Dear The French Laundry,
How did a humble baker girl like me end up at a fine establishment such as yours? Seriously. Breathtaking. How did this happen?
Ok… truth be told, my friend Tracy extended a last minute invite, I basically ran to my car in my slippers, a dress on a hanger flying behind me, and I sped from Los Angeles to Yountville in a cool 7 hours. I forgot my lipstick. Thank you for not judging.
Is it The French Laundry, or can I just call you French Laundry?
We’re on a first name basis, right? Good. Thank you.
French Laundry. You are Fancy. Capital F, Fancy.
… I can tell by the generous amount of gorgeous Thomas Keller flatware, delicious amount of caviar, and generous amount of champagne.
You brought me this tiny pearled spoon scoop and I thought about accidentally putting it in my purse for 3.45 seconds. It’s a good thing I remembered that I don’t steal things. I love that little scooper. Well played.
You have salts from all over the world. One of these is from the deep ocean, one of them is a French grey salt, one of them is a 40 million year old salt from Montana. Wait… did you say 40 million years old? Is Montana even that old? I believe you.. mostly because you serve your salt in a swan.
I’m humbled by your salt choices. Truly. So delicious. So delicate. Refined. So much refinement.
French Laundry, your Cold Corn Soup almost made me cry. You brought giant truffles out in a dehumidified box. Whoah! You served me Lobster Mitts…. I didn’t even know that was a thing! Lamb with pine nut vinaigrette? I love you. Every bite was entirely humbling. I mean that most sincerely.
You did a thing to me… I think it was called Caramelia Chocolate “Cremeux”. Don’t judge me for only being able to pronounce one of those words correctly.
Chocolate mousse, caramel corn, Georgia peanuts, ridiculous banana puree, and and and and Salted Popcorn Ice Cream. It was the best dessert to ever happen to my mouth. I thank you. My heart thanks you.
The thing is, French Laundry… the thing is this: you’re fancy… to be sure… but you and your staff have a way about you. You somehow make ultra fine dining feel like an intimate home dining experience. You make the most delicious, perfectly executed food taste like mind blowing home cooking. I mean that with the most respect possible.
Your food tastes like community. It tastes like love and pride. It taste like dedication, education, and attention. It tastes like knowledge and technique… and it tastes like you love your grandmothers. It is everything that is good, brought to its highest potential. Inspired. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know… but you blew my mind.
Would now be a good time to mention that we wrote ‘booyakah’ in your guestbook?
Yea… that happened.
Oh! We also took a picture outside in the dark. Tracy was holding her lightsaber. Totally normal. Nevermind.
Thank you, French Laundry. That sounds trite, but I mean it from deep down inside.
Love,
Joy
Ps. Please don’t show your pastry chef these cookies. Seriously. They’re no biggie. Like… seriously.
Sigh.
Back to real life.
Back to my boring old cookies.
Light, crisp, and delicious meringues.
Egg whites are whipped with granulated sugar, salt, and lemon juice until they’re stiff and glossy.
Then we fold in ground, toasted almonds, and cornstarch.
Humble… but I like where this is going!
It’s like nutty marshmallow fluff!
I’m into it.
These cookies can either be piped or spooned onto the cookie sheet.
Keep them close on the baking sheet because they don’t spread. Easy!
Top with powdered sugar and sliced almonds. Generous. We like generosity.
These cookies were a gift to Tracy, to say thanks for French Laundry invite.
Packaging is key when you’re dealing with Tracy, so I tried to keep it cute.
Oh! And I had to write a note… even if it got awkward. Note paper from Anthropologie.
Lemon Almond Meringues
Makes about 2 dozen small meringues
adapted from Biscotti
1/4 cup finely ground almonds (I ground slivered almonds because it’s easier)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Use a spice grinder or food processor to finely grind slivered almonds. Measure out 1/4 cup of ground almonds. Place ground almonds on one of the lined baking sheets and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place in a small bowl, toss in the cornstarch, and set aside to cool.
