In the days leading up to Caramelpalooza 2011, we're introducing you to the local chefs who will be sharing their candy March 11 at Smeeks in central Phoenix.
Today we bring you the macaron maven, Eugenia Theodosopoulos of Essance Bakery Cafe in Tempe.
Theodosopoulos trained, lived and worked in Paris, and then brought her skills back to her Tempe restaurant, Essence Bakery Cafe, serving French macarons, croissants and pastries.
I ended up in the kitchen because I had no choice, my grandfather started our family restaurant in 1931 and if I wanted to see my family, so I went to work with my brothers and sister at 9 years old!
My favorite dish to make is croissants, croissants, croissants. Chocolate, plain, raisin, lemon - they are so sexy!!
Find out what she's afraid to make after the jump.
One dish I'm afraid to make is anything deep fat fried!!
My favorite kind of candy is really good dark chocolate covered
Caramel should be rich deep, deep caramel color pushed to the limit or else it's way too sweet (learned this from the French!!).
I always brush my teeth after eating, I am quite obsessive about clean teeth.
Find Eugenia and 11 other chefs at Caramelpalooza, Friday, March 11, from 7 til the caramel runs out, Smeeks candy store, northwest corner of Central and Camelback.
Catch up with the other candymakers we've profiled so far:
Want to be a judge at Caramelpalooza? Enter here.