filled with love and nourishment, because it’s fun, and because I these are the activities I enjoy more than pretty much anything else 😉
ooooh Macarons were my favorite when i visited Paris. I could not get enough of them. I bake because I have a big big sweet tooth and because I love to bake things and give them to friends.
I bake because I find it so fulfilling. I can take very simple ingredients and make things that are satisfying and delicious. I can make something like a simple cookies in no time at all and my house will smell lovely and inviting. My husband and daughter enjoy my efforts and understand that I do this baking out of love.
I bake every month to send home made goods to deployed soldiers as a member of Soldier’s Angels charity. It is my way to show these heroes how much my family and I appreciate their service and sacrifice. It’s a small reminder that they are not forgotten.
It’s also simply fun to do. You can spend any amount of time to make something quick and easy or something complex and risky.
I find myself looking for interesting recipes and techniques online, on YouTube, in magazines and books. I think it’s more than a hobby it’s an expression of who I am. I love being a baker.
Why do I bake? I feel like I have to- it’s a part of me. It calms me, it excites me. It lets me learn and grow. Most of all, it’s a way for me to show my love to others.
What a beautiful giveaway! I’m in deep adoration of Macarons, but am not nearly brave enough to give them a go in my own kitchen. Baking/cooking, for me, mainly happens around any holiday. It’s then that I’m connecting with traditions passed down. There’s something so very special about keeping those ties alive through the generations.
This is so generous and sweet! Literally and figuratively 🙂 I love to bake because it calms me. There’s a serene beauty to baking and creating. Taking simple ingredients and combining them in various amounts to bring forth something possibly unexpected, hopefully delicious, and being able to share it with loved ones.
Thank you for such a generous giveaway! I really love baking for the opportunity it gives to explore and discover in my own kitchen. There are so many cultures and cuisines that I can visit in my very own home!!
I bake because it is an emotional outlet and stress release. I love to share my creations with those that I love.
I bake because I love to see my family’s face when I bring what I’ve created to the table. I also fine baking to be very therapeutic…it’s calming and relaxing.
I love to cook because making a scrumptious delectable meal for my family makes me so happy and reinforces that take out is not always the better option.
I bake because it relaxes me. It can be incredibly calming. I also have a total sweet tooth and love sharing whatever I’ve baked with friends and family.
I cook and bake because it reminds me of how I grew up, with my mother cooking almost every night of the week. It wasn’t fancy, but it was nourishing and brought our family together every day. The baking she did was a special treat – Toll House chocolate chip cookies, Rice Krispie treats, and my favorite, homemade strudel. Cooking and baking for my husband and son is how I nourish my own family and bring us together, and it reminds me of how my mother showed her love for me.
I moved to the US from the UK and I bake things from home that I can’t buy from the local bakery! Scones, cakes, pies, everything! It’s relaxing and I get to make lots of friends too…
I used to bake all the time before my daughter leftbp for college. Then, I stopped because it was just me and a cat. A few months ago I learned that I have an egg allergy and wouldn’t you know it, my love for baking came back with a vengeance. I’m constantly trying to perfect eggless recipes now and happily eating the test recipes!
Cooking and baking are, for me, an artistry – swirling flour and butter, mushrooms and cream. The palate is vast and infinite. And the results are exquisite and edible deliciousness. Cooking and baking nourish the body and fill the soul.
Thank you for the fantastic giveaway!
I cook because it’s the most relaxing thing to me. I can stay 100% focused on the task at hand, and go through the familiar motions and end up with something wonderful to eat. Lovely giveaway – both of these books are on my list! (And who could ever turn down a box of macarons?)
I bake for pretty much the same reason as you…it’s so comforting to lose myself in the kitchen for an afternoon. And having something delicious to show for it at the end doesn’t hurt either 🙂
I cherished my grandmother’s baking. Now that she is gone, I bake in memory of her.
I find working in my kitchen very relaxing & stress reducing. The satisfaction of my family’s enjoyment is the greatest of all. Oh & the smells too.
Surely not dirty dishes!
I just adore Sucre! It’s really hard not to stop by there when I’m visiting family in NOLA. 🙂
I bake, because it’s so gratifying. I love how quickly simple ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, etc. bake up into beautiful, tasty creations. I also love knowing that others enjoyed something I made. It’s a wonderful feeling. I’m actually baking a birthday cake this weekend for myself (it’s always a fun process to me), but only enjoying a small sliver. I’ll let my coworkers go crazy on the rest. 🙂
I bake and cook because it’s therapeutic. I love the freedom of being creative through cooking and baking. I had French macarons for the very first time when I was in Seoul – of all places- on a business trip afew years back and was hooked. I make them for Christmas to give away to friends – they’re a huge hit!!!