In the bowl on an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites and pinch of salt on medium speed. Make sure that the bowl and whisk are completely clean and dry, egg whites are sensitive. Beat until frothy peaks form. Increase the mixer speed to medium high, and gradually add sugar. Add lemon juice. Neat until mixture is glossy white and holds stiff peaks. This took me about 6 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add ground almond mixture and lemon zest. Gently fold together until mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Transfer meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip, or you can simply use a large soup spoon to dollop meringue onto lined baking sheet. Create 2 inch circles either using the pastry bag or spoon method.
Generously sift powdered sugar on top of the meringues. Top with slivered almonds.
Place sheet trays in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave meringues in the oven until they’re completely dry. When cool, remove meringues from the baking sheet and enjoy. Cookies can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.
136 Responses
Love the meringues! Is there anything I can sub for the corn starch?
Thanks for this! looks great, and especially now when I’m into almond dessert recipes for Passover. Can I use almond flour (and toast it?) instead of grinding almonds?
These look amazing. Do you think I can make them in my old Wedgewood oven? The pilot light keeps the thing pretty hot, even when it’s not on (like hot enough that I need to use an oven mitt to take out the pans that I store in there).
This was a great recipe! thanks! the whole family loved it :)
I made these meringues last night and the flavor was phenomenal. I did add 1/4 tsp of salt (a bit more than a pinch) and 1/8 tsp of cream of tartar to the eggs to stabilize them a bit. I also left out the cornstarch as I will be using them for my passover seder tomorrow night!
Thank you for the inspiration–
I heart you.
Made these cookies and the flavor was fantastic. Thank you. Only thing was – the middle of the cookies ended up hollow. What did I do wrong?!
the middle of the cookies are kinda hallow. you didn’t do anything wrong!
I mean really, who do you have to sleep with to get into The French Laundry? My fiance and I tried to get in…we called 2 months ahead to the day before our planned trip there (from GA)…we called 10 minutes after they opened…10 minutes! They were booked and it was a sad day. Anyways, because of our love of all things Thomas Keller, a friend of mine introduced me to your blog and I’m in love! Seriously. Love. This love really doesn’t have anything to do with TK, but with the whole thing you have going on here. Thank you Joy.
This post was great and gave me some insight into just how fabulous that restaurant really is. We’ll be back to Yountville. How great is that place? We ate at Bouchon and it was incredibly delicious. The maccaroons at Bouchon Bakery are really something to talk about. How do you even make maccaroons? They were delish.
P.s. I bet your cookies are really awesome too! I made the tomato-y/garlic mussels and cold avocado soup for dinner tonight. Both were super duper yummy! Thanks again :)
My fiance and I tried to get reservations at the French Laundry for our honeymoon, but no luck. :(
The meringues look delicious though.
And your handwriting is pretty awesome.
Hi made some of these beautiful meringues over the weekend… has a question: are these firm or soft meringues? Mine has a crispy shell, but soft chewy inside. Is that right?
joy, your rock my world
I love meringue cookies….thanks for reminding me, but more than that, thanks for making me smile, you do that so often that I feel I have been remiss in not saying so earlier!
Joy,
I love your electronic homestead and find that you cook with a food lover’s passion. I read that you topped your lemon almond meringues with slivered almonds but noted in the pictures that you used almond slices. I would bet that the almond slices work better with the meringue cookies. I can’t wait to try these on my family.
Thanks.
Clare
So, how lemony are these? I love (super love) lemon, but am always a little disappointment when I don’t have a tart punch in the mouth.
I just made these M-Roons! soooo good. like, sooo good.
m-roons!
Joy, I hope The French Laundry reads your blog. What a beautifully scripted review. That should mean as much to them as a review in Bon Appétit.
The light sabre rocks, BTW.
How brave to take pictures! I went to “the”? French Laundry last year. OMG is all I can say. I was dying to take pictures. My husband said no one else was and I would embarrass myself (maybe him)(maybe who we were with?). I thought about it afterwards and thought for how much dinner was what do I care what anyone thinks! I wish I had taken thoses pictures!
when you’re paying that much for dinner, i say screw what anyone else thinks about my camera phone. geez!
