Cookie Day

If you are wondering if all these tins are full, the answer is YES, but not all with Almond Diamonds. My friend and I have had a “Christmas Cookie Day” every year (except the year I was in England), since we were in grade 11. That puts us at our 32nd cookie anniversary I think. This is my half of the haul. We get together in late November/early December and make a load of cookies to freeze/give away/take to pot lucks etc. The first year we made Jewish Pastry and Gingerbread Houses. Since then, we have tried quite a few recipes, but we have a core of things we always do, some things we rotate, and some new things to try. We alternate who hosts the event and who brings “the extras”.

Things have changed over the years. We started in her parents’ kitchen, and have continued in 9 homes in 5 towns/cities even when we lived in separate provinces. We began as teenage girls and now have husbands and teenage kids of our own. Although on other occasions we bake with our kids, we have kept this day just for us. It is one of my favourite traditions.

She has a new, larger mixer and we got a little carried away this year, baking for 12 hours!! Usually, when we are finished, our families join us for a roast beef dinner, and we have a drink and relax. This year, due to our over-ambition we had to skip the relaxing part (though not the dinner!), and roped our husbands into helping us with the dishes before we collapsed. Thanks, fellas.