Last night, while the kids were in their swim classes and I was sitting on the bleachers "watching them" (usually I watch, but yesterday I felt like I couldn't take the half hour to do that, I had too much buzzing around in my brain), I made my preliminary list of cookie-related things.
* List of people I'll be sending/giving them to (yes, Ralph, you're on the list) (someday I'll have to tell the rest of you about Ralph. Should take at least a full year to do it justice)
* List of cookies to make
* List of ingredients I'd need for everything
* List of other homemade things we can make and give out this year. That one's still in the works.
And I know I will probably add more people to the cookie list, because I get nutty that way. EVERYONE should have cookies! At least that's the frantic thought that will start depriving me of sleep in, oh, four weeks or so.
But I got the list of cookies to make pretty accurate. I should, by now, right? I still need to go back through last year's cookie posts and double check myself. I'll probably switch out a few, too, just to keep things exciting. But, of course, there are some that MUST be made, like Bill's mom's cookies, and the pecan bites, and shortbread, and biscotti. Have to make them. And why? So I can snack on the trimmings, of course! Isn't that the point, really? No? Okay. Liar. Just kidding.
Anyway, I might - MIGHT - start today with a batch of pfeffernusse. That one seems to be the launching cookie for the rest of the season. I try to bake the cookies in order of dryness, and pfeffernusse are like little rocks (yummy, spicy rocks, of course), so they're the logical ones to start with. Then, probably, biscotti, and then the springerle, as they need to age for several weeks before you eat them. Why? I think it's so the flavors mellow out or something. I knew once, I probably have it in a post somewhere, but I don't feel like looking for it right now.
After that...lebkuchen, probably...and then it's onto the softer ones. And then the insanity joy of packing them and shipping them and delivering the local ones. Every year I vow (yes, VOW!) to ship earlier than the year before. In years way past, I didn't have the hang of all of this, and I'd end up paying arms and legs (not mine - I look for spares in the landfill - JUST KIDDING) to get them to various parts of the country BEFORE Christmas. Let me tell you, cookies are heavy. Heavy + 2 day or 1 day shipping = PLAN A BIT BETTER NEXT YEAR, JAYNE!
I think that message has finally sunk in.
Also today I'm baking bread. That's already in the works, actually. OH, that reminds me I have to mix in the flour that I put in the bowl with the yeast and water. Duh. I put the flour in oh, ten minutes ago, then totally forgot about it and started doing other things, like this post. I don't know how I function sometimes. Or where my brain went.
What else.
Oh, yes, so, bread and cookies (maybe cookies) and then finish up some more of my little paper thingies for etsy and photograph them and post them. And get more of them started.
You know, it's a funny thing. Remember my whiney, tearful, annoying post over a week ago? Where I was (stupidly) bemoaning the fact that several recent food pictures hadn't been accepted by some of the food photo sites? And so many of you nice, patient, supportive readers wrote to either cheer me up or give me a well-deserved kick in the pants...remember all that?
It's funny how things work out. At the moment, pictures of my food are not my priority (which is probably obvious). I'm actually going a little paper crazy with the making of these little recycled paper tags and ornaments. Especially the snowflakes. Because, no joke, every time I add more snowflakes to my etsy store, THEY SELL. OUT. And I've only been able to add small amounts, because I only have 6 of these little snowflake molds and the paper takes a bit of time to dry, and I have to wait for that before I pop them out or they tend to break. So I haven't been able to really up the inventory level for those. Which stinks, because, speaking humbly, I think they'd sell. I went out looking for more snowflake molds, but only had moderate luck. I am thinking the design I've been using was discontinued and a rounder, more muffin/cupcake friendly design was implemented. Which makes sense from a muffin/cupcake standpoint - the thin, snowflake arm parts would probably break the muffin or cupcake top a bit when de-panning them - but I'd really, really prefer the original design for my own purposes.
Ah well. I bought two more of the current design and I'll be posting the results of those batches on etsy later today. We'll see how they do. I'd keep my fingers crossed, but I can't type like that, so I'm crossing my toes instead. I hope that works.
I meant to post a scallop recipe yesterday, but the day just ran away from me. So this morning, that's what I'm going to do. Really.
First, I have to pack up Alex's lunch and then bring him to school, but when I get back, that post is the first thing I'll do.
Because I'm rather proud of my little scallop creation, and I want to share it with you all.
So TTFN! I'll be back in a little bit.
Well, if you're planning to do lots and lots of the snowflakes, you could probably make you own molds. "Just" fill the old molds with plaster or sth alike, so you get the positive shape and then cover it in some mold-material. If you go and ask in an arts and crafts shop, they'll probably have some kind of fluid silicone just for that purpose.
Or maybe check youtube for an easier way: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=search_videos&search_query=mold+make+&search_sort=relevance&search_category=0&page=
As I said: It's probably only worth the while if you're planning on a bigger production.
Posted by: Annette | November 17, 2009 at 11:37 AM