It’s hard to believe. Summer is just about gone but we here in Arizona are holding on to record heat like we are holding on to the carefree days of summer. I’m sort of ready for it to leave, to be truthful. I’m ready for cool mornings and and all things flannels and boots and time to slow down, because come September 1st, it’s my favorite time of the year: the “bers.” You know, Septem-ber, Octo-ber, Novem-ber, Decem-ber.
1. Give me all the PSL
Really but not really. Since starting to eat right I have to say I see my favorite friends at Starbucks a little less these days, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try a new Fall drink that they released this week. I went in wanting the new Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato, but because I don’t drink coffee (audible gasp), I asked my favorite barista, Holly to help me achieve the Fall flavors without adding coffee. So here is how it went down.
Me: “Hey Holly, I want to try the new blah blah blah, but I don’t drink coffee”
Holly: “GET OUT! Like physically leave the premises and never come back. How dare you?!!!!” (Just Kidding).
Holly really said: “Barb! that make sense why you always order the same pink drink. Ok. let me try some things, I’ll be right back.”
Me:*Patiently watches Holly do her thing.*
Holly: “Try this. Its a chai latte (tea) with a shot of brown sugar syrup and oat milk.
Barb: “TAKE ALL MY MONEY!!!”
The end.
(This conversation is as true and accurate as one could possibly remember while not paying attention at all)
So here’s the drink: to a Starbuck’s Iced Chai Latte with oat milk.
Add: 3 pumps brown sugar.
Tag me if you try it. It tasted like I needed a blanket and another round of Hallmark, which I may be doing as I type this. You have no idea. LOL
2. Tips for Chocolate Macarons
Let me start this education session by confessing my sins. I know, this could get awkward but, I have to come clean. It’s the cocoa I use. Heather, my favorite from ORSON GYGI, says I use trash chocolate that is absolutely crap. She almost ended our 3 year friendship over that squarish brown tub of cocoa that shall not be named. *Cough* HERSHEY’S *cough*
So here are the tips. All the tips? yes.
- Look for the fat content. This is where a lot of people go wrong, The better the cocoa the higher the fat content, cue cheap trash cocoa that I love. There are better cocoas out there, but just keep that number in mind.
- I bake my chocolate shells just a minute or two longer. Something about them just likes to be high maintenance, and I oblige.
- Cooking on steel pans also helps the scenario of perfectly ruffled feet and smooth bottoms (me singing a very inappropriate song by Cardi B talking about Red Bottom shoes… again, don’t mind me).
- I whisk or sift my cocoa straight into the dry ingredients, I never usually color the shells.
And there you have it, all the trade secrets leaked like the cookie wars Crumble lawsuit. You following that? (Google: Utah, cookie lawsuit or just click HERE)
3. Flavors I am going to try
It’s Fall, y’all. (I actually don’t technically consider it Fall until I can turn off my air conditioner, but whatever.) Here are the flavor combos you will see coming to IG and the blog soon:
Brown Sugar Chai (I wonder where I came up with this? LOL)
Frosted Lemon Oat (Want this sooner? Sign up for my in-person class at Orson Gygi HERE)
Hot Chili Marshmallow (Yes, this is happening, I may even add some hot honey in there)
4. The SweetMac Story
I get asked this question a lot and thinking about it I don’t think I have ever sat down and typed out this story, so let’s go for it. *Grabs popcorn and a Snuggie*
The pandemic was super ripe, like the first week of shut down, and my youngest (seen in the photo above on the left) wanted to make macarons. Now, I may act crazy sometimes, but I am not really crazy and asked her “Instead of macarons, how about something that I know will turn out?” She persisted, like youngest children do, and I gave in, like mothers do.
We made our first batch. It turned out great! Math was taught (I was now fully homeschooling) and a treat was to be eaten. Rolling the dice we tried a second time: FAIL. Third: FAIL. 4-17 times FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL. So now it’s personal. I got to the drawing board and created a new recipe, adapting what I had read about sugar structure, extracts and hollows.
So I posted the success, and I had someone reach out and ask if we sell them. THEN THATS ALL SHE WROTE.
The first week we had orders for 7 dozen, second week 15 dozen, and by month one we were making almost 300 dozen a week. Both of my girls helped, as they didn’t have school and nothing really better to do. Maddy would line up the shells, Keagan would pipe, we all would package. I delivered. Slowly the girls got sick of their workhorse mother and they focused on their own things, but these memories I will forever enjoy. SweetMacShop was born April 2, 2020. Since then I have hit quite a few milestones, but my favorite is helping YOU find success. Out of all my jobs, this one has to be my favorite.
5. What’s On the Blog
YAY for Toasted Marshmallow week! Did you check out our reels for tips on how to actually toast the marshmallows? If not, find them HERE and HERE. I get asked the color of the shell and here is the recipe: 49 drops of Americolor Peacock, 3 drops Americolor Red, 2 drops Americolor Maroon. It’s gorgeous, so I hope you try it!
ALSO! (of course there is a also…) I have classes coming up. Yes, in-person classes will be held at ORSON GYGI. Check out the MAC 101(oh shoot! It’s full), The Mac Cake, Mickey Mouse and Fillings classes.
Happy Bers!
Thanks for all of this! Love it! Feel better ❤️
Mary- Thank you!