The Illinois Science Council (ISC) is a nonprofit organization that promotes appreciation of science, technology, engineering and math. We salute the ISC and their pursuit of scientific curiosity through our macaron-based definition of Pi. Check it out!

The ISC is a great organization; here’s what they are all about:

The Illinois Science Council is…

…an independent nonprofit organization keeping alive the great human fascination with science. We develop casual events – for adults – that bring scientists and engineers face to face with people who want to cultivate their innate curiosity about science.

Our mission is to help the general public understand and appreciate the work of Albert Einstein and Carl Sagan, and other great (living!) scientists, some right here in our own back yard. Illinois, and particularly the Chicago region, is home to an extraordinary number of science-based institutions – universities, museums, corporations, zoos, medical centers and national laboratories – engaged in cutting-edge scientific work every day. The Illinois Science Council creates opportunities for those scientists to talk about their work and to answer many, many questions from us non-scientist “lay” people. And we make sure our topics, our presenters, and our venues are “adult friendly.”

So….

Mark Your Calendars!

As an added bonus March 14th is also Albert Einstein’s birthday so be sure to stick your tongue out at everyone you see as a sign of respect for our man, Al.

La Dolce Vita
I’ve received countless emails from readers asking about where they can buy beautiful (and tasty) macaroons in the Third Coast. Luckily, Chicago is home to one marvelous macaroon establishment – Panna Dolce. The company was founded by Katharine, Justin, and Lauren – three windy city citizens committed to bringing a taste of Paris to our town. From Caramel Fleur de Sel to Raspberry Chocolate Ganache, Panna Dolce has countless flavors and colors to choose from. Prices range from $8.00 for a 4-pack (great favors) to $62.00 for a 32 pack (macaroon tower, perhaps?).

Justin and Katharine Greis, the husband-and-wife team behind this mail order-focused online bakery headquartered in River North, fell in love with French macarons on frequent trips to Paris for business. After settling in Chicago, they longed to taste the real thing again. The surest way? Make them themselves. After five years of trial and error, the pair, along with friend Lauren Robin, opened this spot (the name is Italian for “sweet cream”) selling shippable macarons. Orders are only accepted through the Web site, with baking done at Kitchen Chicago in the evenings. Decadent flavors include caramel fleur de sel, vanilla rose and almond butter with strawberry jelly. Single flavors are sold by the four- and eight- pack, and mixed batches come in counts of 16 and 32. There are also traditional cookies packed with ingredients (think toffee-pretzel-peanut butter crunch) and brownies.

We bake all of our products to-order to ensure the highest quality, freshness and shelf-life. We do offer next-day pick-up/drop-off service to those living in Chicago. Simply let us know where and when you would like your order and we will bring it to you or meet you wherever it is convenient for you.

If you need your goodies sooner, simply call us at (530) PADOLCE (530-723-6523) and we will do our best to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Look for our products on specialty food stores, coffee shops, and your favorite neighborhood patisserie in 2010. We’ll keep everyone updated with exact locations and details as to where to find us throughout the year.

In the meantime, thank you to all of our loyal fans and customers for your holiday orders and inquiries. We have had a lot of fun shipping your goodies out the door in time for Santa’s arrival. We wish everyone a happy holiday season and a very prosperous and healthy new year.

Have a sweet 2010!

- Katharine, Justin and Lauren