Macarons by Jane: Interview & Giveaway!
I first met Jane when she set up shop at a SXSW event with a table of cute and delicious macarons. Not only is she an avid food blogger and photographer at A Taste of Koko, but she’s been able to turn her hobby of making macarons into a full-fledged business, Macarons by Jane.
Not only does she feature creative flavors like The Girlfriend (a chocolate macaron with a strawberry ganache), A Formal Affair, or her famous nutella macarons, but they come individually wrapped in a pink-ribboned box, and she’s totally humble and generous as well.
Maps and Raps wanted to get to know this cool sweetsmaker, so we asked her to answer a few questions:
1. How has Macarons by Jane grown in the past year?
Macarons By Jane started as a side project from my food blog, A Taste of Koko. I work with local restaurants and food trucks and they have inspired me to set my own culinary footstep. From there, Macarons By Jane has grown from an online store to making a debut in restaurants and food trucks.
2. Were you a natural at making macarons the first time you tried? What else do you enjoy baking?
When I first started my food blog, I wanted to tackle something that I never made before. I stumbled upon this popular pastry on the internet, the macaron. I’ve been very lucky to have beginners luck with baking. The first batch was successful, the second one, not so much. I enjoy baking and decorating cakes.
3. What has turning a hobby into a business taught you as a young entrepreneur?
As long as you have passion, anything is possible.
4. How does being a nutrition major and lover of food influence the quality and thought you put into making macarons?
My love for food sparks inspiration in making creative and fun flavors. The nutrition part, not so much. Haha. All I can say is that they are naturally gluten-free and probably not the best thing for your diet.
5. What’s your most popular macaron, and are you anticipating adding more flavors?
Definitely been nutella. We plan on having new flavors for each season.
6. You’re also a foodie, nutrition major, food photographer and keep a successful food blog at A Taste of Koko! What are some goals you have for the future?
I plan on working more on Jane Ko Photography that specializes in food photography.
We’re also having a giveaway today courtesy of Macarons by Jane—she’s offering a free box of homemade macarons for one lucky winner!
For a chance to win, check out her menu at Macarons by Jane and leave a comment below with the flavor you’d like the best (or tweet this post with #mapsandraps #macaronsbyjane).
A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Note: the winner (or winner’s recipient) must be from Austin because she locally delivers. Good luck!
A Word about Your Future
(Source: moreintelligentlife.com)
“Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed.”
While attending my own graduations this past weekend, I came to the realization that a good commencement speech is supremely difficult to write. In my opinion, a good one is harder to produce than other works of its (relative un)seriousness and stature: a profile in the New Yorker, an essay in the Atlantic, that Pitchfork music review I have bookmarked not because I actually liked or listened to the album at hand but because, damn, it just read so right.
But why? Given that in the U.S. there are around 4,500 degree-granting institutions of higher education and about 37,000 public and private high schools, we can assume that at least 41,500 commencement speeches are given each spring (and we’re not even considering universities with multiple ceremonies or fall graduations).
Yikes. What’s out there that hasn’t already been said?
Not much, apparently. Considering the varied experiences and successes of the vast pool of individuals summoned to deliver these commencements annually, eager (or hungover) graduates might hope to receive words other than those in the vein of: find what you love and go after it, don’t try to be someone you’re not, embrace failure as a growing experience, use your talents and knowledge to better the world – platitudes that seem to inspire more sighs than lives. Students and society are changing rapidly, and yet most commencement speeches seem to follow the same old cliché-ridden recipe.
But every once in a while, someone comes along and delivers a game-changer, one that cuts through all the three-point talks you’ve heard, the fortune cookie advice, and the stories that, inspiring as they are, all start sounding the same. The moment the speech concludes you can do nothing but sit, and sit some more, because you are experiencing one of those rare moments when your concept of what it means to be alive has shifted, widened, or come into focus.
David Foster Wallace’s 2005 address to Kenyon College was my game-changer.