I cook because, honestly, it is one of the few things I can do that makes me stop thinking about work or whatever else won’t get out of my head.
I cook/bake because of its therapeutic properties (usually alone & with music) and because of its social nature (dinner parties & sharing with friends)
I love to cook to experiment with new flavors and to share those with others. As far as baking, it’s wonderful to have a little something sweet to share with friends, family, or colleagues.
I LOVE your blog! I cook because running and baking are my two main stress relievers. Not a bad combo!
I saw Gail share this post and giveaway on FB and immediately thought of our trip to Sucré. We didn’t get to meet the chef (well, we did at the conference anyway) but we did get to taste their amazing amazing macarons. I am such a critic of macs and am the first to say “oh, too dry, too bland, too cloyingly sweet” etc but Sucré macs are perfect and so incredibly good! I would love to win a box of them or one of the fabulous books – both of which I have dreamed of owning. Why do I bake? Wow. First because it is therapy: the act of measuring, stirring, kneading is so therapeutic, soothing, calming and it helps me think. I also love watching others – family and friends and sons’ friends made happy with my baked goods. It warms the heart of this mom and wife!! And I love eating cakes and cookies…. I can satisfy my own cravings while sharing the love with others.
Great giveaway and best of luck to everyone who lives in the proper location. 🙂 I’m so envious that you got to spend time with Jamie. She’s such a delightful friend. I can’t wait to meet her in person one day. Long walk to Nantes from Australia. 🙂
Baking is a form of meditation for me. It quiets my brain and calms my body. I love to bake about anything!
I bake because it is in my genes. My Nonna baked fabulous Sicilian pastries. We took it for granted those pastries would always be there. So I bake in memory of her. I bake because I know combing those ingredients I will get something tasty and beautiful. At least I hope I do.
I love to try new recipes. Baking or cooking actually, for me, is very relaxing.
I’m kind of known around family and friend for cookies and, lately, cupcakes. None of them are usually beautiful, but they usually taste super yummy. I bake for my family and friends…
I cook from the sheer love of the adventure. I am a giver and this is my outlet.
When you know you have made anyone happy it makes one happy and it safisfies my creative side. I love to be in La, La land creating foods that I believe
people will love.
I bake because I control the ingredients making it as healthy as I want without preservatives or nasty chemicals
i find it relaxing. and i love sharing my baked goods with everyone.
I find baking rewarding in two ways. The first is the process, which is similar to making an art project. It’s fun, relaxing and you end up creating something in the end. The second is using your finished project as a means to share love and kindness. There are few greater pleasures than seeing somebody light up when you bring them baked goodies or the gratitude you receive after serving a meal.
I bake because it makes me feel good. I can give people gifts of thoughtfully made food. I can calm my mind and soothe my anxiety. Plus, there’s the eating!
I bake because I am thrilled when the people I love open the door and smell love that fills the house.
Baking is a gift that I give to myself and others. It combines my love of detail and following directions with a creative end result that makes the recipients of my endeavors oh-so-happy. Simple or challenging- baking has it all. It makes my heart sing!
I love to try out new recipes: it’s like a treasure hunt and you never know what you’ll discover!
It soothes me and I love feeding people well.
I bake and cook so my family and friends get homemade meals and treats that show my love fr them.
Stress relief. And a never-ending sweet tooth!
I love to bake – it is fun and relaxing and I enjoy sharing my creations with friends and family.
I grew up in a family that grew wonderful gardens and fruit trees and always provided much love and comfort through the meals that were prepared for us. My grandmother and both of my parents were the influence that I now carry out for my own famly and friends with much love.
Because my mom cooks, and her mom cooked, I cook. It’s simply in my blood.
Someone else commented that cooking was a meditation for them and that really resonates with me as well. For me, cooking and baking is so therapeutic in many ways. I’m also very interested in learning about food and ingredients and different ways of combining them. I really appreciate simple, homemade food that’s made with love and attention for my myself, family and friends.
I bake because it links me to my Mother and Grandmother. Cooking meals was how they nourished their family, but their baking was their gift of love.
