Stories to Tell, Stories Untold

My! It has been rather quiet around here lately hasn’t it? No, I haven’t forgotten about the blog; I’ve been busy… lots and lots of cooking and baking (on top of all the other things that Life demands of us every day -- oh yeah, what’s that thing called work again?).

There’s so much I want to tell you about… all the Christmas baking: healthy rich fruitcakes (and no, that is not an oxymoron), Christmas puddings, sugee cakes, yule logs and oh yes, cookies…

I’m up to my eyeballs in cookies. I don’t think I’ve ever baked so many cookies in such a short span of time in my entire life. It all started with a startling (pun intended) realization that I’m not a cookie-baker. That was such a sobering, almost sad discovery. I can bake cakes, make pastries -- heck, I can even make pie crusts without too much angst -- but I just can’t seem to bake good cookies. Or at least cookies like how I want them. None of the cookie recipes I have ever tried seem to come out the way they are supposed to, or how I think they are supposed to. I feel like such a failure. Why can I not bake cookies to save my life? I mean, they’re just cookies. Supposedly some of the easiest things to bake. Even kids can do them, or so the baking-powers-that-be will have you believe.

So I have been determined to put right my woeful state of cookie “unsuccess”. I’ve been churning them out, I tell you; my oven is spewing cookies like there is no tomorrow. Thankfully my friends and family are still gamely chowing them down (I haven’t had to twist any arms, honest) -- the hard-as-rock, the soft-and-insipid, the sweet-and-gooey, the dry-and-bland and everything in between. Even Cookie Monster would be proud!

My kitchen is beginning to resemble a chemistry lab. You know, I never truly realized or fully appreciated how much of a science cookie-baking is -- even more so than cake- or pastry-making, I think. It’s amazing how even the smallest change in one factor can completely alter the taste, feel, appearance and texture of the cookie -- using flour measured before and after sifting produces completely different crumb textures, as does cutting the sugar by even a small amount. Caster sugar, icing (confectioners’) sugar, brown sugar, corn syrups… so many permutations, so many different results. Cake flour, Hong Kong flour, plain flour… which one works best for which type of desired cookie? Baking soda only or baking soda paired with baking powder? Greased or un-greased cookie sheet? Parchment paper or no parchment paper? Bake two trays of cookies at once and rotate half-way through, or just one sheet at a time? What temperature to use? Oh decisions, decisions! And cookies and more cookies. Have I mentioned we are up to our eyeballs in cookies here?

At times I have truly felt like some half-mad scientist throwing in, removing, then adding back in different “chemicals” all in the search of a set of “perfect” cookie recipes that I’m so sure I need in my life...

But enough already. There are only so many cookies one can bake… and eat. I suspect my friends are ready to cut all ties and my family ready to disown me if I don’t stop baking those cookies. Besides, I really don’t think you want to hear about all my Christmas baking escapades in full gory (and boring?) detail. So… I’m off on a holiday. Yes! Yipee! Tra-la-la-la… I’m off on a holi.. holiday!

It’s been a grueling last few months for me… long hours, stress, pressures, anxieties… and dare I say it, maybe even ennui. So, we are off… for a much longed for, eagerly anticipated vacation -- time to refresh the mind, rejuvenate the body, revitalize the spirit and re-inspire the soul; time to be with “me”; time to reconnect with loved ones. Time to reflect on the year that has been, and to give thanks for 12 months that have been so wondrous in so many ways.

And then, time to be with family over the Christmas and New Year’s.

So, I’ll like to take this time to send out early Season’s Greetings to one and all…

To those who are celebrating, I wish you and yours…

A Harmonious and Fulfilled Winter Solstice (Dong Zhi)
on 21 December
(yes, it falls one day earlier this year)

A Joyous and Blessed Christmas

and…

A Very Happy and Peaceful New Year

Happy Holidays!

See you all in 2005…