I loved your play by play at TFL. my husband and I were in Napa in November. We even passed by TFL on our wine tour. What I would have given to have dined there. Definitely worth the 7 hr drive. Your cookies look awesome. Going to give them a try tomorrow.
Joy- I have never ever ever heard of this — the French Laundry sounds so cool !
Everything and everyone from Montana is awesome. Just sayin’.
True that. But I didn’t realized we have high class ancient salt…
JOY!!! I am so beyond jealous! I went to the FL once, and literally just stood outside smelling the air coming out of their crazy Smurf chimney! Just walking the gardens across the street is an experience. Someday, Frances. Someday. Any chance of sharing a stab at a recipe for salted popcorn ice cream? That would be so fun to make! I would literally walk from Los Angeles to The French Laundry to eat there. I would have to bring snacks, but I could do that. :)
Speaking of salts from deep in the ocean–I had no idea that “all salt is sea salt” until I watched Food Network Star this past Sunday and Alton Brown set us all straight on that one.
Right!?
I can not believe you got there in 7 hours. Seven hours? With that kind of carrot dangling in front of you, it’s no wonder you made such good time!
Your cookies look lovely… I love making meringues but haven’t made lemon yet. Maybe this weekend. :)
I want your stationery! Where can I find it? Your dinner sounds fantastic too!
Booyah and The French Laundry. only you :)
we need to work on your actual French too. I think it might be “crémeux” with a fancy accent over the first “e”. Maybe i’m wrong.
omg, BOX, I meant BOX!
it was a recycled box that someone gave me some lovely chocolates in. i don’t know exactly where it’s from.
Love the post…I’m at work Illegally on the internet so I gotta make this fast!
Where did you get the book that you put the cookies in??
Thanks for always putting some sunshine in my day :-)
It sometimes happens to go somewhere and think that Paradise is here and you didn’t know before, and here it is, The French Laundry, here it is. It sometimes happens, but not often. Keep memories and tastes in your heart.
That dinner sounds unbelievable, Joy. So glad you enjoyed it – now I want to go!!
The cookies look amazing and amazingly delicious!
I ate there a few years ago, and I still remember everything about it. The experience is magical. Hope to go back one day.
What a delightful trip! That salted popcorn ice cream sounds AMAZING. I haven’t had breakfast yet, and your description of that meal made me so, so hungry.
what nice friends you have Joy! :)
Love TFL. Went there on a dinner date and loved every bite of it! Try Manresa in Los Gatos if you have a chance… I am deinitely going to try this Lemon Almond Meringues recipe!!!
So you’re saying it was honestly worth the money?? You make it sound so amazing. Love that you took pictures and had the guts to post it on your blog! ah! :-) I never thought i’d get to see the inside of that place-so THANK YOU.
Yountville is my hometown—-wish i could move back there!
OH ps Tracy looks like Katie Holmes in that picture-anyone else agree?
Oh gosh, you are a lucky girl! Last year when I was in grad school, I was about two hours away from French Laundry, but I could never find a fellow grad student willing to spend such a high percentage of our stipends on one meal. Alas! If only they had known about the salt swans. I’m right with you on your dedication–if someone told me I had an invite, I’d seriously consider the 4 hour flight!
On another note, I love your podcast with Tracy. I bet you two were hilarious and had a great time at dinner. Thanks for sharing your night!!
That place sounds dreamy and delicious! Thanks for sharing your experience. Booyah!
You have officially become my favorite blogger with this post. Thank you for your gorgeously descriptive letter to French Laundry. I’ve always wanted to go there but think I probably either need a bigger paycheck or a richer friend. :) It’s nice to be able to see what it’s like with your photos!
And your meringues look lovely.
Thanks!
I’ve never heard of the French Laudry but I kinda want to go now. Their menu looks intriguing. These meringues sound so good. Love the flavors
Wow! Now that is a good friend :) The French Laundry is on my list of places to go one day. And you made a lovely thank you gift too. Keep up the good work Joy & Tracy.
