Mondays with Maida - Georgia Pecan Bars

Page 108 in the old book / page 149 in the new book

I'm a sucker for anything resembling pecan pie, and this cookie certainly qualifies on that count. I particularly liked these Georgia Pecan Bars because, like my mom's pecan pie, they're not overly sweet. The pecan flavor is what you notice first, rather than a gooey sweet filling.

Unlike similar cookies, the base for these cookies is not prebaked. As a result, it has a softer, more crumbly texture and is less distinct from the topping. The base is sweetened with dark brown sugar, which also serves to unify the base and topping flavorwise.

I have not yet replaced my 13x9 pan, but I did better this time in adjusting the temperature and timing to accomodate the dark pan I have. Rather than lining only the bottom of the pan with foil as instructed, I decided to line the whole pan. I prefer to lift the finished cake out rather than risk destruction by dumping it out. I buttered the foil all over and then tried my best to just dust the bottom with bread crumbs. After pressing the crust into the pan, I used a paper towel to wipe off most of the stray bread crumbs on the sides.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "Well, I don't think it was worth going off of my diet for this pecan bar. It looked like a small pecan pie (in bar shape) but did not have the sweetness of a pecan pie. It was missing the richness of pecan pie. Rating - 3.0"

Denny: "Very good and crunchy. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Pecan "Pie" in a bar cookie - Yummy!! Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "For joy, the march of Maida's bar cookies continues. Golden brown, moist yet firm texture, and pecan pie sweet. Makes one take a breath after a couple of bites. P.S. Disregard whatever Denny says this week. His attention has been totally diverted to his cherished home team's (Pittsburgh) participation in the upcoming super bowl game. Spotted him testing out a black cape to evaluate at what "running" speed it would start to billow... Rating - 4.8"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.0

Next week - Pecan Festival Bars

Nutrition Facts

I'm Frying! I'm Frying!

My to-do list for this weekend started with "Deep-fat fry". I've been putting this off my whole life, but I decided this would be the weekend I would finally put a check-mark in that box.

First, I must apologize to Bob and Chuck - they gave me a deep-fat fryer for my birthday last summer. (They presented it to me in Vermont, so it stayed up there until it could hitch a ride south with David in November.) I had planned to use it this weekend, but when I was setting it up I realized that it required a minimum of three quarts of oil to operate. I had less than two on hand and that amount of oil seemed excessive for this small project, so I decided to use a saucepan on the stove (and a little less than a quart of oil).

A little background before we get to the frying... I was the lucky winner of Nupur's chai hamper (her offering for A Menu for Hope II) back in January. My prize hamper included not only the makings for some wonderful chai, but some sweet and savory snacks to accompany it. The cookies and bhadang are but a memory now, but they were both fantastic. I've since made more bhadang myself (so easy!) and I think I've gotten Phil hooked on it too. Nupur also included some Pakoda mix in the hamper - a mixture of chickpea flour (besan) and spices which when blended with a little water forms the perfect batter for various kinds of vegetable fritters.

My first frying project was Onion bhajiyas using the Pakoda mix and recipe that Nupur had sent (which is a little different than the recipe linked to). Since I wouldn't be using the deep-fat fryer and had no experience frying, my candy thermometer (which is also intended as a frying thermometer) was very helpful in keeping the temperature in the desired range. It was my security blanket.

I may have been a little conservative on the temperature. I was aiming for around 325 F, but while frying it varied between 300 F and 340 F (or so). Lower temperatures cause the food to absorb more oil, but higher temperatures may not allow the insides to cook before the outside is overdone. Right now these decisions leave me scratching my head. I believe (hope) that experience will make them second nature.

Happily, none of my long-held fears associated with deep-fat frying came to pass. Both I and my kitchen survived unscathed. There was no fire, no smoke, and not even much of a mess. In fact, there was less of a mess than I've had with stir-frying because there was no spitting or splattering outside the pan. It actually seemed very controlled the whole time.

My only remaining concerns with deep-fat frying are 1) the cost of the oil; and 2) how to dispose of the oil. I filtered the oil and put in the refrigerator, but haven't decided if I will reuse it. Since I was cooking just two fritters at a time, I had the oil heated for an extended period of time and it may not be suitable for reuse. The problem is, I don't have a container at the moment that I'm willing to toss out with the oil. I'll have to start saving containers with this in mind.

