European Cakes

A summer goal of mine was to visit the farmers' market more often. I'm proud to say that I think I've accomplished that! Out of all the markets I visited, the Southwest Edmonton Farmers' Market was the most frequented this summer.

Southwest Edmonton Farmers' Market (SWEFM) runs May to October every Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM. It is located in the parking lot across from Terwillegar Recreation Centre and Leger Transit Station. There is a lot of parking space available but the market's location in the heart of the neighbourhood make it easily accessible by walking, bus, or bike. Weekly Fresh Sheets are posted every Tuesday which provide a run down of what's happening at the market including the vendors who will be there, activities going on for kids, and what produce are available and in season.

European Cakes.

Lots of goodies!

A vendor that caught my eye in the July 29, 2015 Fresh Sheet was European Cakes. European Cakes had just started selling their macarons and other baked goods at SWEFM three weeks prior to my visit, so they are fairly new to the market. I knew I needed to give the macarons a try!

Macarons.

European Cakes sells macarons for $2.25 each, a box of 5 for $10, or a box of 10 for $20. I decided to go for a box of 5, with one of each flavour.

A box of macarons for $10.

First impressions: I loved the logo with the damask patterns and the bright pink packaging. Very cute and girly touches. CJ was also quick to note that the macarons didn't look "refined", but let's be real - I would still eat these despite the appearance! Another quality I look for in macarons is that each one should smell like what it's supposed to be (for instance, a strawberry macaron should ideally smell like strawberries). That wasn't the case with these macarons. 

Pink Lemonade.

The first macaron I tried was Pink Lemonade. I thought the vibrant yellow shell with the bubblegum pink filling looked very pretty. Sadly, this was my least favourite flavour out the 5. The pink lemonade flavour just seemed a little artificial and too sweet for my liking. The exterior of the macaron shell was also hard and easily cracked, while the inside was dry and hollow. 

Saskatoon Berry.

I was disappointed that the first macaron I tried wasn't as good as I had hoped, so I'm thankful I tried the Saskatoon Berry flavour next. This one was significantly better! The owner of European Cakes told me that she picked the saskatoon berries herself on a farm near Grand Prairie, and I could really taste the difference when fresh, natural ingredients were used. The macaron shell in this one was perfectly crispy with a moist and chewy interior, as it should be. 

Strawberry.

I would say that the Strawberry macaron looked the prettiest, but then again light pink is my favourite colour. This flavour was also delicious - light, subtle, and not too sweet. European Cakes really nailed the berry flavours! 

Salted Caramel.

I'm a lover of Salted Caramel macarons, so I hoped European Cakes' version would taste amazing. However, this one didn't meet my expectations. I wished the buttercream filling had a more prominent salted caramel taste, or that actual caramel were used. Just like the pink lemonade, the macaron shell was also hard and dry.

Nutella.

Last but not least - the Nutella macaron! The nutella flavour in this macaron was not too pronounced but still very enjoyable. I think chocolate-y macarons will always end up tasting delicious. 

Yummy!

Overall, I thought the European Cakes macarons I tried were just good. They didn't particularly "wow" me considering the quality of some of the macaron shells. However, I was really impressed with how awesome the saskatoon berry macaron tasted! I recommend getting the fruity flavours because I found those tasted the best. 

Previously, there wasn't a designated shop/vendor for macarons in southwest Edmonton so European Cakes certainly fills that void in the area. I think European Cakes is a very welcome addition to SWEFM especially for any macaron lovers such as myself. Let's not forget that they sell other baked goods like bread, croissants, and cannolis too! Would I try macarons from European Cakes again? Sure! Just because some of the macarons I tried weren't the best, doesn't mean every other macaron will be like that too. I'm always up for trying new flavours and I know the lady behind this business really goes above and beyond to obtain the highest quality ingredients for her baking. Plus, macarons are so tough to make so I appreciate anyone who makes them! European Cakes is my third macaron adventure posted on my blog, so be sure to read my posts on Milk and Cookies Bakeshop and Contessa French Macarons as well. Follow European Cakes on Instagram (@europeancakes), Twitter (@EuropeanCakes), and like their Facebook page. 

Contessa French Macarons

Over the past few years, macarons have become increasingly popular. I'm sure we've all noticed - this French dessert (although with Italian origins) has suddenly appeared everywhere on social media. From a simple close-up shot of the colourful meringue-based shell with equally colourful ganache, jam, or buttercream filling, to acting as an eye catching focal point in more artistic shots, the macaron has become one of the trendiest desserts to both photograph and consume.