Looks so dreamy and happy, especially with that cool filter on the photos. I’d love to try the French Laundry some day. Also, in related fabulous-restaurant-news, I have a need to eat at Chez Panisse in early spring, I don’t care what anyone says.
I can’t believe you made it all the way from LA to Yountville in 7 hours………7 hours!!!! You must have been flying!!! It sounds like it was time well spent. Must make the cookies, they look scrumptious.
Best. Notepaper. Ever.
PS. Almond meringues taste like my Baba’s house.
YUM! I love how you packaged them up with that stationary. very pretty.
Salted. Popcorn. Ice Cream.
Is this even reality?
Don’t answer that..
What a creative recipe! I am yet to try a meringue but if I were to bake it, that would definitely have almonds and coconut. I’m a sucker for anything, coconutty :D
You will forever and always be my hero for writing Booyakah in the guestbook.
So glad you wrote “booyakah” in the guest book! French Laundry, can I get a what what? :D
Also, love the notepaper from Anthro.
Haha! Can I just say, I love the way you write. Im sitting here im my living room laughing all by myself. My dog i looking a me, like, what the hell!?…
I wanna go to the french laundry too….
And now I want macaroons too….
You give seriously awesome gifts (oh, the powdered sugar!) with seriously awesome packaging! Booyakah to you!
Joy, you are too cute for words! I wish I could be brave enough to take photos in such a fine restaurant. Love the looks of these cookies, too!
Yes, the French Laundry. It is a special combination of eating out at a treat-yourself-once-in-a-lifetime place, and food made from homemade love. I will never have or be able to recreate the asparagus. Lavender mousse with earl grey tea? Be still my heart. And my tastebuds. Thank you for sharing your experience, and your cookies!
Oh yeah, and I’d totally believe them if they serve their salt in a swan. I’m mean- come on! ;-)
Um lobster mitts? YEAH! Lamb with pinenut vinaigrette? Uh, sign me up NOW! Add a crazy over the top chocolate dessert and I just may pass out. Seriously envious of your trip up to The French Laundry…I’m going to go put it on my “places to eat” list right now!!!
OMG about stealing the spoon. Totally made me laugh out loud at work.
Oh, I love those French places that just blow you away! I’ve had a few Michelin dinners, and I’m always happy for days afterwards. Cute and tempting meringues!
I love the biscuits. I love the awkward note. I love that you took photos in a restaurant. I do not love that I have zero chance of ever eating there. At least not in the next twenty years. That’s kids for you. xx
these look sooooo good, now i’m hungry.
how do I make Tracy my best friend?!
you’re totally right – a FL invite is worth a 7 hour drive – that place is amazing!
I don’t think your cookies are boring. They look amazing :D And that’s definitely not because I’ve never even heard of French Laundry until coming here.
The French Laundry looks amazing. Living in France, it is so hard to find GOOD vegetarian cuisine which is so sad given that there are so many amazing places to eat, but I can never get away from the meat. This restaurant looks like a perfect blend of classic French without the fear of “stepping outside the box”.
And their wine list is almost untouchable. A little oddly priced but what I wouldn’t give for a taste of that 1947 Petrus or even the 2003 Chateau de Beaucastel.
Wow the place looks really great! And I love your meringues, so lovely!
I now have a new dream – visit The French Laundry. Seriously, it sounds amazing. Our friend, Jill Prescott, recommended The French Laundry to us when we were in Napa. At the time, we had a 5 month old baby traveling with us. We didn’t think it was the type of place to take a baby to. Next time. Can’t wait! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Is it normal for me to be insanely jealous of your visit to TFL? Judging from the other commenters, sounds like I’m in good company ;) Sounds absolutely wonderful!
Why you are so awesome!!?? :) I’m trying those pretty cookies soon!
Joy, this so totes (writing totes looks weird. should it have an e? hmmm….) the best post ever! Especially after listening to your podcast, I loved hearing about your food adventure with Tracey. Your writing sounds like you talk. And I love that! :)
So totally jealous! I need a Tracy in my life :)
This is me, being jealous.