I've rattled on long enough about frying, now about those onion bhajiyas... they were delicious! I've put some in the refrigerator and some in the freezer and will try reheating them in the oven. Now that I have privately conquered my deep-fat frying demons, I think I'll try making these for company so leftovers won't be an issue.

Thanks again to Nupur for the Pakoda mix and the rest of the great chai hamper she put together. Thanks too to Bob, Chuck, and Nupur for giving me the little push I needed to finally get frying!

Finally, I have to show you the cutest onion bhajiya you ever saw. I found as I was making these that they were sort of like ink blots or clouds, in that the shape would sometimes look like a familiar creature. I know what this one is - do you?

BBM3 - Kriszti's package from Karen arrives

There are still a few BBM3 packages that haven't arrived yet, but I'm happy to report that one more finally found it's way. Kriszti (in Hungary) just wrote to tell me that her package from Karen (in California) arrived, and what a lovely package it is....

Hi Cathy,

My BBM3 package has arrived safely today, just when I needed something to brighten up the otherwise gloomy day :)

Karen has put together a wonderful package !! which include the following: an interesting letter telling me how they spent the Thanksgiving, a family recipe to cook Game hens, a package of pecan pieces, cranberry sauce can, pure pumpkin can, Jiffy corn muffin mix, thoughtful gifts - measuring spoon and cup, an adorable teddy bear that plays music. Also, a print out of her lovely white kitchen, a copy of local newspaper, loads of useful magazine clips about thanksgiving !!

Thanks so much, Karen! Your package is truly an inspiration for my future participation in BBM.

Best wishes,
Kriszti

Mondays with Maida - Cinnamon Almond Cookies

Page 106 in the old book / page 145 in the new book

These are another of my old favorites from this book. It's possible they were the first cookies I made from the book, but I can't remember for sure. They are rich, buttery cookies with a generous dose of cinnamon, topped with sliced almonds and finshed with a lemon glaze.

I purchased the pan I use for these cookies (a 10 by 15 jelly roll pan) years ago, specifically for the purpose of making these cookies. At that time the only properly sized pan I could find was one of those Cushionaire pans which has two metal layers with a space in between. I think the idea behind the design is that your cookies won't burn on the bottom. Bad idea. Your cookies won't burn, but they won't cook properly either.

This is a long-winded way of telling you that I suspect I've been undercooking these cookies for years. Maida describes the cookies as crisp, but only the edge pieces are crisp when I make them. Not that I'm complaining... I love these cookies regardless of the texture.

I hadn't noticed before that the recipe actually calls for sliced blanched almonds - something I had never seen before, but which I just came across in Whole Foods today. I think I'll stick with the regular sliced almonds, though. I prefer the way they look, and almond skins are loaded with good-for-you flavanoids.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I liked the cinnamon almond bar because it had a crunchy cookie base and a crunchy almond topping. There was a definite lemon taste to the cookie. Rating - 4.5"

Denny: "I think they are fairly crunchy but a tad non-descript. I'd give them a 2.5 as fairly average. Rating - 2.5"

Laura: "Crunchy and yummy. Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "Elegant almond coated squares with just the right combination of sweet, buttery and curious (cinnamon & lemon). Seemed out of place for office fare but sure helped endure the email/to do list onslaught. Rating - 4.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Georgia Pecan Bars

Nutrition Facts

BBM4 - My Package from Lindy

Wow. I'm still collecting my thoughts about what to include in the BBM4 package that I'll be sending, but my package from Lindy arrived yesterday. It was packed to the gills, with music, homemade goodies, and an assortment of interesting ethnic ingredients from Pittsburgh's Strip District. Lindy also included a wonderful handwritten letter explaining what was included and where it was from and recipes for the things she had made.

Lindy sent two of her homemade jellies: White Peach and Basil Preserves, and Rosemary Garlic Jelly. The first is sweet with a firm set - perfect for toast. The Rosemary Garlic Jelly has a softer set and is also sweet but with the not-so-breakfasty flavors of rosemary and garlic. Lindy suggests using it as a glaze, an accompaniment to roasted lamb, or added to gravy. I've had little tastes of each and they're both wonderful.

Unbelievably, Lindy sent a third homemade treat - Chinese Chews. I love these! Actually, it would be more proper to say I loved these. They're gone. I was so busy scarfing them down I almost forgot to take a picture. So what you see above are the last three just moments before their demise. They are basically date nut bars, but somehow more addictive. I think it's safe to say I'll be making these myself in the not too distant future!

