(no subject)
This evening, on a whim, I decided to ascribe to the Sara School of Baking Method. I went into the kitchen, hungry for something sweet, and cookie-ish. I flipped open the 500 Cookies book that Kerri bought me for Christmas, turned a few pages and decided upon a cookie from the "Healthful and Wholesome Cookies" section: the Applesauce Cookie. Butter, applesauce, powders/sodas, brown sugar - all things on hand in the kitchen.
Now, ignoring the fact that this "Healthful and Wholesome" recipe calls for a stick of butter, there were a number of times during the mixing process when I dipped my finger into the batter, tasted, and said aloud/thought, "Ugh, this is not good." First, it was around the time when I related that the batter looked "lumpy" and that I'd definitely been lazy with the whole 'softened butter' thing - two minutes down my pants does not a softened stick of butter make. Schmeh, these were cookies on the fly, no biggey if the batter suddenly looked like something that the cat threw up. Then, in went the applesauce towards the end. Taste. Yuck. Still sort of gross.
At this point I said 'Screw It' and threw in a pinched inch of sugar and a bit of vanilla, which Kerri proclaimed makes "everything taste better." And then, in a moment of sheer craziness unknown to my baking repetoire in the past, I grabbed the box of Kashi Nuggets (think Grape Nuts), and thought, "Yes." In they went.
So, as I sit, cross-legged, upon the carpet, these experimental cookies are baking away in the oven. They might be shit; they might be genius. Who the eff knows.
Today, during one of our few breaks from committee, Steve mentioned my proclivity for baking and how this must, naturally, include cookies. He was surprised when I professed my distaste for making them. Cookies, you see, are wily and tricksy things. They have the appearance of simplicity, but are, in fact, layered and easily screwed up. Any asshole with a few bucks and a Stop & Shop card can make mediocre cookies, but it takes a lot of skill to make really great ones. I don't think I have that skill.
UPDATE. BREAKING NEWS. The cookies are ... good? They're kind of like British biscuits. Not super sweet, or overly flowery (in that purple prose kind of way), but I really want another one. With a cup of tea. Plus, they have fiber - Yay for regularity.
Now, ignoring the fact that this "Healthful and Wholesome" recipe calls for a stick of butter, there were a number of times during the mixing process when I dipped my finger into the batter, tasted, and said aloud/thought, "Ugh, this is not good." First, it was around the time when I related that the batter looked "lumpy" and that I'd definitely been lazy with the whole 'softened butter' thing - two minutes down my pants does not a softened stick of butter make. Schmeh, these were cookies on the fly, no biggey if the batter suddenly looked like something that the cat threw up. Then, in went the applesauce towards the end. Taste. Yuck. Still sort of gross.
At this point I said 'Screw It' and threw in a pinched inch of sugar and a bit of vanilla, which Kerri proclaimed makes "everything taste better." And then, in a moment of sheer craziness unknown to my baking repetoire in the past, I grabbed the box of Kashi Nuggets (think Grape Nuts), and thought, "Yes." In they went.
So, as I sit, cross-legged, upon the carpet, these experimental cookies are baking away in the oven. They might be shit; they might be genius. Who the eff knows.
Today, during one of our few breaks from committee, Steve mentioned my proclivity for baking and how this must, naturally, include cookies. He was surprised when I professed my distaste for making them. Cookies, you see, are wily and tricksy things. They have the appearance of simplicity, but are, in fact, layered and easily screwed up. Any asshole with a few bucks and a Stop & Shop card can make mediocre cookies, but it takes a lot of skill to make really great ones. I don't think I have that skill.
UPDATE. BREAKING NEWS. The cookies are ... good? They're kind of like British biscuits. Not super sweet, or overly flowery (in that purple prose kind of way), but I really want another one. With a cup of tea. Plus, they have fiber - Yay for regularity.