Almond and Meyer Lemon Macaroons

This weekend was one of closures and possibilities. Sweet tinged with a hint of tart sadness, not unlike these very simple gluten-free Almond and Meyer Lemon Macaroons. Benji, our beloved cat is gone. There was however, an element of peace in his closure. Benji, loved spring and the outdoors. Saturday was a spectacularly beautiful day. He waited wistfully at the door, too weak to ask for more. He was not able to groom himself anymore.  We cleaned him and he expressed his thanks by purring. We let him out.

He sat on the steps for a long time, at some point he went under his favorite rohododendron tree. It is still without flowers this year, but the leaves are back. Under that tree, he went to sleep and did not wake up. It was a peaceful transition and without fuss, drama and fanfare. We are sad but certainly happy that he is freed from his pain.

So, Bengali New Year was yesterday and I did not want it to go without a touch of sweetness. These delicate macaroons inspired by this recipe for Almedrados, hit the spot this time. Delicate and gluten-free, the are moist and lemony. I have simplified them further by using Trader Joe’s almond meal. We also love lemons and do not like things overly sweet. So, to that end I reduced the sugar in the recipe and added the juice of the lemon along with the zest. The result was a very delicate and comforting cookie.

This is a very springtime kind of cookie, soft, delicate and fuss free. Just as a note, the cookies are moist and soft and will remind you of Italian Pine nut cookies.  In fact, the crazy husband was actually about to bake them further. Do not do that, your cookies will dry out and burn. On that note, Happy Tax Day to everyone.