The first time I ever tried macarons was on Valentine's Day last year at Duchess Bake Shop. I was really excited and picked out tons of macarons without even thinking about the cost lol! Since that time, I've tried macarons from a few other local businesses in Edmonton, such as Milk and Cookies Bakeshop back in April. The most recent macaron food adventure I've had? Contessa French Macarons!

Contessa French Macarons.

My first time hearing about Contessa French Macarons was through Instagram, which is pretty much my go to social media tool for learning about YEG food businesses. Later on, I liked their Facebook page so I could see more photos of their macarons. Just last week, a giveaway for a dozen French macarons was announced for almost reaching 200 Facebook followers, so I knew I had to enter. Two days after I entered, I was notified saying I was the winner of the giveaway! I couldn't believe it at first... I've entered lots of giveaways in the past but this was my first time winning something! 

Yum!

When I went to pick up my macarons, I was greeted by a lovely lady named Angelina Contini. She makes these macarons from scratch in her own home. I've heard that macarons are quite difficult to make, yet the ones I received looked so perfect! Such a beautiful line up of spring colours too. I also really liked the craft box the macarons were packaged in, as well as the stamped brand and "Handmade with Love" - very cute touches!

My attempt at a fancy macaron display.

Angelina messaged me with a list of flavours that were currently available. There were so many options, and I had such a hard time choosing! I ended up going with salted caramel, cookies n cream, matcha, mango, raspberry cheesecake, and banana cream from the list. 

Banana Cream.

The first macaron I tried was the Banana Cream. The filling was a perfect creamy banana with just a hint of sweetness. This one was nice because I don't really hear about banana flavoured macarons too often. 

Matcha.

Next up was the light green coloured Matcha macaron. Although Angelina mentioned that she was still working on this flavour, I would say it was spot on! I really liked the amount of green tea flavour (and filling!) in this one.

Mango.

I knew I needed to try Mango when I read it from the list of available flavours. Mangos (especially dried mangos) are one of my favourite fruits to snack on. I found the mango to be subtle, and as a lover of mangos, I would have liked it even more if the flavour was more prominent. Also, how gorgeous is that pastel orange shell?

Raspberry Cheesecake.

I was debating between raspberry or blueberry cheesecake, but ended up going with the Raspberry Cheesecake. This macaron has golden crumbs around it that is reminiscent of the graham crust on the bottom of traditional cheesecakes. For some reason I imagined the filling to be a raspberry buttercream, so I was pleasantly surprised to find raspberry jam in the centre. Just like taking a bite into an actual raspberry cheesecake! 

Salted Caramel.

I commented Salted Caramel as the flavour I would like to see soon when I entered the Facebook giveaway, so I guess it's all thanks to this macaron that I won! Salted caramel really is one of my favourite flavours though. This macaron was all about letting that salted caramel shine through, making for a perfect bite! 

Vanilla Latte (left) and Cookies n Cream (right).

Although I had originally asked for Cookies n Cream, I also got a Vanilla Latte macaron in my box too. What a nice surprise! I had imagined the shell for cookies n cream to be black and white (kind of like a Hersheys Cookies n Cream candy bar lol...), but it was a cool, light grey colour. The filling also appeared to be finely crushed cookie pieces so this macaron was a bit more chewy compared to the rest - but still very tasty! On the other hand, the vanilla latte totally looked and smelled like an actual vanilla latte drink! Great for coffee lovers. This was an enjoyable flavour too. 

Top down view.

I absolutely loved my first box of Contessa French Macarons! The colours of the macarons were gorgeous and all the flavours were amazing. The shell was perfectly crispy with a soft and chewy interior. Each macaron was not overwhelmingly sweet either (I don't like macarons that are too sweet!).

To order a box of Contessa French Macarons, you can send an email to Angelina at contessamacarons@gmail.com. I talked to her via Facebook message though, so that's another option. Each box contains 12 macarons at a cost of $20. Flavours change every now and then, so you can ask about which ones are available. When it's ready, the macarons can be picked up at her home!

My name!!