I remember my sister showing this speech to me three years ago, to which I scratched my head and blankly stared. But upon revisiting it as a fresh college graduate this past weekend, I was floored. In this raw and rather dark speech, Wallace preaches about the power we have over our own thoughts. On the monotonous treadmill of work, eat, sleep, repeat, it is all too easy to submit to our basal reactions to life, to believe that we are the center of every story and anything otherwise is an injustice – but Wallace contends we can and must fight. It is a piece that made me reevaluate my fundamental ways of approaching the world around me, and I invite you to read or listen to it for yourself.
—Samuel Lee
This is a guest post from our friend Samuel. Please contact us at mapsandraps@gmail.com if you’d like to contribute.
City Guides: Pearland, TX (by April Tieu)
April at Tom Bass Regional Park (Dyan Belle Photography)
Name: April Tieu
City & Neighborhood: Pearland, TX
Occupation: Online Marketing Assistant for Bubbleup
How did you end up in Pearland?
My parents were living here when I was born, so I basically spent my whole life in Pearland.
What are some of your favorite things to do in your city?
My favorite things to do in this city is hang out with friends. Being in a small town, there was nothing really to do. We had one movie theatre with only 6 theaters inside so that was the only thing to do for fun. Otherwise, it was mainly walking around my neighborhood and hanging out with all my friends who went to the same school or grade as me.
Where do you go when you need to unwind?
Back in high school, my friends and I would go to Starbucks to just unwind, play games, and talk.
What tips/advice do you have for visitors?
After being away for college for four and half years, A LOT of things have grown in Pearland. We got a new Cinemark, a mall, and a LOT of new houses and restaurants got built. We even got our own 24 hour fitness. My advice to visitors is to go to our mall: it’s outdoors and it’s really cool! We also have a HUGE park called Tom Bass Regional Park. It has a golf course, dog park, auditorium, running trail, and duck feeding. Definitely worth looking at!
Favorite place to grab a bite?
I don’t have a particular favorite place because new things keep coming! But as a child, my favorite place to go to was Panera!
What is your favorite place to shop?
We only have ONE mall and so therefore, the Pearland Town Center!
What has been your best discovery?
The best discovery I found out was that Pearland doesn’t even have pear trees… so I still don’t know why we were called Pearland. It’s also referred as Pear-land, not Pearl-and!
Jungle: An Oasis in Williamsburg
On a blazing hot Saturday in Williamsburg, a friend and I stumbled upon one of the most picturesque backyards replete with dahlias, cacti and a gargantuan bird mural:
It turned out to be the retail garden center owned by Jungle Design, a commercial and residential garden design company launched by Amanda Mitchell. It’s an incredible space furnished with bright blue furniture, vintage/acclaimed furniture and plenty of plants, of course. They also organize events at their 5,000 square-foot lot throughout the year.
(Source: Jungle Design NYC Facebook)
Jungle Garden is located at 61 Kent Avenue, between N. 10th and 11th street.
—Valerie
How To: Legendary Fruity Guacamole
(Image via MarthaStewart.com)
‘Sup creative folk,
This social semester my friend Melissa has been sharing her elite food tastes with me, allowing us to embrace such creations like the creamy freshness of her legendary Fruity Guac. We love it so much it disappears almost overnight, and sometimes we go through periods of time when we exclaim repeatedly like cavewomen, “Fruity guaaac!”
This is really a perfect summertime snack: surprisingly easy and highly customizable—great for parties, potlucks, and outdoor gatherings. We’ve been adding in mangoes, watermelon, apples, and whatever else we can find in our fridge for a fresh twist on this old classic. For those of you who absolutely adore guacamole: get excited!
Melissa’s Ingredients:
3 large hass avocados, ripe
1 onion
1 large tomato
1/2 cup of corn
1 apple
1/2 of a small watermelon
2 mangoes
2 limes
a couple leaves of fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit carefully (warning: be careful!), cut into grid squares, and spoon into a large bowl. Dice the onion, tomato, and apple (in fairly small pieces for better scooping) and add to bowl. Cut mangos in grid slices, cut the basil, add both with the lime. Toss and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips (We like the thin El Milagro or the thick HEB-baked and salted tortilla chips).