Since Lindy was unable to pack up some pierogis for me, she hit upon the brilliant idea of sending a selection of goodies from some of the many ethnic food stores in Pittsburgh's Strip District, aka "the Strip". She sent amaretti from the Italian grocery, dried chestnuts from the Chinese supermarket, Sumac from the Greek store, and some Harissa Sauce from the Middle Eastern market. And if the abundance of ethnic markets in Pittsburgh isn't enough to make you green with envy, they also have a Penzeys! Lindy included a packet of their Herbes de Provence, one of her favorites.

As for the music, Lindy sent a full length recording of La Traviata with Teresa Stratas and Fritz Wunderlich. I love opera and I especially love La Traviata - it has beautiful, haunting music and a great (but of course tragic!) love story based on Alexandre Dumas' La Dame aux Camélias (Camille).

Thanks very much Lindy for such a thoughtful and generous package!! Thanks too to Jason for hosting this Music Edition of Blogging by Mail. Keep an eye out for the round-up here.

Pink is for Patty

When I was little, my Mom color-coded my brothers, sister, and me. It wasn't for everything, mostly those things that we all used and needed to keep straight like bathroom cups, camping towels, etc. I think my sister and I were most closely associated with our colors, which also showed up in our bedroom decor, our clothing, and even gifts from our grandparents. I don't know when or how our colors were chosen, but since my color was blue, I do wonder about it.

My sister Patty was pink. So when I was choosing a recipe for her birthday cake last weekend, the promise of pink icing was too much to resist. Against my better judgement, I chose the "Illinois Jam Cake" from my go-to cake cookbook, The Wooden Spoon Dessert Book. Though I love fresh strawberries and good strawberry jam, I've never been one to choose strawberry flavored anything. In fact, I expect that if I'd come across this recipe in any other cookbook, I would have flipped right by it. But as I've said before, I've come to trust this book... and the idea of presenting Patty with a pink cake was irresistible.

The cake itself has a whole cup of strawberry jam in it, but it is merely a background for the spices. The cream cheese icing has a more modest 3 tablespoons of jam, but the tanginess of lemon juice and cream cheese bring out the strawberry flavor nicely. The cake was very good - I'd describe it as "strawberry and spice" - a very moist spice cake complented by a tangy strawberry icing. Oh yeah... and it's pink.


Happy belated birthday Patty!!!

Mondays with Maida - Butterscotch Walnut Bars

Page 104 in the old book / page 144 in the new book

These were fine - very sweet, but otherwise unremarkable. Some people were crazy about them, but I think most were unimpressed. I was put off right from the start by the fact that the cookies contained butterscotch morsels. It's not that I have anything against them, it's just not the type of thing I expect to encounter in a Maida Heatter book.

Once again, these were very easy to make and didn't require greasing the pan or using a mixer. Because I was using that cheapo, dark, "non-stick" pan again, I lowered the temperature and reduced the cooking time slightly. I think I got them out before they were overdone, but I think I was just in the nick of time!

The shortbread crust on these cookies (made with brown sugar) is barely noticeable beneath the ultra-sweet topping which includes both corn syrup and butterscotch morsels. Thank goodness there is a generous amount of walnuts to tame the sweetness somewhat! The melted mixture of butterscotch morsels, corn syrup, and butter was an alarming shade of orange... ugh.

Here's the panel...

Terri: "These are very 'butterscotchy' and particularly good if you like butterscotch and nuts. Very sweet and rich in taste. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "I'd give them a 3. I don't like butterscotch much, but it was good and crunchy, maybe a tad too sweet. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Tasty and delicious. However... I like walnuts and I like butterscotch. Somehow the combo of the two didn't work for me. Rating - 3.0"

Phil: "Comparable to the peanut brittle bar yet sweeter and more chewy while not as dentally challenging. The strong butterscotch flavor coupled with walnuts, several varieties of sucrose, plus butter was a winning combination for this sweet tooth. Rating - 4.6"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.7

Next week - Cinnamon Almond Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Hungarian Walnut Bars

Page 102 in the old book / page 142 in the new book

This was entirely different approach to bar cookies for me... both the top and bottom layers are rolled pastry flavored with lemon zest and leavened with baking powder. In between is a sweetened walnut filling. The end result is a crumbly, nutty, lemony bar.

