I'm clearly an amateur. . .

. . .in the Holiday Extreme Baking Extravaganza dept.  Bakerina, however is a pro.  I am deeply impressed.

I only bake once a year, so the "keep it simple" advice must be adhered to. 

I'm doing my "old faithfuls" this year, with the addition of Chez Panisse Gingersnaps (good story, easy recipe, good results, although next time I'll add more ginger. . . maybe more pepper, too.  Maybe some allspice in the mix, too.)  Hers are prettier than mine turned out, but they do taste great! 

The standbys are Snowballs (you know, nuts, butter, and lots of powdered sugar) which make me nostalgic because my grandmother ALWAYS made these.  So everyone will just have to choke on and powder themselves with powdered sugar on my account, alright?

And then I make this Snow Flakes recipe I found last year.  I'm all for butter cookies, but the whole rolling pin and flour all over and cookie cutters -- I'm so over that.  If you have a cookie shooter (which I do, because I'm THAT MARRIED!) you, too, can make cookies that look pretty good.  These don't look like you bought them (my only objection with cookie press cookies) because the dough is a little squidgy.  But, if you use really good butter, they are unbelievably TASTY.  Baking with love is one thing.  Baking with Plugra is wholly another.  I stick with the Plugra.

Last year I did my family biscotti recipe, which I love love love (my favorite cookies, my dad's favorite cookies).  It's a VERY traditional recipe, barely sweet, full of almonds, very crunchy (no butter. I firmly believe no butter for biscotti is the Only Way).  And I was given feedback from my neighbor (who I love despite the fact that he's always ready with that unsolicited advice thing!!) that they are perhaps not to everyone's liking.  Too crunchy.  Not sweet enough. Dare I say, a little highbrow? So this year, no biscotti <sniff>.

Instead, and because I realized that most of the recipients of my cookies (being my customers, for the most part) are not only mainly guys, but suburban guys, I'm going to make the cookie every American Man loves so much -- yes, Plain Old Chocolate Chip (from the back of the Toll House package).  With added Holiday M&M's.  For that festive flavor.   The opposite of High-Brow. . . so I feel like a bit of a baking sell-out. . . but y'know, you have to give the public what it wants. 

I tell myself that these are the same people that recently bought, and will buy again, hundreds and hundreds of cases of a Certain Spanish Garnacha from me.  Yes, that Certain Spanish Garnacha that is sweet and fruity and oh-so-crowd-pleasing. 

Okay, I'll shut up and go back to creaming butter and sugar together now.  And tell myself that maybe I'll go highbrow next year. . . .

Comments

[Bakerina]

Oh, my! Thank you for the link, and for the very kind words, but I am not a pro. I am Deeply Insane and Don't Know When to Quit. Which, come to think of it, describe a lot of the pros I know. :) But really, I am more of a believer in doing a couple things well than a dozen things not so well. But last year I didn't bake at all, so this year I'm making up for lost time.

If it's any consolation, I would have LOVED your biscotti. I am a big fan of the not-too-sweet, made-for-dunking into dessert wine biscotti. I do like some of the more exotic Maida Heatter versions, but the next time I see one covered with chocolate and caramel and popcorn and Atomic Red Hots, I will plotz.

I love your site. I am taking baby steps toward learning about wine, so it's nice to find a friendly, non-intimidating yet intelligent place to come to.

[mc]

Ahh, I just finished a batch of lemon ginger biscotti... I can't blog about them on my own site since some recipients are reading! And, Bakerina, you are so impressive - biscotti and (very late) Christmas cards are about all I can handle at the moment. Maybe next year...

[Meg]

Thank for the kind words, Bakerina! I'm resolving to blog less about home improvement adventures and more about wine in the new year. . .

And MC -- your christmas cards are not yet "very late!" Still more than 10 days before Christmas. It's just that other people send them too darned early. ;->

[Home Improvement]

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