For Valentines day, stark white rose meringues. They sound hollow, crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, toothsome. And a passage from my favorite romance, Histoire d’O. It was published in 1954, and this Fifty Shades of Grey nonsense has nothing on it. Here is the novel’s articulation of one of the many faces of that signifier, that word “love”: the face of happy torture. Happy Valentine’s Day.
“She was no longer free? Ah! thank God no, she wasn’t any longer free. But she was buoyant, a cloud-dwelling goddess, a swift-swimming fish of the deeps, but deep-dwelling, forever doomed to happiness. Doomed because those powerful ligatures, those hairthin cables whose ends René held in his hand were the only lines by which life-giving energy could reach her. And that was so true that when René slackened his grip upon her—or when she fancied he had—when he seemed faraway, or when he absented himself in what O took for indifference, or when he remained some time without seeing her or answering her letters and when she thought he didn’t want to see anymore of her or was about to cease loving her, everything came to a halt in her, she languished, she asphyxiated.
Green grass turned black, day ceased to be day, the night to be night, turning instead into infernal machines which made light alternate with darkness in order to torture her. Cool water made her nauseous. She felt like a pillar of salt, a statue of ash, bitter, useless and damned, like the salt statues of Gomorrah. For she was guilt-ridden, a sinner. Those who love God and whom God abandons in the darkness of the night, are guilty, they are sinners because they are abandoned. What sins have they committed? They search for them in their memory of the past. She would seek for them in hers. She would find nothing beyond silly little self-indulgences which derived more from her disposition than from anything she had done…
Every time René postponed the moment when they’d see one another, as he’d done that day—for it was after six, it was after six-thirty—O was brought thus to bay by the wolves of madness and despair; in vain. Madness all for nought, vain despair, there wasn’t any truth anymore anywhere. René arrived, he was there, he hadn’t changed, he loved her, still loved her, but he’d been kept overtime by a meeting or had some additional work to attend to, he hadn’t had a moment to call her up to say he’d be late, O, in a flash, emerged from her veritable gas-chamber, and nevertheless each of these accesses of terror would leave a mute premonition behind, something that would stick in her depths, a warning of impending woe: for René’d neglected, or forgotten, to call her up, a round of golf or a bridge game had kept him overtime, perhaps some other face had held him up, for he loved O, but he was free, how free he was, and how sure of her, and casual, casual. A day of death and ashes, a day sandwiched between other days, but might not the day come that would justify the madness, a day when the gas-chamber’s door wouldn’t open in time? Ah! may the miracle last, may grace be not wanting unto me, oh René, don’t leave me! O didn’t see further, and refused to see further, than every day’s tomorrow and every tomorrow’s tomorrow, she refused to see beyond this week into next, and beyond next week into the one after that. And, for her, every night with René was a night forever.”
This is a simple recipe. As simple as it gets. And it produces these perfect clouds that crunch, chew, dissolve. I'm addicted to them, and the flavor possibilities are endless. You can make as many or few as you like, the ratio is just twice as much sugar as egg whites by weight. Ingredients Instructions
https://localmilkblog.com/2015/02/rose-meringues.html
These have to be the sweetest, most elegant desserts I’ve ever seen. Rose Meringues. Had no idea there was such a thing! Such stunning visual appeal. Just saw rose water used for the first time watching The British Baking Experiment show. Pretty cool.
The photos in this post remind me of all that gorgeous, moody wallpaper you see these days, with roses and dramatic pops of white on a dark background. Beautiful!
http://www.domesticdeborah.com
Looking forward to making these over the weekend! Thank you 🙂
Lovely photography, Beth. I’ve never seen rose meringues before, they sound delicious. But I have a question. Where can rose water be found? I’ve only been able to find unedible rose water.
Places like Fresh Market and Whole Foods should have it. That’s where I got mine!
This is so beautifully shot Beth – I love how gorgeous these sound!
Oh goodness, these photographs, Beth. I’m in awe… how do you do this? (rhetorical question). A beautiful passage, a beautiful dessert, a beautiful post. I love it so much. <3
These look divine and the photos are gorgeous!
http://www.shopsaul.blogspot.com
Just beautiful. Love the pure simplistic beauty of these divine rose meringues.
I just made my first batch of meringue… coffee flavored. twas great!!
these look great too. Can’t wait to make them. x
Valentina
http://www.valentinaduracinsky.com/
They look dreamy, Beth. I may have missed it but when do you add the rose water?
beatiful!
Beautiful even!
This passage, these photos; I’m literally shaking. Heavens knows why, but I am. There something so unwaveringly powerful & pure about this posts’ ascetic.
I’m definitely going to have to read Histoire d’O. Thank you for the words and the recipe and all. Happy Valentine’s Day, Beth.
This is such a lovely post! I would love to try this sometime, and the passages of your book are so fresh and light!
xo Erin
each photo steals the moment between every single breath. that moment lingers longer in utter astonishment! beautiful beautiful post x
I just love that everything is so wholesome – no bright pink or traffic light red to be found.
I recently made an ice cream of rose jelly and was astonished by the intense flavour. I will definitely work with a rose flavour again.
I have been wanting to make meringues for so long and I think I need to try this recipe! Your pictures are stunning, Beth!