I bake because I love sweets. I love creating new sweet recipes with different flavor combinations.
I love to cook and cook for my husband. I enjoy cooking for my family about once a month. I enjoy baking when I have the time. I love macarons and went to a Viking cooking class on them but have not tried to make them yet. Nice of you to offer such a wonderful giveaway.
I cook because it makes me happy. It’s so simple but true. I love to sit back and watch people enjoy the desserts. It warms my heart.
I have been baking for a very long time, as log as I can remember. My first memory is watching my grandmother bake – it was a daily ritual for her. I couldn’t reach, or even see, the counter top. Probably to quiet my constant clamoring to “let me see”, she bought me a small stool … and taught me to help. I have not stopped baking since. And while I don’t have grandchildren of my own – yet – baking is my daily ritual now, and my connection to my beloved grandmother.
I enjoy the process of baking and the happiness it brings my family and friends!
Baking centers me. I love the joy that it brings to my family. I love the smell that drifts through the house, the art of perfecting the same pie I bake every summer. Simply put, I’m always happy when I get to bake.
For me the two best things are trying something new and also that feeling of having produced something lovely and tangible. Sometimes it feels like life is all work with no product otherwise!
I love to bake because… a) I’m a sweet-a-holic and b) I love to make people happy! I grew up in a family of great cooks and a lot of my childhood was spent in the kitchen.
I bake to relax! Nothing makes me happier than to be in the kitchen with sweets smells running through the house! It is peaceful and calming. I’ve had these two on my wish list for a while 🙂
I cook because I love it…plus, the end product is so great. 🙂
It is only in this decade that I have become a decent baker, having always been a really good savory cook. It is my mother who was the great baker (really wonderful) and perhaps the tiniest bit of me continued to defer to her when no competition ever existed and when it certainly wouldn’t be relevant if it did. Baking you see requires a certain discipline with ingredients and a certain trust and a ‘touch’. By nature a meddler it took me a long time to learn to sit back and trust the ingredients. An early over-worker of doughs batters I can now say that I get it!
I grew up in New Orleans though I left long ago and have never been to this wonderful place Sucré that so many have raved about (so naturally I would love to win those lovely looking macarons); in fact I grew up on Seventh Street just blocks from where the shop is. I can’t recall what that location used to be. It’s so wonderful to think of the revival New Orleans is having now.
Baking is a love for me…something I enjoy. I love to bake for those I love…..my way of showing love. Cakes, cookies, brownies and breads are my items to bake. I would love to win this wonderful giveaway.
I love to cook and bake because I like knowing what goes into my food (no mystery ingredients for me, please), and I like the satisfaction of making things myself, and this way I get to try recipes that really appeal to me.
I love food! 😀
I love to cook I love to bake, being a creative cook my family enjoys it and anyone that has the pleasure of dining at our house gets a Real Treat! My husband and I entertain everyone seems to think we cater, NOT I make everything, box cooking I’m terrible from scratch its amazing! I will try to make anything I am not intimidated by any recipe, I’ll try and change it to be even better!!!
I love baking because it always blows my mind that a few simple ingredients (flour, butter, eggs, to name a few) can make so many yummy things! I also love baking because it is a finite project; mix, bake, and eat.
Baking is what I can do to give back to those in need. Recently signing up for a meal train for a dear friend who’s suffering an illness, I know that the best thing I can do for the ones I love is to provide nourishment. Giving joy with each delicious, nutrient dense and delectable bite. Seeing my loved ones smile and bring them to a different place even momentarily is why I bake. Providing yummy, healthy goodness is my gift.
I bake because it’s fun! I like that I can tune out and just follow a recipe, but that I have enough experience to throw caution to the wind when I want to and adapt a recipe to the whims of my imagination (and pantry).
Also, my husband and I ate at Bouchon on our honeymoon in September, so I’d be super psyched if I won!!!!!
I find cooking to be a relaxing thing… it’s similar to how I feel about photography. I get to focus on one very specific activity and put my heart into it. I find that to be very satisfying (though frustrating at times when things don’t go as planned).
to soothe my hands, which ache for something to do before I settle in to study and exercise my brain. to be a part of my family, which culturally doesn’t say ‘I love you’ often but instead picks you up from the airport with a hot homemade dinner and sends you off with the same tenderness. (the taiwanese colloquialism for ‘how are you,’ by the way, literally means ‘have you eaten yet?’)