Depending on what you like, you can also add in oranges, grapefruit, peaches, pomegranate, pineapple, and habanero peppers for a kick. What would you add?
Want some more guac action? Check out this recipe for guacamole bruschetta. 
—Sharon
City Guide: Colorado Springs, CO (by Kathleen Chu)
(Pike Peak; Source: Kathleen Chu)
Kathleen (right) and her friend Brittany after hiking up to the historic dam in Colorado Spring
Name: Kathleen Chu
City & Neighborhood: Colorado Springs
Occupation: Architectural Intern
Blog/Site: (optional) kath-in-colorado.blogspot.com
How did you end up in Colorado Springs?
I work for a Christian Non Profit organization called Engineering Ministries International as an architectural intern. They have offices all over world, but their main headquarters is in beautiful Colorado Springs. After graduating from architecture school, EMI seemed the perfect place for me to use what I learned to do exactly what I wanted; to design for the developing world and spread the hope of the gospel using my skills as an architect!
What are some of your favorite things to do in your city?
Hiking, Photography, Run
Where do you go when you need to unwind?
Before I came to Colorado Springs, I hated running. It took a while to get used to running at such a high altitude, but running outside in Colorado Springs during the spring/summer made me actually like running! I can run next to the mountains with sunshine and the cool breeze. It’s something to look forward to after a long day inside an office building.
What tips/advice do you have for visitors?
Colorado Springs is a great place for an outdoorsy person. It is a fairly small city, but beautiful nonetheless. You can get a great view of Pike’s Peak (the highest point in Colorado Springs, almost 14,000 ft high) from almost anywhere in the Springs, and for those of you who are really granola, you can take the 6 hour hike up pike’s peak (which includes a mile long incline, basically climbing stairs for a mile).
For the normal people, you can drive up or take the cog rail up Pike’s Peak. There are tons of awesome places to hike and> mountain bike, and you can visit/rock climb at the Garden of the Gods, which is a really cool rock formation national park area. Downtown Colorado Springs is really quaint and is basically 2 streets, but you get a great view of the mountains and there are some cute boutiques to check out.
If you can’t do it in Colorado Springs, it’s not a far drive to anywhere else in Colorado. Denver is less than an hour away if you’re missing the big city and there are national parks, places to ski and white water raft within a few hours drive.
Favorite place to grab a bite?
I wouldn’t say that Colorado Springs is famous for its unique cuisine, (especially coming from Austin where there are new things to try at every street corner). There are some places that I have enjoyed however, especially in Downtown Colorado Springs. Olive Branch is a nice breakfast/brunch place, and you can get a cup of joe at Pike’s Perk, the local coffee shop. The best food I’ve had in Colorado was in Denver at the Vesta Dipping Grill. Honestly, my favorite thing is just grabbing a sandwich/burrito and finding a place to picnic (when it’s not freezing cold) and enjoying the great view and crisp air.
What is your favorite place to shop?
Manitou Springs. Manitou is weird, and they like it like that! it’s a little quaint and quirky town just outside of Colorado Springs right up against the mountains that has tons of cool vintage antique shops. They also have this penny arcade where they have antique arcade games for less than a quarter! Also, Denver has the 16th Street Mall which is a whole pedestrian strip of shops.
What has been your best discovery?
That I could snowboard! We took a day trip out to Copper Mountain one day and I snowboarded for the first time! Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is always cool to go explore. Also, we went to the Great Sand Dunes that’s 3 hours away, but totally worth it. It is a huge pile of sand surrounded by mountains. It’s a great workout and such a unique experience. It’s also fun and rewarding to run down the sand dunes after you climbed to the top.
Can you sum up your city in one word?
Granola
My Dad’s Guide to: Getting Rid of Bruises
(source: classicshowbiz.blogspot.com)
I know you guys are really adventurous—do you ever get bruises from playing rough sports, riding your bike, or even just being clumsy and running into things? I have, many a time and ever still, but my dad taught us the greatest remedy.
