Simple Pleasures

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Some of my favorite memories from my trip to France include visits to the many patisseries for macarons – the most delicious little airy almond-based sandwich cookies. It’s actually quite difficult to find anything comparable here in Boston, but the best I’ve found by far are these from Thinking Cup.

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They make the perfect little weekend treats, as well as hostess and thank you gifts. Or, as in my case sometimes, just a game-changing weekday pick-me-up. I know I’ve talked about these favorite little treats before, but they really do make the day bright.

To complement a sampling of macarons, one really needs a quality cappuccino to enjoy. My newest endeavor is learning how to pour cappuccino art. There are some really great YouTube tutorials out there like this one and this one for learning how. The proper equipment is really a must (i.e., a commercial milk frother), but what I have on hand allowed me to try out the basics.nespresso piecesKrupps Pixie Stainless Steel Coffee Machine // Aeroccino // Capsules

My family loves  their Nespresso machine. It’s so easy to use and is great for making cappuccinos, lattes, hot or iced cups of coffee and even hot chocolate. Having a solid selection of pods is key. I made cappuccinos for everyone in the the house (whether they wanted one or not) when I was practicing my milk pours. My favorite of the Nespresso pods is the Ristretto. The intense full body can be attributed to a blend of beans grown in Colombia, Brazil and East Africa. The rich, yet somehow subtly fruity flavor mixes very well with milk for either a cappuccino or a latte.

Where do you find the best cappuccino/latte art?