Why do I cook….cooking feeds my soul and makes the house smell wonderful!
What a great giveaway, thank you.
I cook and bake to feed my family, but I take satisfaction and pride from feeding them well. I’ve also started baking some things from my Scandinavian heritage, and doing that makes me happy.
For me, cooking is communion. It connects me with the people I love…across time, across distance, across the table. The labor and its fruits stir memory, create tradition, feed both body and soul.
I cook/bake to show my family and friends how much they mean to me!
I bake and cook because it is peaceful and relaxing. It’s what’s real. Creating something from scratch that you and your family will enjoy, it’s like giving a piece of you that’s tasty!
I love to cook because of how it brings people and family together with nostalgia, old memories and new tastes and memories.
I cook because it’s relaxing and fulfilling, and I bake because of the warmth it provides.
I bake because it is therapeutic for me and a time when I can create something amazing. I also love the joy on people’s faces when they bite into that perfect cookie!
I spend time in the kitchen, because I like to eat. I am a discriminating eater. If I make my own food, I can use the ingredients I prefer and make it to my own liking.
I bake & cook because I enjoy it and it is a stress reliever. I also love to eat so it’s also rewarding…I love to watch others enjoy what I have made.
I love baking for my husband. Quite simple. I’ve been working on getting sandwich bread ‘mastered.’ He enjoys muffins, granola, cookies and pies. That makes my heart happy. I love cooking MUCH more than baking, which he knows. And he appreciates the effort I put into creating baked goodness for HIM. Love language.
I love to bake, because I love to eat desserts, especially ones that are deep dark chocolatey! I also love the alchemy of baking.
I don’t cook often, but when I do, I like to make great dinners for my wife.
I love to bake for my friends and family. It’s a great way to show people you care. 🙂
Baking takes me to my happy place. I find it to be extremely therapeutic. The bonus is that I am also creating home baked goods for my children to enjoy!
I cook, and bake, to escape all the stress around me for a little while. I also cook because I like knowing what my kids are eating..
Baking takes me back to when I was a little girl helping my mom in the kitchen. There’s something so satisfying about mixing together various ingredients and having it turn into something delicious. We all have a huge sweet tooth in my family, so I bake often. It’s my therapy. Luckily, my other therapy is running, so I figure it all balances out. : )
Baking is my own personal form of therapy. To me, there is no better way to cleanse your self from a day filled with things that are out of your control. The simple act of following a recipe and producing a delicious treat (every time!) amazes me. On those crazy days, I take comfort in the fact that my only job is to follow a simple list of instructions and I will be rewarded – most of the time with something chocolaty and covered in frosting.
I love to make a recipe my own ! Extra chocolate chips,walnuts and whatever I have go in my chocolate chip cookies– different everytime– I love to mix it up. I do the same thing with brownies . Homemade is always the best !!!
I love to bake and cook because I find both to be peaceful. I focus on what I’m doing and don’t think once about the stack of papers on my desk or the laundry that’s been fluffed five times in the dryer. And even better…the end result is instant gratification!
Baking us my therapy. I can work through something, end with an accomplishment (usually a good one), be creative… I communicate through baking – how I’m feeling, how I care for someone… I can let someone know they’re loved in a “safe” way (telling coworkers or people you barely know that you love and care can be awkward, showing is easier)
to make myself, friends and family happier!!
Baking makes me feel pretty and feminine….it’s my way to unwind and slow down!
I bake because I can’t not bake. I just start thinking about a cake, or scones, or muffins and before I know it, I’m in the kitchen, measuring flour, sugar, butter. It’s an added incentive that I can make things I couldn’t afford to buy. I spend hours at bakery windows admiring and puzzling about how I could make the lovely things on display.
I cook and bake because I like to take care of people and make them happy! (And a friend used to joke that the trick to looking thin is to encourage everyone around you to eat more.)
I am addicted to Pinterest and spend way too much time looking for recipes to try — that gets me in the kitchen! I like cooking main dish items more than baking because they turn out better for me, but I still forge on and give it my best!
I love being in the kitchen. It not only makes me happy it also makes my family happy when they come home from work/school to have something smelling awesome coming from the oven.
I bake because I love how food brings people together, and it’s a blessing for me to to be part of that. And because I love brownies 🙂
I bake because I love creating something wonderful for others (and me) to enjoy. My kitchen is my haven, a place to de-stress, relax and do something I love.