Those cookies look so good too.
So glad you got to experience the amazingness of the French Laundry! If you are ever up in my neck of the woods again (Napa) you must go to La Toque. Also amazing and worth every penny. Ummm, and I’m super impressed that you got here in 7 hours. Rad.
I was thinking about photo shopping my head into that picture of you and your friend. But then I thought, “bev, you could get arrested. these people don’t know you. like, at all.”
You’re welcome.
Hahaha, “that was supposed to be a compliment”
I think you were successful on the pretty packaging front!
Oh my goodness….these look amazing!! Meringues are near and dear to my heart and you just made them spectacular!! Must try today!
So jealous!!! so jealous!! Nice thank you present, very cute
You and Tracy are so darn cute! Thank you for sharing your dinner experience and those meringues are SO adorable. Very lady-like cookies :)
These look soooooo good! I love meringues…and lemon…and almond! So jealous that you got to dine at The French Laundry. Le sigh. One day (fingers crossed).
I was just in wine country last week and when we drove passed French Laundry, it was as if there was a glowing protective bubble surrounding it to keep foodie riffraff like me out. One day, French Laundry…one day….
I was in Napa Valley last week and when choosing a restaurant for dinner someone (jokingly, of course) suggested French Laundry. Something like a months-long wait list to get in? I am amazingly jealous in a good way.
They look so cute–definitely a perfect little gift.
Thanks for this recipe Joy! I’ll deifinitely try this.
And one more thing, you and Tracy looks beautiful in that picture :)
oh french laundry, one day you will be mine…oh yes, you will be mine…
One likes to think that it’s no biggie that one has not been to the French Laundry…until one reads this post. Sigh! It all looks so wonderful. Maybe I will put French Laundry on my 30 things before 30 list? Yes. By the way, your cookies are lovely.
The evening sounds amazing! How fun but these cookies look pretty spectacular too! Thanks for sharing!
What an amazing looking meal. Love your meringues. How many times did you have to bubble wrap those? A lot, I should think…
Seriously! What a great time! Nicely played chica!
These are so cute! I have never made meringues, or even wanted to, but these make me wanna whip up some whites (egg whites, that is). I hope it’s okay if I dip them in chocolate.
Also, wow. That French Laundry meal looks and sounds amazing! I must go!
The meringues are perfectly perfect for this time of the year! Delicious.
I can’t wait to go to The French Laundry one day but reservations have to be made so far in advance and so does the plane ticket. Sometimes that just doesn’t work out. Sad. Love the pictures and the peek inside.
You’re so glam. I’m making these cookies for Christmas presents. It has to be done.
Thomas Keller is amazing. I ate a Bouchon recently and was blown away. The roasted chicken is as mind-blowing as everyone says, and the chocolate mousse was the best that I’ve ever had. The servers went above and beyond all of my expectations. We went for brunch and dinner. You should totally go for brunch and get a cheese danish and a mimosa.
You must tell us where you got your stationary!
Man, I just swooned and sighed … I’m so so so jealous! I’m waiting for my magical journey to French Laundry sometime in the near future (cross your fingers!). :)
Those notecards – I must have them! And, of course, the cookies, too.
Oh wow! I was in town on Friday! I had such amazing food, probably not THAT good but still amazing…. The cookies will def thank her appropriately! :)
HOW LUCKY ARE YOU!!!!!!!!!! my hubby is a chef and SOOO envious of you right now!
sounds like an amazing dinner!! You and Tracy are so fun! Oh and cute stationery – I have the same one. But with a P not J. J would be awkward as there’s no J in any of the four names I call my own.
LOVE that note card. Too cute!
ohhh, sooo jealous! French Laundry. Sigh. Salted popcorn ice cream? Gotta tell us more about that. Was there actual popcorn in it? Hmmm. . .
