I'm planning on putting this as my essay for the Common Application, so it's very important to me that it is good. I really appreciate any feedback that you have, big or small!
The most unique scent combination I had ever experienced filled the air that day. The strongest aroma of pure salt danced with the fragrance of freshly baked pastries amid the midafternoon heat. It was one of our exploration days during our summer study program and we had only a few hours to roam the city of GuĂŠrande, France. I soon discovered the source of the strong salt scent to be the nearby salt marshes. Next I had to locate the source of the wafting pastry scent. Naturally, I began a search for the nearest bakery. As we scanned the passing windows in the hopes of finding a bakery, my friends suggested a French pastry that I was surprised to find I had never made or tried: a macaron. Being an avid baker and having never had a macaron before, I was determined to try one while we were in the birthplace of the macaron. Upon discovering a small store that made these colorful confections, I was quick to sample multiple flavors. I soon found that these were well worth the hunt, as I fell in love at first bite of the two light meringue cookies filled with buttercream. When our program ended and we returned back to Memphis, I knew that I would have to whip up a batch myself. However, my peers warned me to not bother with macarons, as these were one of the most difficult desserts to create. Being a naturally ambitious person and a confident baker, however, I decided to bake them anyway. Upon searching for a recipe, my peers' warnings were confirmed. Every article I read told me of the disastrous and impossible tendencies of the macaron. I was told that I would need to take a course and read countless books in order to perfect this tiny, harmless cookie. Although I am sure that these courses and books would have made my venture much shorter, my craving for these dainty delights led my to follow through with my plan. After grinding my own almond flour and cracking dozens of eggs, I was left with fifty macarons roughly five hours later. The process was grueling, but I had defeated the infamous macaron. Some might wonder, what is so special about this dessert? If one can easily make chocolate chip cookies that can also satisfy a sweet tooth, why spend so much time and put in so much work to create this one kind of pastry? As someone who has been baking since the age of four, I am always looking for new recipes to try or a way to improve my baking skills. This challenging dessert takes a certain level of dedication that I put into everything I do. While a chocolate chip cookie is just as sweet, the taste of dedication and hard work that accompanies a homemade macaron is much more satisfying.
The part about smelling salt in the marshes is a bit random; I'd take it out.
Overall, you have a very eloquent style of writing, and I like the story. If you included more about your background with baking and why it's so important to you, and what unique things baking teaches you besides hard work and dedication, this will make a very solid essay!
