
Welcome to the second fabulous Foodie Friday hosted by our gracious hostess with the mostest...Gollum at
Designs by Gollum! After yesterday's post in which I mentioned
croquembouches, I realized that many Americans are not familiar with what they are. So tonight, I want to tell you a little bit about them!

The c
roquembouche, which means "cracks in the mouth," is a
pièce montée....a pyramid of profiteroles or cream puffs. It is the traditional wedding cake in France! Notice that this one is shaped like a church!
(photo Max Dupain)

This is the more traditional style...held together with hardened caramel or spun sugar and often decorated with flowers. This outer shell is the source of the "crack"!
(photo Henriot Patisserie)

This is a much more elaborate version, decorated with chocolate and Jordan almonds or
dragées, the traditional parting gift for the guests at French weddings.
(photo Recettes Romandie)

They can be very beautiful and elegant such as this one....
(photo Martha Stewart Weddings)

...or this less traditional rendition for Valentines Day.
(photo Hotel St. Germain)

Here's one made of strawberries and chocolate...
(photo A Cake Oddessy)

...and here's one made by a Ukrainian pastry chef for his bride as her wedding dress!! Is that love or what???
Wearing it, I mean??
(AP photo)

Inspired by Gollum and her recent posts using grocery store food to produce works of art, I am going to make my own
croquembouche! Here's all I need...cream puffs, whipped cream to be the "glue" and caramel to drizzle on top!
Hmmm...I seem to have used up all my doilies. A flattened out coffee filter will do! OK...here's my first layer...add whipped cream...

Now add a few more layers...
oh oh!! Not enough cream puffs!
Think...think...
Hey!...this looks pretty good!
lol I like it!
Oh no!! Disaster! My whipped cream glue is starting to melt!! OK...so I'll add more of it...no one will notice!

That's better! Now...drizzle the caramel! No...something is still missing....

It's the
flowers!! OK...now how's that??
Taaaa daaaa!!! A
croquembouche made entirely from grocery store food!! How do you like my creation? Isn't it...er...pretty?
Oh noooooo! Houston, we have a problem...and I'm afraid this one is beyond repair!! Nothing to do but eat it!! Would you like some of my
croquembouche?

Thanks so much for coming by! Be sure to drop by
Gollum's to see the list of this week's participants and continue your gastronomical tour of blogland!! Now if you'll excurrze moif...snarf... snarf...
See you next time!
A la prochaine!