Hope Is Not A Plan…

I was once told by a wise man that: “hope isn’t a plan”. Ya right. I hope for a lot of things, and if hope isn’t a plan, and things happen in my favor over and over - am I just lucky…lucky at nearly everything (haha 🤦‍♂️!)?

To that, I’d say I’m the luckiest person in the world.

I’ve worked hard at developing myself and proud of my accomplishments in every aspect of my life; but to be honest, a lot of things have had to go right which enabled me to take full advantage of my luckiness? It’s hard to admit, but my luck has been the result of (gulp) a plan - but I wasn’t hoping to be lucky?

But the straight forward words once uttered couldn’t be truer today. So what happens when you couple not having a plan, and bad luck?

You guessed it. A macaron baking disaster.

Well to be fully transparent - I had a plan, and a recipe to follow but because I can articulate my luckiness, the intersection of hope and luck is growing in complexity. And certainly didn’t ring true in my latest baking adventure.

Over the past several months, I’ve baked over 100 dozen macarons (that’s 2,400 shells if you’re trying to count!). You might recall a recent post reminiscing on the complexities (and headaches!) of making macarons. Needless to say, I’ve refined my baking skills and confidence is at an all-time high.

So today - Bounced out of bed mentally prepared to start the sophisticated production of raspberry macarons. While this was the first attempt at this flavor profile, there wasn’t a worry in the world.

The process was straight forward - develop a standard macaron shell, coupled with a delicate white-chocolate raspberry purée. Pure bliss.

Perfect measuring.

Meringue flawless.

Folded the batter like a pro.

Piped and baked shell impeccable. The best I’ve ever made.

So I’m firing on all cylinders today!- And I glimpse past the standard well-known procedures to make macarons are not to be completed in a day- shells and filling composition in the first day, after aging of both components, complete the assembly the following day.

But hey, I’ve reached expert status so let’s keep rolling!

As the creation of the fresh raspberry purée with white chocolate filling progressed after intensive, hastily rushed preparation: blending, straining, double boilers, boiling, combining, ice baths, freezers, splitting liquids, and recombining containers…all to speed the process…when it would have been far better to just slow down and work towards the certain result in the coming days.

All to be said…I was hoping for a successful resolution, with a plan that didn’t make sense, and I was extremely unlucky.

The end product tastes amazing. But sloppy. I’ll regroup tomorrow and give it another shot- or just throw the towel in and make icecream with the yet-to-consumed purée?

Lesson learned: stick to the plan and don’t rush the macaroon making process!!

Ready to be baked shells.

Shells fresh out of the oven!

Shells cooled and stacked.

Filling nightmare realized.

Umm. And then this.

Looks are deceiving cuz this tastes amazing!

A $4 Macaron is Underpriced

“I’m a modern-day baking wizard at producing chocolate chip cookies (from the pre-made dough, of course), second best to no one at making brownies from a box, and frozen pizza? Piece of cake! So the next most logical adventure is French macarons!” Said no one ever.

Ugh. But we’re off to the races with the “World’s Best Pastry Chef” Pierre Hermé’s macaron cookbook on a blind adventure to master(?!) one of the most technically challenging pastries known to mankind. I mean when you think about it….these little guys are the easy result of mixing a few ingredients together, toss it in the oven and you’re done! Man was I wrong. Very wrong.

I learned that there’s a difference between store-bought vanilla extract and real vanilla beans.

I was shocked to realize when the recipe calls for vanilla pods (from 3 different global sources of all things: Madagascar, Tahiti, and Mexico) it assumes (obviously incorrectly) that one already knows you don’t just toss a bean into the bowl.

I sifted thousands of grams of ingredients. My wrists are extremely sore; and kitchen a complete disaster.

I became sickened to draw the unfortunate conclusion that a macaroon is 99.9% sugar.

I tried to make my own almond flour. And failed miserably. Who knew you could just buy that?

I procured eggs by the dozens, flour, sugar…needless to say thank god for Costco. And precision weighing? Yikes.

I had no idea how to make a perfectly circular shape- I mean the template takes care of that? And never used a pastry bag.

I threw away hundreds and hundreds of macaroon shells. Others I left on the counter hoping they’d fix themselves.

I cried. I swore. I had what seemed like an endless headache. And I’m still having nightmares.

I sat in front of the oven for hours not knowing what to do.

And I promise to NEVER EVER complain again about paying $4 for a perfectly crafted 2 (ok let's be honest, 1) bite sweet cookie treat that costs under twenty cents to make.

But all in all after extensive trial and error from different mixing, folding, whisking, beating, and baking techniques the macarons turned out pretty damn good.

They’re absolutely perfect and something that I now have a whole new appreciation for.

We’ll see what’s next. I currently have enough pistachio paste on hand to make 720 macaron shells. But for now I need to recover. Probably for a long time.

PS - Anyone want a macaron? I have some. They’re $4 each. And trust me. That’s a real bargain.

The Pastry Showdown

So, here’s the thing: You’re on a Pacific Northwest road trip — and you’re having the internal debate of “how responsible your calorie consumption will be while you’re cruising through Seattle and Oregon? Well rest assured, it’s easy to choose the high-calorie route, I mean, eating quinoa non stop, first, isn’t fun, and second, it’s easy to compromise for a doughnut when compared to the “more” responsible grain alternative?