I’ve never been a great fan of Histoire d’O, but there was a time in my life, in my early twenties, when I felt like O, and read the book many times in that particular year. Everytime I came to this passage, it gnawed at me, it spoke silently at my ear, into the deep pf me, where I buried it. I was living my first love, the one that had eclipsed every other passion I had ever felt, every other “love”, and it was a feeling so strong the one I had for that boy – he was younger than me, too – it was a passion so violent within me it was akin to an obsession, and I felt very much like O ‘Oh please René don’t leave me’ as I knew at my deepest core, one day he would leave mE. In the end, and with the knowledge of years gone by and maturity, and self knowledge and a clear analisis of that relationship I can say it was not love, per se, but being in love with the idea of loving someone so deeply I would lose my life without him – not in the sense I would die or kill myself, but in the sense I would lose the meaning of my own life, which was him. And so it did come to an end and so I did lose sight of what was love and what was life, and I did start “killing” myself, the person I had been and who had allowed herself to be thus dependent of someone else’s love and presence in her life. It was probably the best experience I ever had, as it allowed me to reach a point of such clarity over the years, now nearly twenty ears down the line; even though I did not see it quite like that back then, and was devastated and heartbrken for many, many years. Thank you for sharing this passage, that took me back in time. And I do not consider 50 Shades of Grey to be erotic literature, I see it as the romanticizing of an abusive relationship like so many that lead to the killing of women by their partners. And I only just browsed thrugh the book, but came across passages that really made me sick.
http://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
Clean. Simple. Perfect.
Thank you so much.
D
A beautiful post both to read and to look at! Love your blog, photos and recipes. Thank you!
I wasn’t familiar with the book, but the extent to which O suffers, that O feels passion and desire, in all its drama, is, for me, the essence of romantic love. Does anyone every feel anything more intensely? In this life, I say it’s not to be missed. I love that you shared this passage with the recipe for the pure white meringues. I’ve found rose water at a Mediterranean market here in Austin. It’s fun to experiment with it as it adds a subtle floral and palatable loveliness. And, no, it doesn’t taste like you’re eating perfume.
so lovely!
Inspired composition, my dear. The pairing and play of it all. One I enjoyed as sensually and surprisingly as one sheepishly continues to thrill on crystallized anything. All this, from grey tones, meringue, and erotic novels. A good day I’d say.
. . . i must have sighed after each image, and every cry for René.
Beth, this is such a lovely ode to love in its purest form, untainted by Hallmark 😉
Hi. I enjoyed this post, and made the meringues right away ( my first time making meringues). Is it normal for the meringues to still be quite damp on the interior? Thank you.
Wonderful photos!! Quick question from an amateur baker: can one make rosewater oneself?!
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY BETH!
Just to let you know I’ve linked this recipe into my latest post of my 13 favourite Valentines recipes and bloggers 🙂 because they look SCRUMPTIOUS and your recipes are just perfect!
Betty x
The Betty Stamp
Gorgeous photography!
Rxx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
All too good, as per usual. These meringues beckon oh-so-seductively, and when placed beside hallmark gift cards, they (the cards) pale in comparison. That’s saying something, considering the shade of these heavenly clouds. Happy Valentine’s, Beth.
These are just lovely. Gorgeous photos and what a beautiful passage.
I’ll try this recipe – it looks so romantic and yummy!
xx
https://canyoupaintmeyellow.wordpress.com/
These look so unbelievably delicious! There’s something so appealing about their simplicity and “plain-ness”, for lack of better term.
Stunning photos, Beth. Thanks for sharing this passage. I had no idea meringues were so simple to make. I’ll have to try these! Hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day!
xxChristie
http://www.KiKiMac.me
I’m AMAZED by your beautiful photography it’s just incredible <3
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
This is the most beautiful and sensual cooking, writings, and lovings. Bravo.
well, you’ve done it again.
i always think of meringues as cloying sweet and generally unappealing.
and here i am off to the kitchen to whip up a batch,
no rose in the house so orange and vanilla will be my flavors for today.
thank you once again for inspiration
A beautiful and elegant sweet treat.
These look so elegant! I’ll definitely have to try this one some day!
http://www.theavantguardian.com
You are right, fifty shades of grey has nothing on those beautiful words. Love these meringues, too.
Beautiful. Absolutely stunning photography, Beth, and a delicious recipe to go along! Thank you for sharing.
http://eveofnight.blogspot.com/
Little, cloud-like puffs. Just gorgeous, Beth!
Your writing gets me every time…. you sure have a way with words. These looks delicious and dreamy!
These look so lovely, thank you for sharing. I recently made Mini-Pavlova with fresh orange zest in the meringue and surprised myself with how much I loved them! haha. From what I can tell, your rose meringues may in fact be more like pavlova. Do they have soft centers? Or are they dry and crunchy all the way through?
Ps. SAVUER awards are taking nominations, you’ve got mine. 🙂
Mmm, looks killing delicious. Stunning photos.
Love the photos…yummy, minimalistic & sophisticated!
http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr
Do you have to use a stand mixer or a certain whisk attachment? My mixer is from the 80’s and not at all attached to anything but a cord,
you make lovely things.
we used this base, but made lavender sugar (1 cup sugar to 1/4 cup dried lavender; let sit for two weeks) that we processed into granulated sugar (2 1/4 cups sifted lavender sugar, about 1/4 cup lavender). it was the nicest thing i’ve made in awhile. when we have a home i am getting a jar just to have lavender meringues in the house regularly.
thanks for the recipe; it is as simple as you mentioned.
Superb recipe, much wanted to try something unique stuff and more than that photo are so mesmerizing, as if time has stopped. Great post and Awful clicks.