Dinner and a Cooky

We planned to have a cookie night, based on our cake night, but wiser. We wouldn't need to dispose of 8 whole cakes. So, we planned cookies and dinner about 5 months ago. The weekend passed and with it, a wholly enjoyable dinner party and cookie presentation. The highlight in cookies were Aimee's pumpkin cookies with brown-butter icing. Would you like to try one of her rolls? She rocked the baked goods.

Michelle, a non-cook open to possibilities, presented a taste of her motherland: old German honey cookies. Not too sweet, history in the mouth. Both cookies were spiced, but so nicely one could not identify individual flavors. It was thrilling. I made Alice Medrich's buckwheat butter cookies with cocoa nibs and oatmeal, coconut, and cranberry cookies. The first turned out nicely, the second were flat flat flat. I pretended they did not exist, averting my knowing eyes. For dinner we enjoyed the rolls, soupe au pistou, and cucumber salad.

Topics of conversation: oiling wood, cold cereal, the zoo (and dogs therein), barbeque, baby peacocks, pesto, France, salt, Canadians, Thanksgiving, piping, Baking Illustrated, sudden death, cupboard space, making people wait, pearls for swine, holiday traditions.

Orange Fire and Coconut

In case you are wondering I have spent the last few weeks doused in Feu d'Orange from L'Occitane and Exotic Coconut body cream. It seems I can't get enough of the scent of coconut. Spending some time in the hot air balloon of St. George, for once I didn't dry out totally what with the layers of body cream. We celebrated the 4th of July, mother's birthday, J's birthday, and summer days. Our menus included four kinds of cookies (seven layer bars from Greyston Bakery Cookbook, Katherine Hepburn's brownies, strawberry-shortcake cookies, salted peanut butter toffee cookies from Pure Dessert), coleslaw, green chile pork posole, guacamole, fresh bread, macadamia fudge torte, and carrot cake with fresh orange rind frosting from Sweet Melissa, in addition to Brian's famous Benihana rice which I ate for breakfast at least two mornings.

Cookie Sunday

One of the best humans, my friend S, has a birthday today. She makes a new cookie each Sunday for her clan. She is one who celebrates the joy of cooking. Haha. Her small daughter has a strand of real pearls. Her son has brightened us all his years. Her husband is impressive and good. Her extended family feels like my extended family. I could go on. I told a common relative recently, "who doesn't love s?" She is everyone's ideal.

I made this recipe today and thought I'd post it here since it is cookie Sunday in some homes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Almonds
from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book
Makes 24 cookies

1/2 C whole natural almonds, toasted
10 T unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 2/3 C all-purpose flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
8 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks

Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

1. Roughly chop the almonds into large pieces.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat for another minute.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, mixing until no flour is visible after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the almonds and chocolate. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 1 hour. (If you're really impatient or hungry, spread out the dough on a tray or cookie sheet, lay a sheet of plastic wrap flush against the surface of the dough, and freeze so it chills up fast.)
6. Once the dough is chilled, turn it out onto a clean work surface and divide it in half. Roll each half into a log about 12 inches long. Refrigerate the logs for at least 30 minutes before slicing. (At this point, you can wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month.)
7. Cut the logs into 1-inch slices, and place them about 1 1/2 inches apart on each cookie sheet. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until the centers no longer have a glossy look of raw dough. They should be chewy, so do not overbake.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 weeks. Do not uncover before defrosting.

Of Cooking and Fanatics

Sometimes (on that rare occasion) I become enthused. A small number of these instances progresses off the chart. This is one of those times. For no reason, I read Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser a few months ago. I thought it was entertaining, fun, somewhat meaningful, and chock full of recipes (being something that I admit to treasuring). I may have recommended it to someone, or not. Then, I came across a copy of the book at the DM library sale and picked it up, remembering the recipes (I had photocopied some). I reviewed the book and shortly thereafter became possessed. Everyone must read this book. Ok, everyone is overstatement. I mean those who care for cooking which is a large number of my cohorts. Some of the recipes are listed here. Today I made two batches of Beans and Tomatoes with Vinaigrette. At Easter, I took Chocolate Chunk-Pecan-Coconut Cookies to dinner. See recipes below. My paperback copy is lent. Last week I visited the new Encinitas library and found a signed hard copy in the Friends of the Library store. I gasped and bought it. The cover is different; I prefer the pb cover. I admit to perusing this book a little every day. It is an illness. I am going to visit the familia and decided not to take any books with me. I needed a new start. As you may guess, I decided tonight to take Mr. Latte. Perhaps this phase will wane. But, in the meantime . . .

Beans and Tomatoes in Vinaigrette

Sea salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T red wine vinegar
Pinch of sugar (I accidentally left this out and did not miss it)
1/4 C best-quality olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water. Season generously with salt. Bring to a rolling boil, and add the beans. Cook until tender on the edges but still quite crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Dry on a towel. Cut the beans in half, then combine in a large serving bowl with the tomatoes.
2. Whisk together the mustard and vinegar with a pinch of sugar and a pinch of sea salt (I forgot both pinches). Gradually whisk in the oil, letting it thicken and emulsify as you go. Pour the dressing over the beans and tomatoes and toss to mix. It's okay if the dressing pools in the bottom of the bowl. Someone can later mop it up with bread or spoon it over their potatoes or lamb. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and toss once more. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Salad for 4.

Chocolate Chunk-Pecan-Coconut Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C packed light brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
Pinch sea salt
24 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, shreds and all
2 C toasted chopped pecans
1 C grated coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease 2 large baking sheets. In a mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk, cream the butter with the sugar and light brown sugar until it's good and fluffy like a mousse. Add the vanilla and eggs and keep beating until it's smooth.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add it to the mixer in small portions, beating it on low until blended in before adding more. Once the dry ingredients are all in there, pour in the chocolate, pecans and coconut. Fold them in by hand, with a spatula—it is a bit of a workout, but the best way to coat the ingredients evenly.
3. My mother likes to chill the dough a little (30 minutes or so) before baking, which helps the cookies hold their shape better when baking. Then she uses an ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto the sheets. She flattens them lightly with her fingers, so they spread evenly. They should be about 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches around before baking. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges and cooked in the center. Cool on racks. Store in a cookie tin.
Two dozen large cookies.