Over the years, I’ve passed in and out of many cooking obsessions, but that initial biscotti quest really kicked my baking journey into full gear. I began by reading a bunch of recipes to get a sense of the basics, but it wasn’t long before I was experimenting and trying to create a wide range of varieties with my own twist. Between these new creations and my family’s formidable trove of cookie treasures, I went from creating a simple gift box with a dozen different cookies in it, to a tower of three tins containing a total of forty different types of cookie, for a grand total of around 5,000 cookies in 2019.
Why so many? Because every time I leaf through the family cookie recipes, I’m reminded of so many treasured people, places, and occasions that fill my heart with gratitude. And indeed, what began as an effort to preserve the family cache of recipes and stories, blossomed into a new tradition of sharing these cookies to build and cement bonds with friends and family members, old and new. It was this spirit that ultimately led my daughters and friends to urge me to collect all my work over the years and publish my own cookbook. This year, after many starts and stops, I am doing it! "A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Family & Friends" is being printed as I write, and by October 2020, it will be available for my friends, family, and maybe even you!
