Category Archives: Cookie

Back in the days when I was hosting students, each year always brought a last minute, fall out of bed and head out the door young man. Students that had all the time on the world for the latest video game at 3:00am but never enough for breakfast before class. I get it. In my […]

I am posting this as a starting point. If you like light, airy, crisp cookies this is one to explore. Why explore? Because, like most cooking actually, it is open to adjustment. I made these as walnut and cinnamon cookies but then got to thinking about pecans with pumpkin pie spice or cashews with five […]

I was asked the other day if I ever baked “guy” cookies. I wasn’t quite sure what was meant as in my experience guys generally eat anything tasty. (At least they did in my 20 odd years with home stay students). What was meant was less “pretty” and more substance, so here is something I […]

“And don’t think the garden looses its ecstasy in winter. It’s quiet but the roots down there are riotous” is a Rumi quote I often think about this time of the year. Usually from the perspective that while one half of the planet seems to rest, the other is just beginning first harvests at the […]

Trading with other countries brings exciting new things from distant places and the spice trade is one example. Once Marco Polo and others went off traveling, the world of anise, cardamon and other delights opened up. European cities that had strong trading economies were first to see these spices and explore the possibilities. The first […]

Well lucky me! I have discovered that I didn’t take very many pictures for these but I am sure we will be able to muddle through. (Update 10/14/2018, pictures found! What’s three years in the scheme of things?) I used my Scottish grandmother’s brown sugar shortbread with some tweaks. I will give you the original […]

As equinox approaches, eggs always seem to me a good yardstick ingredient. In days past this would be the start and finish times for egg laying as most chickens need twelve hours of sunlight to produce eggs in rhythm with nature. Additionally I think, the light at this time of the year has a special feel to […]

Yesterday, I posted a picture of cookies made for a Mother’s Day get together. The plan was to collect up several of my friend’s mothers, who all knew each other, serve coffee and goodies and let them catch up on their “organ recitals”. All of them are in their mid eighties and livers, kidneys and […]

Following up on the theme of smaller portions from yesterday, Biscotti is one of those items usually served in fairly large pieces, usually with the intention of dipping it in coffee and wine. Originally a close cousin in purpose to hardtack, biscotti fueled the Roman soldiers in their quest to dominate the known world. Twice […]

There are lots of cookies out there, decorated for Christmas that we know come from older traditions. This is a cookie design suggestion just for winter solstice. In the Celtic calendar there are eight festivals that celebrate the turning of the seasons (wheel). They are the equinoxes, solstices and the days half way between, so […]