Where did macaroon cookies originate?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroon According to legend, the macaroon was invented in an Italian monastery in 1792. Later, two Carmelite nuns, hiding in the town of Nancy during the French Revolution, baked and sold macaroons to cover their expenses. They became known as the “Macaroon Sisters.” The cookie recipe was supposedly passed on to the Jewish community in France, who subsequently made it a staple of Passover baking. Macaroons remain a common treat during Passover, because they are unleavened and can be made freshly without Chametz (leavened flour). Potato starch is sometimes included in the recipe, to give the macaroons more body. Frangipane is a custard flavored with almonds and/or crushed macaroons.
