In Search of Lost Time

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Marcel Proust, French novelist, one of the most influential novelists of the 20th century, passed away 100 years ago today: November 18, 1922. As I reflected on Proust’s reach across cultures and his influence over the human experience in the last 100 years, I felt inspired to make Madeleines.

Madeleine cookies

Madeleine cookies

Alas, I forgot all about the linden tea which he dipped the Madeleines into. In case you do not know, Proust’s magnum opus is “In Search of Lost Time,” a seven-volume novel, which showcases over 2,000 characters. Continue reading »


French Friday, Madeleine Cookies

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I have been thinking a lot about the passage of time as my son, my eldest, turned eight this week. What better way to celebrate memories than with a madeleine?

Home made madeleines

A staple in French cuisine, madeleine cookies are delicious and relatively easy to make. You will need a special pan to give the batter their typical shell shape. I got two pans, because it is more practical and my recipe calls for two anyway.

Madeleine pans

For those of you not familiar with French literature, Marcel Proust wrote about a madeleine cookie in A La Recherche du Temps Perdu.

Madeleines cooling on rack

Cooling on rack

As he tasted the cookie, it reminded him of things in his past – which is why the Merriam Webster gives you a second definition of madeleine as “one that evokes a memory.”  Continue reading »