To cut to the chase, after visiting four of the most distinctive pastry eateries, there’s a clear “winner”, representing a destination that without doubt, displays graceful sophistication providing a mind-blowing, tender, and flavorful experience, while others depend on “the magic is in the hole” but I can confirm that all (doughnut) holes are absolutely not the same!

Blue Star - Portland, Oregon

Overall Rating: First Place - Best overall customer experience, friendly employees, best doughnut base, and most innovative, sophisticated flavors.

When you walk into Blue Star you’re greeted by an eloquent display that’s easy to understand and digest. Immediately, you’ll be drawn to the apparent simplicity of the doughnuts, and at first, might feel the names are gimmicky, and likely lead to believe the flavoring will come across as simplistic, however, check those expectations at the door!

I only selected one doughnut at Blue Star - the Blueberry Bourbon Basil. This doughnut is what put Blue Star on the map, and it didn’t disappoint! While it sounds like a strange combination, it tastes incredible! The flavoring combines fresh sweet blueberries, fresh fragrant basil, and, yes, bourbon! The basil is a refreshing balance to this deliciously sweet and colorful treat. There are plenty of options outside of fruity options - including a CBD (an extract from a cannabis plant) option (however, I didn’t try this one, maybe next time?!)

What I most appreciated is Blue Star’s desire to preserve the environment. Doughnuts are encouraged to be consumed in the shop to minimize waste, and unless you order several doughnuts, just expect to receive your treats in a small bag to go!

Recommended?: Yes! 100% Next time I’m in Portland this is on the list for sure.

Nuvrei - Portland, Oregon

Overall Rating: Third Place - This isn’t a true doughnut destination, however, tasteful, small-batch treats that will not disappoint.

After having to visit Nuvrei twice, yes twice! - Which helped me understand the popularity of their baked goods that Nuvrei masterfully creates. The go-to treat? Without a doubt the Mini-Canele! A small decadent custard-based french pastry that is flavored with rum and vanilla! While the Canele’s come in multiple sizes, the mini’s have a distinctive texture that is hard to describe - and can be eaten in a single bite.

While the Canele is a signature item for Nuvrei - don’t be fooled! After having a flaky, butter-based matcha croissant and a cinnamon danish you can’t go wrong with anything in their elegant display,

Baked goods aren’t the only gems you’ll find at Nuvrei- the savory options are just as tasteful and paired with an espresso you can comfortably read a book and spend a lot of time at this quaint cafe.

Recommended?: Yes! A superior all-around coffee shop that makes goods from scratch.

Voodoo Doughnut - Portland, Oregon

Overall Rating: Fourth Place. It was neat to see, flavors were “too much” and not balanced. I couldn’t eat the whole doughnut.

Most people have the impression of when you hear (or say) Portland, it means Voodoo. And that’s why this doughnut destination is successful. The ambiance of the destination is fun - you’ll be immediately captivated with the option to purchase a Coffin of Doughnuts (yes, it’s a 3-foot hand made wooden casket (ugh, so over the top) and then drawn to the swirling multi-level display case with amazement and can’t wait to chomp down on one of these masterpieces.

Let’s boil this down: I’ve had Voodoo Doughnut on a few occasions and what I’ve found is the yeast-raised dough part of the doughnut is consistently bad, not moist, and seems like it was store-bought - their recipe needs to change. Maybe their chef, but something - it’s not a moist, chewy experience at all. So let’s look past the doughnut itself - and move up a few layers.

After trying the Old Dirty Bastard - which sounds amazing at first glimpse, consisting of a doughnut covered in chocolate frosting, followed by Oreo’s, and topped off with peanut butter drizzle - has lead me to the conclusion Voodoo doughnut’s approach isn’t sleek sophistication, but rather chooses the approach of putting as much stuff on a doughnut as possible, in uneven and unbalanced flavor profiles. And then expect soggy Oreo’s. Ugh - what’s worse than a soggy Oreo?

Recommended?: Do you like tourist traps? Day-old tasting leftovers? If yes, then Yes. Otherwise, skip it. I won’t return. Ever.

Dochi - Seattle, Washington

Overall Rating: Second Place. Wait time is long, a perfectly airy, but chewy dough coupled with flavors that are fun and relatable.

I hadn’t heard previously about Dochi - and was reluctant at first. But as the car headed that direction, my anticipation grew for a new experience! As an over-generalized rule I don’t eat at places that aren’t busy - but pulling up to Dochi, being greeted by an extensive line of waiting customers was refreshing and provided a sense of blind acceptance? I mean it’s the thing to do in town, so let’s go!

Dochi is a Japanese Mochi doughnut - Mochi donuts are an interesting cross between the sweet and chewy Japanese rice dessert and the classic American fried donut. And they come in a super fun ring shape? I mean sure, the 8 little ‘balls’ that a Dochi is comprised of make it easy to save a few bites for later (but let’s be real - if you’re eating a doughnut you are not saving any bites for later!). But as you take the first bite you’ll first experience the sophisticated topping flavors followed by. soft and chewy center. The flavors are great, but most importantly memorable.

Recommended?: Outside of the wait time, Yes! I can’t wait to return to Dochi, (or a Seattle friend to visit and bring a box, haha)

To sum things up …. if you’re eating a doughnut you likely aren’t counting calories. But if you want to be responsible for your calorie consumption — make sure you visit Blue Star and Dochi. And think carefully about the rest. Don’t feel bad about skipping Voodoo.

And I’m going on a diet.

Starting soon.

I hope.