The Madeleine excercise

My class of food writing consisted of one lesson per week for a total of six lessons. From the very first day it was clear we had to put our writing skill into practice. So said, after being introduced to our Instructor and Dean of food journalism, Alan Richman (14 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards for food writing winner- WOW!) and to the program of the course, we had to face our first writing exercise: describe the traditional French cake Madeleine. We were given a pencil and a little notebook and surprise! Waiters came in our room with baskets full of little Madeleines, just come out of the oven. What a scent, what a sight! With a handful of “mini” Madeleines in my greasy fingers and the pencil in the other hand, here is what I had written…which to tell the truth sounds more like a poem, than press stuff, but what can I say? It was one of my “moments”…when some “good little things” open my senses and my heart and give way to creation…

MADELEINE, OH MADELEINE!

First the name. Madeleine. I’ve always been fascinated by food recipes with womens’ name. There must be a story behind that name, I guess. This lady, Madleine, I wonder, must have had a secret to tell….Second, the scent. Before I can see the shell shape sponge cakes , I can smell the deep buttery heart is beating inside of them. Delicious, sponginess and softness is what I can imagine, but is there also a touch of lemon and vanilla? Yes, my nose feels it. Third, the shape. The Madleines appear as tiny shells, that make me wonder of a peaceful walk along the shore at sunset- very romantic indeed. Forth, the taste. Oh, what a soft melting bite! Yes, butter again is introducing itself to my taste buds, and I say “Hi, nice to meet you!”. Last, the dream. Sweet little Madleines, you make me dream of my longed tea moment after a hard cold day, and I wish I could soak you in and meditate… Oh Madleines you open my heart and my mind!

If you think this is too much for just a Madleine, well you should read what Marcel Proust has written about it in The search of Lost Time? “No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place…at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory”…

Marcel you and me must have something in common, or is this the Madleine secret?… who knows…