Very excited about the meringue recipe. I love to make lemon bars and that always leaves me with a ton of leftover egg whites that I never quite know what to do with. I can make a pavlova, but that’s about it. Trying this the next time I make lemon bars.
french laundry. ok, I am officially jealous. and was it worth every inch of hype and wallet rape??
oh and nice touch with the Alexa Pulitzer stationery. love her stuff.
worth every single dollar… and there were a lot dropped.
worth every single dollar… for sure. and this place exceeds the hype. yea. it’s possible.
So far everyone I know that has gone would agree with you. lucky you for sho!
Those cookies look fantastic. Bookmarked :)
as dreamy as this post about french laundry/friends/cookies is, i think the REAL question is – where did that fabulous note-card come from? i think a lot more of my friends would get awkward random notes of thanks if i had little cards like THAT to deliver them on.
the note paper is from anthropologie.
I’m putting aside my jealousy over your dinner at Tommy K-dawg’s place and need to say 2 things: 1. even your simple stuff is done with LOVE…that makes you as good as the foofy pastry peeps over at TFL 2. I need those note cards. Help me find them?
1. i love that you said k-dawg. 2. you are too kind. 3. the note cards are from anthropologie.
That restaurant looks fanccccy! Where did you get that not paper? I’m pretty much in love with it. Also, yummy looking cookies!
Dear Joy,
First I’d like to say that your website is very inspiring, thank you for that! I love your writing, humor and recipes.
I’m from The Netherlands and I was in Yountville a week a go, just to take a look at The French Laundry. Yes. From the outside… That was the first time my boyfriend told me that my passion for food is outrageous. I was happy that he still let me buy a cookie from Bouchon Bakery.
Keep up your great work!
Femke
lucky, lucky girl. I would be flying out the door as well! Some day I hope to get a chance to eat there. I have read and heard so many good things about eating at the French Laundry – inspiring food experience. Maybe I’ll start be getting a cookbook! A girl can dream and take baby steps to get there.
Jealously yours…pam
Look delicious! And I’m jealous of the French Laundry experience.
Question – when I print, I like all the photos and stuff even if it doesn’t look really pretty on the page. But when I tried to print this today it only lets me have the text, how do I solve this?! It usually lets me print everything! I know it isn’t a major thing but your photos are so lovely (and I love your notepaper too – where did you get it?).
Thanks!
yes.. most people only want to print the recipe, and don’t want to waste ink on printing out the pictures. don’t use the ‘print this’ link, and just print from the browser…. does that make sense?
Ohhh I’m so jealous of you French Laundry dining experience. One of those places I’m dying to go. Those meringues look fabulous. Fabulously simple and delicious!
These meringues look so pretty and elegant. Impressed that Tracey carries around a lightsaber!
Beautiful cookies – I think any right-minded pastry chef would be proud to serve them. But that’s just me. :-)
Such a lovely post leading to some very elegant cookies!
Since for me it takes an expencive and loooooong plane ride to dine there would be nice if I could see the photos of the experience. I can only see half of them. Is it because I’m in Europe?
ok they’re visible now. Probably my conection…
i don’t know! let me try to fix that for you!
What a lovelylovely post and such a gorgeous little recipe! I love the simplicity of meringues :) yours are far prettier than any i turn out though!
Your meringues look beautiful!
“You somehow make ultra fine dining feel like an intimate home dining experience.”–
I have heard this from others who have been to the French Laundry.
It has been on my life’s bucket list of things to do..and I know I will get there one day. I mean, Napa, wine, THE french laundry, a one hour Southwest flight..twist my arm I HAVE to go! But first i need reservations :)
What an amazing meal – it looks and sounds awesome and these cookies are totally the perfect thank you present. Love how simple they are (and that they are glutenfree!) Looks like you guys had such a blast!
I live about an hour from the French Laundry and would LOOOOOOVE to visit someday when the budget allows for it :) It sounds super fun and super fancy. I hear Ad Hoc is a similar yet less-pricey restaurant in the area. May have to settle for that one for now. :)
Super duper jealous! I can’t wait to have the mind blowing experience of eating at THE French Laundry. Looks like you guys had fun…..and those cookies look simply scrumptious!