Inspiration
The Quiet Joy of Getting Ready
Dear Kay,
Here we are, fluffing up the place for a weekend at MDK World Headquarters with a group of indigo-curious folks coming from 12 states to spend time with Jan Quarles, the indigo master.
As I write, it’s Friday morning, and Ashley, Ashe, Nathan, and Chris are getting things ready. The brie is baking and the L’il Smokies are whatevering. It’s feeling festive and cheerful.
This season is all about getting ready, right? No matter how you approach this time of year, there’s comfort to be found in planning something.
Digging out the ancestral recipe. Singing the old songs. Watching the movie you always watch. Planning a meal, a drink, a movie, a walk, a call. Looking forward to seeing somebody in your life.
The other day a group of friends showed up for a cookie-baking moment in my kitchen, and the net result was a sight to behold—dozens of cookies, from biscotti to rum balls (a philosophically interesting recipe that begins with already-cookie Nilla Wafers, pulverized, and ends with a slug of rum).
What really got me was the way there was this universal agreement that oh wow, we all urgently needed to get together to bake cookies. As if cookies were the point.
I guess the message here is pretty obvious, but I can’t help reiterating it. We’re all up to our ears in Life these days, and even as we feel the weight of it all, there’s a countervailing possibility of lightness. It’s maybe the most important thing we do: getting together with other people. I say this as a longtime introvert. Life is a cabaret, old chum!
Chris’s Cookies
Speaking of cookies, our photographer Chris Sharp is an extremely skilled baker. He just pulled out a batch of cookies using an ingredient found in our Holiday Shop, Tony Peanuts Peanut Butter, in two flavors: Smooth and Chunky Chocolate.
The recipe is Smitten Kitchen’s famous Salted Peanut Butter Cookies.
Kay, I know your niece Kristin is bonkers for these cookies. Today I discovered why—the scent makes me want to buy a house, it’s so cozy.
Gotta run—folks are showing up!
What’s everybody looking forward to?
Love,
Ann
I am making the peanut butter cookies
As always I love your letters and the stories, it is a gift each day to receive these emails from MDK
Thank you
J
PS looking to purchase the cook book
Dear Ann: “….up to our ears in Life”. So well put. Your holiday sentiments mirrored mine exactly.
Looking forward to solstice – gathering around the fire in my backyard with family, friends and neighbors. We eat soup, drink warm things, and sing.
Sounds wonderful! Can the warm drinks include rum?
Like a Christmas miracle, this arrived as I was looking for a gluten free cookie!
Oh that Brie!
Have fun all.
Hoping the weather didn’t spoil the fun. Stay safe everyone.
Is there anything better than welcoming home a college student? Even at 5:30am at the airport, it was a joy today!
Rum balls. Oh my. It’s been a long time.
Been there, Dawn. Such an amazing rush of joy to hold your kid in that first hug! Sneak in many hugs over the coming weeks, and enjoy your time together!
I would like to know what other people’s favorite cookie recipes are. I’m allergic to peanuts, almonds, and soy, and the first two are in many favorite cookie recipes. I really miss peanut butter, especially Reese cups… I didn’t find out I was allergic till a few years ago.
Suggestion: I’ve noticed quite a few recipe posts that contain common allergens. As a second option, an alternative recipe or a substitute ingredient for those of us who can’t have a particular ingredient would be much appreciated in these posts.
Karen – I am also allergic to peanuts, so I understand the difficulty. One of my favorite cookies to make for Christmas is thumbprint cookies. The recipe I use comes from an old December issue of Gourmet magazine, but I imagine you could find a good one on the Internet. It’s a basic butter cookie dough, shaped into balls with an indentation (made by your thumb, or whatever) that is filled with the jam of your choice. I have many cookie baking books, but one that I *love* is Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan. I don’t know if it’s still in print, but it’s worth looking for.
Hi Karen – Smitten Kitchen recipes have comments and questions at the end. Often, not always, you’ll see someone ask about substitutions OR share how a substitution they did turned out. But even there, where the business of the day is recipes, Deb doesn’t make it her business to re-write the recipe for all the ways it might not work for one person or another.
As to favorite cookie, I bake a lot of classic chocolate chip cookies (I use an old recipe from Cuisinart that works for me).
Karen, one favorite that comes to mind are Snickerdoodles, a plain sugar cookie fragrant with cinnamon. I remember that the recipe I used to have made a thinner, crunchy cookie. The bonus is that you shape them into balls before baking so they come out looking perfectly round and people think you’re an expert baker!
I buy cookies, but I do love your description about getting ready! Thank you for the joy!
https://youtu.be/62anQkObojg?si=e6h6gTmbCJ28KRoC No butter, no flour, no sugar, no gluten — and my favorite chocolate cookie ever!
Christmas with our eldest daughter and her lovely family – 4 hours flight to the west. But we shall not be seeing the others who live closer – 2 hours drive north, 1 hour drive south and 2 1/2 hours flight east! This global village makes life easier for some and more difficult for others. Peace and blessings to all – whatever your circumstances.
My bad. Chocolate cookie recipe does have confectioners sugar. I should really learn to proof twice before hitting send!
Recipe is Payard Patisserie butterless, flourless chocolate cookies. Lots of versions to be found online.
Wait, cookies are not the point?
What else is Santa going to snack on — Meow Mix?
I have a unique opportunity to celebrate with my brother in Maine. He has been a cook for many years. I will have the honor of baking our grandmother’s biscotti cookies with him and his wife. My tradition, but much more special to bake for those who gobbled the originals formed by Honeygirl’s hands.
Smitten Kitchen is the funnest food read ever! And for the beat chocolate cookies, try her World Peace cookies. Super good and super easy. Happy Holidaze!
Best, not beat. But they can’t be beat.
I’m looking forward to half the kids being home. We were all together at Thanksgiving, so even though it would be fun to have everyone here, this will be fine. I’m trying not to stress about getting ready — quiet joy is not how I’ve subscribed it. But I think grabbing the quiet moments, the good smells, the positive anticipation, is important.
Im really looking forward to the happy chaos that having all 3 grown children (and one dear fiancé) home will bring! The loud voices, the music, the mess. I love it all.
Rum balls. Oh my. It’s been a long time.
No cookie baking for me this year. Have found some favorite German ginger cookies (I know store bought) at Aldi’s. This December will be spent traveling from the boat’s home in Florence, Alabama to Port St. Joe on the panhandle of Florida. We have planned this trip for a long time. Christmas will be minimally decorated, but spent with my better half.
Have a wonderful weekend with indigo, friends and lots of goodies for the tummies.
Woot!! The recipe link!! Those cookies were amazing and I happen to know Santa is bringing a peanut butter set down the chimney this year. These are my new fave. Thanks Chris!
ps: the Olive and Sinclair chocolate chunk cookies… also fabulous!
Oh! My favorite peanut butter cookie recipe has been the other one from Smitten Kitchen, for years now. I can’t wait to try this one.
Wrapping to be done,cookies to be baked. Mostly ready, shopping for the meals.
Such a lovely essay, hitting all the notes of what the season is about without clobbering anyone over the head about religion. It truly is a time of sweet anticipation, the best part of being alive, the ability to feel and savor. My dear mum always said, “Anticipation is better than realization.”
Looking forward to seeing a certain someone, planning dinner for NYE, watching A Christmas Memory (the original with Truman Capote narrating), soft ginger cookies, date nut bread, and trying out these peanut butter cookies…Thank you for the link!