Apricot Chews with a lightly toasted coconut topping. "Do you want a partner in crime for this new project of yours?" Laurel was planning a party for her 93-year-old neighbor who had moved to a retirement community. Betty had lived in Laurel's neighborhood since 1966. "Ooh, sounds like fun. Do you know when she moved into her house, or when she was married?" I asked. "We could make cookies from those years. Can't wait till Friday." The fruit gets jammy and sticks to the sides of the saucepan after simmering 30 minutes. Lucky me, I got to make another batch of the 1944 Cinnamon Sugar Crisps (see cookie # 4). Laurel's neighbor Betty was married that year. I had the dough ready to go. Laurel seemed in awe of my rolling pin and cutting techniques. I hadn't noticed before, but I'd improved. The soft dough of those crisps do have a learning curve, and I'd rolled, cut, and rerolled before. I cut the shapes and Laurel applied s...
I began this blog when my mother was ill and needed enough of my attention that I could not concentrate on longer-form works I wanted to write. I set those aside to distract myself with cookie-making and this blog. Please find my new blog (2020) entitled "Time NOT Lost" at karenbrattesani.blogspot.com, where I explore the behavior I see around me -- both my own and that of others -- and what it says about our changing culture during the coronavirus pandemic. And, I hope, beyond.