Flower Cookery by Ruby Nye
Rosie has a brief interruption while baking...
Author: rubynye
Title: Flower Cookery
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sam/Rosie/Frodo]
Word Count: 300 (a triple drabble)
Recipe: Lavender Shortbread
Rosie hummed as she kneaded the shortbread together, crumbling lavender
blossoms between her fingertips. The sun shone on Sam's garden, a lark
trilled nearby, and she felt brimful of warmth in this summer even more
bountiful than the spring. And perhaps of something else as well, with her
stomach uneasy of mornings, but even that was welcome, with what it might
mean.
The kitchen basket overflowed like a miniature garden, blossoms and sprigs filling the air with mixed herbal scent; Rosie considered the clump of violets, destined to be trimmed and summered into syrup, and selected one to eat, its sweet floral taste filling her mouth and settling her stomach.
She tipped the crumbly shortbread dough into the pan and pressed it flat,
humming all the while.
Then she yelped, as strong arms wound round her waist. "Sam Gamgee, you frightened me near out of my hide!" She hadn't heard him come in, at all. Hobbits may walk quietly if they choose, but Sam had returned with a skill at moving silently that was all but uncanny.
Sam laughed and nuzzled her ear, squeezing her gently, the sun's warmth
glowing off his skin. "Begging your pardon, Mistress Rose, but it's a
stronger hobbit than your old Sam who could keep his hands off you with
the light in your hair."
"There ain't a stronger hobbit than my Sam.' Rosie spun in his arms,
careful of her buttery, sugary hands, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. Sam
kissed her back, holding her close, burying his face in her hair as she
laid her head over his heart. Her eyes were drifting shut with contentment
when a flicker drew her gaze; Mr. Frodo leaned in the kitchen doorway,
smiling at them so sweetly, and Rosie's heart all but ached with
happiness.
Author's note: Lavender, alone or with lemon zest, makes a lovely
flavoring for cakes, cookies, and pie fillings (custards, cream cheese
mixtures, etc). Be careful to buy lavender that is grown for culinary use
or herbal teas, not potpourri. Or grow some yourself!
This is modified from my friend Miche's shortbread.
1/2 cup (125g/4oz) butter
1/2 cup icing (powdered/confectioner's) sugar
1&1/2 cups cake flour OR
1 cup plain unbleached (all-purpose) flour and1/2 cup cornflour
(cornstarch)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender (flowers), finely chopped/crumbled
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F. Soften the butter (but don't melt it). Add
the sugar and cream until very light in colour and texture. Sift in the
cornflour and plain flour, and add the lavender. Mix gently until well
combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead well (it's
sometimes a little crumbly but should come together in the knead). Roll
out to about 1/2cm (1/6 inch, give or take) thickness, cut into squares or
rounds. Place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake
for 10-15 minutes until set and just ever so lightly golden brown. Remove
to a rack to cool.
Or, pat out into a pan to a thickness of 1/4-1/6 inch, prick with a fork,
and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares while hot break while cool.
:D
Author: rubynye
Title: Flower Cookery
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sam/Rosie/Frodo]
Word Count: 300 (a triple drabble)
Recipe: Lavender Shortbread
Rosie hummed as she kneaded the shortbread together, crumbling lavender
blossoms between her fingertips. The sun shone on Sam's garden, a lark
trilled nearby, and she felt brimful of warmth in this summer even more
bountiful than the spring. And perhaps of something else as well, with her
stomach uneasy of mornings, but even that was welcome, with what it might
mean.
The kitchen basket overflowed like a miniature garden, blossoms and sprigs filling the air with mixed herbal scent; Rosie considered the clump of violets, destined to be trimmed and summered into syrup, and selected one to eat, its sweet floral taste filling her mouth and settling her stomach.
She tipped the crumbly shortbread dough into the pan and pressed it flat,
humming all the while.
Then she yelped, as strong arms wound round her waist. "Sam Gamgee, you frightened me near out of my hide!" She hadn't heard him come in, at all. Hobbits may walk quietly if they choose, but Sam had returned with a skill at moving silently that was all but uncanny.
Sam laughed and nuzzled her ear, squeezing her gently, the sun's warmth
glowing off his skin. "Begging your pardon, Mistress Rose, but it's a
stronger hobbit than your old Sam who could keep his hands off you with
the light in your hair."
"There ain't a stronger hobbit than my Sam.' Rosie spun in his arms,
careful of her buttery, sugary hands, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. Sam
kissed her back, holding her close, burying his face in her hair as she
laid her head over his heart. Her eyes were drifting shut with contentment
when a flicker drew her gaze; Mr. Frodo leaned in the kitchen doorway,
smiling at them so sweetly, and Rosie's heart all but ached with
happiness.
Author's note: Lavender, alone or with lemon zest, makes a lovely
flavoring for cakes, cookies, and pie fillings (custards, cream cheese
mixtures, etc). Be careful to buy lavender that is grown for culinary use
or herbal teas, not potpourri. Or grow some yourself!
This is modified from my friend Miche's shortbread.
1/2 cup (125g/4oz) butter
1/2 cup icing (powdered/confectioner's) sugar
1&1/2 cups cake flour OR
1 cup plain unbleached (all-purpose) flour and1/2 cup cornflour
(cornstarch)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender (flowers), finely chopped/crumbled
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F. Soften the butter (but don't melt it). Add
the sugar and cream until very light in colour and texture. Sift in the
cornflour and plain flour, and add the lavender. Mix gently until well
combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead well (it's
sometimes a little crumbly but should come together in the knead). Roll
out to about 1/2cm (1/6 inch, give or take) thickness, cut into squares or
rounds. Place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake
for 10-15 minutes until set and just ever so lightly golden brown. Remove
to a rack to cool.
Or, pat out into a pan to a thickness of 1/4-1/6 inch, prick with a fork,
and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares while hot break while cool.
:D