Sunday, July 31, 2011

Markets and competitions oh my!

Wow! What a busy couple of weeks. I now notice I forgot to do my blog last weekend. Ooops.

Yesterday I held my first market stall!! I held a stall at Whimsical Markets  which is held at the Playford Civic Centre, Elizabeth. I'd spent many nights doing preparations for the first market, and I made about 600 macarons!!

As I was packing them up to head to the markets I was frightened I'd made too many! I'm well known for over-catering and I was convinced I'd done it again!

Well. How wrong was I!! I sold out in about two hours!! I am still in shock! AND not to mention incredibly *scared* of how many I now need to make for future market stalls I have!!

I want to do a thank you to my beautiful friend Selina for helping me out, your help was so very appreciated, and I look forward to paying you in macarons next weekend :)
Another thank you goes to my awesome Father in law - no, to my awesome Dad for also helping me out. Firstly he came to just help me set up - that turned into a quick dash home because I'd forgotten my table cloth (oops!!) and then he stayed for the day as the mad rush came and he helped with the cash-cash :) 

Here's a picture of my stall from the market yesterday, taken by Simmone Edwards Photography. I had to quickly grab Simmone to make sure I had evidence I even had stock! The first ten minutes of the day were the most insane. But a totally awesome insane at that!!

Image by Simmone Edwards Photography
{My Stall at Whimsical Markets}

Yesterday was a big day for many reasons, not only for the market - but it was the final day for my "Suggest a Flavour" competiton!

I've sent emails to  the winners of the vouchers - they receive  a 20% off voucher for their order - but not on flavours they chose... only flavours from my current range.... but drumroll please for the winning flavour....


{STRAWBERRIES & CREAM}!!


I look forward to giving these a go, I'm thinking - strawberry buttercream with fresh strawberry pieces.... mmmm sounds yummy to me! 


Thank you to all the entries!!


And thank you for all who came to see me at the markets yesterday!


Well, now I am caught up on all things LMM, now its off to catch up on my house-duties, they were soooo neglected! Sorry husband! ;)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

"LMM Taste Test Extravaganza" Week

Well, as per the title, last week was the highly anticipated (okay, possibly only by me) "Taste Test Extravaganza"! I asked a few close friends to come to LMM HQ and help me pick some possible new flavours for my macarons. 

All up 133 macarons were consumed. {insert bulging eyes emoticon}. 

The flavours we tried were:

Passionfruit
Pistachio
Watermelon
Rockmelon
Hubba Bubba
Burnt Caramel
Caramel & Banana
Green Apple
Mango
Boysenberry
Pineapple
Peach
Blood Orange
Vanilla
Apricot
Chocolate
White Chocolate
Chocolate Mousse
  

All the flavours that were sampled

 The ones that were winners with my group you ask? 

Blood Orange
Passionfruit
Burnt Caramel
Chocolate Mousse
Dark Chocolate Ganache
Boysenberry
Vanilla
Milk Chocolate Ganache
Pistachio
Watermelon 
Hubba Bubba
Chocolate Buttercream

Of those listed above only a couple will be added to LMM at a time... and for now, I think I've decided on blood orange (my FAVOURITE) and burnt caramel (sooooo tasty!!).

Stay tuned for when the rest will be added... slowly but surely!!

For now, its head down bums up in preparation for Whimsical Markets... on the home stretch now, I'm getting those butterflies of excitement welling up inside my belly!!!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Very STUNNING post ahead...

Hello LMM lovers! 

This week was a busy, steady week of macarons for Style & Grace Wedding Function Hire. They did a STUNNING buffet which was yellow & white themed. Did I mention that it was STUNNING! Fabulous job by Amy!! I also have some GORGEOUS pictures of my macarons which were taken by Simmone Edwards Photography.

My Macarons in their packaging, waiting to be added to the STUNNING buffet table


Isn't it gorgeous!! And see those beautiful cookies? They're made by Sugar Pearl Cookies!

Love these pictures by the very talented Simmone

The cookies mentioned in the third picture were made by a good friend, Linda from Sugar Pearl Cookies. Check her out! She's got lots of talent!! I've enlisted her to make cookies think - "Very Hungry Caterpillar".

This week is the big taste test week! I've got 18 (hopefully, if I don't fudge it up) flavours to sample and will see which ones will cut the mustard and make it as a regular in my repertoire. I've got a handful of my good friends coming to assist. 

After the big taste test this week, its time to knuckle down and start planning for my first ever market. I'll be having a stall at the first ever Whimsical Markets. If you're interested in seeing Lil Miss Macaron (oh, and other stalls I suppose - lol) come down and say hi! It's at the Playford Civic Centre, Main North Road Elizabeth from 10am - 3pm.

Hope to see you there! 

Monday, July 4, 2011

Where Did That Weekend Go?

Oops. I'd wanted to update my blog every weekend. I'll try harder next time! hahaha!

I had a GREAT week!! I'd met with a supplier who just made my week! He gave me heaps of samples of delicious chocolates to try for my ganache, some chocolate mousse and pretty shimmers... and a little something extra special... keep reading to see... He was a wealth of information too and I've got many awesome ideas flowing! 

Last week I made macarons in The Wiggles colours... 

   
"Wiggles" Macarons!

I also made some pretty pink & orange macarons for a sweet little girls 5th birthday. They had a yummy raspberry ganache centre... I'll show pictures of those soon hopefully. I'd like to show some "action" shots instead of my "posed" shots... 


This week I'm making lots of macarons, some for a friend who is taking them to her office and some to be used on a wedding buffet table by Amy of Style & Grace Candy Buffets/Style & Grace Wedding Function Hire


Some exciting things are happening next week though!! A hint: 18. 


Okay, I'll tell you. 18 new flavours I'm trialling with a couple of friends!! Keep your fingers crossed that I'll hopefully be able to introduce some new flavours soon!

 

Friday, June 17, 2011

Introduction

Good afternoon!

My name is Belinda, and I am "Lil Miss Macaron". Welcome!

I'm a stay at home mum of two gorgeous little boys and married to the most handsome supportive husband ever! All my boys are my absolute first priority. It's been partially thanks to them, really, that I get to bake.. since being home with my kids baking has been a big passion of mine. All things sweet! Which, is ironic - because my husband doesn't really enjoy sweets!! Hahaha... never mind, luckily I have lots of fabulous friends to share my baked yummy treats with... 

My obsession with macarons began thanks to Masterchef Australia. And Adriano Zumbo. How I love thee!! I set about wanting to make my own macarons - a little challenge I wanted to set myself. 

My first ever batch, were chocolate, and they were perfection! (well, IMO of course!). And I was lulled into a false sense of security. My first batch. Worked. My next 10 or more batches how ever, did not. I just couldn't quit! I had to make all sorts of alterations for my macarons... and soon enough, I'd "conquered" them. I made a few different flavours for friends, and then decided I wanted to host an Australia's Biggest Morning Tea... and it's from there, that I decided to sell them so that others could enjoy them too. 

That's me, for now...