“A party without a cake is just a meeting.” – Julia Child

It’s our birthday!! Today, The Land of Desire kicks off its fifth year and what better way to celebrate than with a little cake? This week, I’m focusing on the history of one of my favorite French treats: the humble, beloved madeleine! “One could almost call the madeleine France’s national cookie” wrote Patricia Wells in the New York Times back in 1983. She didn’t know about the endless macaron obsession that was still to come, but I think she has a point. This week, pull up a chair, pour a cup of tea, and definitely make sure to sign up for the newsletter (hint: I’m sharing my favorite recipe!!!) while we celebrate the life and times of the French madeleine.
Episode 60: “Madeleines”

Madeleine miscellany:

 

 

 

Further Reading:

* Sigh. Sometimes you finish putting your finishing touches on an episode…and discover an entire treasure trove of rich information about your subject that you somehow failed to uncover after weeks of research. This would be a different episode if I’d come across the following (brilliant) essay earlier: How Marcel Proust killed the Commercy madeleine
* Cake: A History by Nicola Humble is FASCINATING. She made me re-think the entire idea of what it means for something to be a cake. Super recommended, discovering this book was one of the highlights of researching this episode.

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