Before I forget: It's my name stamped on the side of the box! I loved how my box was personalized. It's the small touches like that that can really brighten up a day. Thank you Angelina for the giveaway and for creating these small bites of heaven! I'm looking forward to ordering a box (or maybe boxes...) sometime in the future. Be sure to follow her on Instagram (@angelinacontini) too! 

Milk and Cookies Bakeshop

Happy April! I hope your Easter long weekend has been super fun so far - I know mine has! On Saturday, CJ and I decided to spend our morning shopping local at the On the Spot Pop Ups market which was held at Latitude 53. On the Spot Pop Ups market turns an empty space into a shopping space while bringing together local businesses who make, bake, or create their own products. It is the perfect opportunity for Edmontonians to discover YEG-made products crafted by local artists, and a new way to shop and support local outside of weekly Farmers' Markets. 

I learned about this event through an Instagram post that was under the yegfood hashtag. One vendor in particular caught my eye: Milk and Cookies Bakeshop. I had seen a few posts from this business previously, and I told CJ about my interest in ordering macarons from them. I never got a chance to place an order, so when I found out they would have a table set up at this market I knew I had to go! 

CJ and I woke up early to LRT to the event which opened at 10 am, and I was worried the entire time because I didn't want to miss out on the swag bags for the first 50 people to walk through the door. Luckily, we were able to score a free bag of goodies. Yay! We walked in to find ourselves surrounded by handmade jewelry, artwork, greeting cards, and so much more. I was excited to look around but I unsurprisingly made a beeline to the table for Milk and Cookies Bakeshop. 

I found myself looking at a beautiful display of meringues, macarons, and cookies in bright spring colours. So many choices! It was hard to not grab one of everything. I ended up walking away with a smile on my face and a bag of meringues and macarons in my hands. 

Meringues and Macarons.

Can't eat until I snap a picture of it! 

Meringues: Blueberry, Raspberry, and Lemon.

$4 for a bag gave me 14 small meringues that came in blueberry, raspberry, and lemon. I loved how cute and colourful these looked - they made for a perfect Easter treat. The small size of each meringue was also a plus for me because I find that larger ones become overwhelmingly sweet as you eat it. The meringues were soft with just the right amount of sweetness. Made from freeze dried blueberries and freeze dried raspberries, the blueberry and raspberry meringues tasted delicious. My personal favourite was the lemon meringue though: the bright and prominent lemon flavour reminded me of warm spring sunshine. 

Macarons: Strawberry, Lemon, Salted Caramel, Milk Chocolate, and Rootbeer Float.

The gorgeous macaron photos on Milk and Cookies Bakeshop Instagram page were what convinced me I needed to try their products! This bag of 5 macarons cost $10, each one being a different flavour. 

Strawberry Macaron.

I started out with the Strawberry Macaron, mostly because it was the one at the top of the bag. This macaron was the most perfect bite EVER. The filling was light with a lovely strawberry taste and not too sweet. I seriously can't get over how good this one was. 

Milk Chocolate Macaron.

Next up was the Milk Chocolate Macaron. Made using Callebaut milk chocolate for the filling, this one had a pleasant chocolate flavour that left me craving for more. Great for chocolate lovers like myself. 

Lemon Macaron.

I decided to try the Lemon Macaron at the bottom of the bag for my third macaron. I think lemon is my favourite flavour for spring time... this one had a bright, refreshing, and satisfying taste. 

Rootbeer Float Macaron. 

A Rootbeer Float Macaron?!! What an interesting flavour! After my first bite I was very impressed at how prominent the rootbeer flavour was! It even smelled like rootbeer too. Even the carbonated aspect of a rootbeer beverage was on point. The filling was made with natural rootbeer flavour and carbonated sugar to taste just like a classic rootbeer float. 

Salted Caramel Macaron. 

And now for the last bite: a Salted Caramel Macaron. This macaron was SO GOOD. Salted caramel was wedged between the two macaron shells and made for a tasty, sweet yet salty bite. This was definitely the perfect ending. 

Final thoughts? Perfect amount of sweetness and not too big or too small in terms of size. The macaron shells were lightly crunchy and the fillings were AMAZING! 

Now how does one get their hands on these delicious goodies? Simply place an order on the Milk and Cookies Bakeshop website here or follow Rachelle, the owner of this business, on Instagram (@milkandcookiesbakeshop) to stay up to date on where these products will be sold. Lastly, follow their page on Facebook to see tons of photos of their baked goods!