May 31 — National Macaroon Day

Macaroon Day is celebrated each year on May 31. Macaroons are believed to have first appeared in Italy in the late 18th century. The recipe was carried by nuns in hiding during the French Revolution. They were picked up by the Jewish community and are now a frequent celebration food at festivals like Passover.

The word macaroon describes small cakes or meringue cookies that consisted mainly of ground almonds. Today, macaroons come in a variety of flavors.

I found a recipe that I like to use that consists of only four ingredients and is quite good:

5 1/2 C flaked coconut
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 t almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients well and drop by rounded teaspoons onto an aluminum foil-lined, greased baking sheet. Bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from baking sheets and allow to cool.

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