For the sweet tooth, from France
Kilcullen has recently gained a little colour, with a sweet Gallic flavour!
They're dainty, succulent, and come in a variety of flavours. I suppose, to be accurate, we should use the French spelling of macarons.
And what are they, pray? Tender meringue-like cookies with almonds, filled with buttercream. Delicious disaster for weight watchers. With Coconut, Lemon, Coffee, Banana, Orange and Vanilla options.
Unless you are one of those strange people who can resist sweet temptation, don't dare look on Armell's website, armelleskitchen.blogspot.com
Because the photos of the macarons, and other pastries and cakes which Armelle can make to order look good enough to eat in themselves.
The pictures are taken by her partner, Kenny Rorie, a Scotsman with a real flair for food photography.
Though they have been living in Kilcullen for five years now, the Armelle's Kitchen enterprise is very new. The service includes free delivery throughout the mid-Kildare area.
"I have worked in kitchens since I came to Ireland, in Clontarf Castle, the Clarion Hotel in the IFSC and in The Vineyard in Blanchardstown," says Armelle, who originbally hails from the north of France. "But because of the recession I was made redundant, and decided it was time to do something on my own."
She comes from a family of cooks, and her father has always had a particular interest in making cakes. "When I went home for Christmas in December, I helped him with Yule Log cakes for 20 members of our family," she laughs. "Cooking was where we were all brought up."
Armelle currently works from home, but hopes in coming years to have built up enough business to open a small home bakery shop in town.
In the meantime, though, her baking can be found in several shops in the locality, and she will make up presentation cakes and pastries for special occasions.
Temptation is just a call away to 086 3309373 or email armelleskitchen@live.ie, or you can also become a fan on Facebook, www.facebook.dj/armelleskitchen
Brian Byrne.
This article was first published on the Kilcullen Page of the Kildare Nationalist.