When my sister and I were little and got bruises, we’d sit in our dad’s lap and he would whip out this weird asian wine-alcohol mix and rub it on our fresh bruises. Other than his always commenting that my legs were heavy, he would rub them so hard that I would literally be in pain. (Don’t worry, we knew it was good for us.) It was pretty hilarious, now that I think about it!
The next day, the bruise would turn a bright brown or red, like someone had held a felt-tip marker to my leg, but the day after that, it would be almost gone!
Opposed to the time it normally takes for a bruise to naturally heal (and for the clotted blood to dissipate), this three- to four-day turnaround is pretty sweet. When I was younger I never thought about how this worked (just my aching shins), but now that I’m older and actually know about things like clotted blood, it makes total sense. The massaging brings blood to that area, and helps it move away faster.
Now when I get bruises, I can’t help but want to rub them away. The question is: are you willing to rub and massage your bruises, which might seem like self-torture? My suggestion: have a friend do it for you. :)
—Sharon
P.S. Have you checked out the Google Doodle today? Happy Birthday Bob Moog, and play him “Happy Birthday” on a synthesizer!
Beat the Heat with This Summertime Treat
(Avocado popsicles; source: yumsugar.com)
Is it getting hot where you are? Hand-burns-on-the-steering-wheel hot? Stick-your-face-in-the-freezer hot? Contemplate-visiting-nudist-beach hot? You get the picture. I love summer, mostly because it’s an excuse to eat ice cream, splash in the pool and be outside all day. But the heat can be unbearable.
Here’s an easy recipe that will keep the sweat at bay. If you like avocados as much as I do, chances are you’ll be all over these avocado popsicles. Check out this super simple recipe below:
You’ll need:
1 large avocado
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1. Blend everything into a bowl until the texture is creamy and smooth.
2. Insert into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 5 hours.
3. Bon appetit!
Here’s the original recipe.
I’m also a fan of papaya smoothies. (Hint: all you need are papayas and bananas!)
—Valerie
The ACL 2012 Lineup is Out!
(theaustonianblog.typepad.com)
Ready to set yourself up to satisfy your craving this fall for music festival action? Val recommended some worthy summer music festivals nationwide last week, but we can’t forget the legendary Austin City Limits Music Festival every Fall in our dear old Austin.
Today marks the lineup release for their 11th year and another day of fiercely fleeting pre-sale tickets, and since I’ve taken a glance at the lineup, I can’t get “Aeroplane” out of my head.
It’s a pretty rich batch of artists I can appreciate, with the ever-topping RHCP, Black Keys, Neil Young, Jack White, Florence, AVICII, and The Roots.
There’s a good mix also of classic favorites and recent breakouts like Two Door Cinema Club, The Shins, Weezer, The Civil Wars, Andrew Bird, Gotye, Metric, Delta Spirit, M. Ward, Tegan & Sara, Kimbra, and even some notable up-and-comers and oh-yeah-them’s like Ben Howard, Rufus Wainwright, Asleep at the Wheel, Freelance Whales, Bombay Bicycle Club, Punch Brothers, Esperanza Spalding, Childish Gambino (who’s a little different from Troy, btw) and even the Aaron Ivey Band.
I’ll save you guys the rest of the internet name-dropping: check out the lineup here.
Don’t want to spend the money? Apply to volunteer in July and get free admission for the day. It costs about $10 to apply, but a great deal, especially if you can snag a great early shift doing something easy like refilling water or passing out programs. Also, definitely bike there.
Austinites: Check out the 2012 Lineup Lottery, where you can win VIP passes, 3-day passes, or even just goodies from Bird’s Barbershop, Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, CoolHaus, and Galaxy Cafe!
—Sharon
Beach House - Bloom
It’s a rainy, dreary, busy day here in New York, but Beach House’s new album is helping me get through it.
Bloom, the latest debut from the Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand—the “dream pop duo”—is such a lush and atmospheric album, the kind you wrap yourself in for days. From their first track “Myth” and onwards, Beach House succeeds in transporting you to their soft world, adorned in pastel colors and cotton candy.
Listen to “Lazuli” below:
—Valerie