These were quite easy to make - you really don't even need a mixer. Unfortunately, I made the walnut filling more difficult than necessary. The recipe says to beat rum (or water) with an egg white "only until it increases in volume and starts to thicken". I started out beating with a whisk and wasn't seeing much change, so I dumped the mixture into the bowl of my mixer and tried that. I still saw little to no change in volume or consistency, so I had dirtied an extra bowl needlessly. I could be wrong, but I really think the only goal here is to break up the egg white so that it can mix well with the nuts. Briefly beating the mixture by hand with a whisk should be sufficient for that purpose.

I thought the cookies were very good and quite different from most bar cookies. I used dark rum in the filling, but couldn't taste it at all - no one else seemed to pick up on its presence either. I'm fascinated by the way these cookies are constructed and the texture of the pastry (I think the baking powder makes the pastry lighter and more crumbly). It would be fun to play with different fillings and flavorings.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "This cookie was great! Lots of walnuts, sandwiched in between the cookie, and a slight lemony taste. Rating - 5.0"

Denny: "Definitely 5.0. Particularly liked the lemon taste after I figured it out. I think they're the best ones so far, although I loved some of the chocolate ones. Believe it or not, they may be better than my Mom's and Grandmother's nut horns. Thanks for those memories triggered by taste. Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "Outstanding - crunchy but moist with walnut paste-like filling. Rating - 5.0"

Phil: "A sweet layered combination of a generous portion of walnuts sandwiched between pastry dough. While a definite "keeper" this sampler kept searching for a moment of click like flavor which distinguishes the best from the very good. Rating - 4.1"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.8

Next week - Butterscotch Walnut Bars

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Brittle Peanut Bars

Page 101 in the old book / page 141 in the new book

When you think of a bar cookie, generally you think of something moist and chewy, possibly with a little crunch on top. Most of the bar cookies sampled so far have fit that bill - but not these. Maida describes them as "hard, chewy, and crunchy like brittle candy". They were a nice change of pace.

Nic made these a few months ago (be sure to check out her post - her photo is just gorgeous) and found them to be more like shortbread than brittle. Mine were brittle just after cooling (which is when I sampled one) and reportedly quite brittle the next day. Either way, they are delicious - I love that contrast of sweet and salty.

As Nic said, they are "dead easy". They have all of 4 ingredients and you don't even have to grease the pan! The cookies are cut in the pan after having cooled just slightly (wait too long and a knife will be of little use). The bars lifted out of the pan easily and cleanly.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "The cookie was very sweet, but I like anything that's crunchy and with nuts. This truly did taste like a cookie. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Very brittle and well named. I'd give them a 2 and I love PB cookies. Rating - 2.0"

Laura: "De-lish! Crunchy, peanutty, and fabulous. Rating - 4.5"

Phil: "As advertised crunchy, buttery, and (yes) brittle. The buttery and nutty attributes were most prominent while the bar was not particularly sweet. Rating - 3.6"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.5

Next week - Hungarian Walnut Bars

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Hermit Bars

Page 99 in the old book / page 140 in the new book

I don't make many notes in my cookbooks, but this recipe has a note that reads "Everybody likes these - Mom and Auntie Bee have recipe." No wonder I made a note - after eating these, both my Mom and Auntie Bee asked for the recipe. I think I must have been feeling pretty proud!

More recently, I made these Hermits to send to Melissa for the first BBM. It had been a while since I last made them, but I remembered liking them and more importantly Maida's note implied that they might ship well, "The ladies on Cape Cod packed Hermits for their men who went to sea because the cookies kept well." I knew my Hermits had a long voyage ahead of them and was curious how they would hold up for the couple of weeks it would take them to reach their destination. I decided to keep a few in an airtight box until I heard from Melissa that she had received her package. Though the cookies grew less attractive as they aged (the glaze discolored slightly) and perhaps a bit drier, they remained quite tasty.

The last couple of times I've made these cookies I've overcooked them. I pulled them out early this time, but they were still overcooked on the edges and generally drier than I think they should be. I'm not sure whether to blame the recipe, my oven, or my pan, but I'm inclined to believe that my pan is at fault. It's one of those cheap 13x9 pans from the grocery store that has a dark gray finish. Anway, "forewarned is forearmed" as they say... you might want to start checking on these after 20-22 minutes.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "Hermits should stay hidden. The cookie (cake) was dry and I guess I don't care for spice cakes. Since I did like the nuts and icing, I'll give it a rating of 1.5. Rating - 1.5"

Denny: "Very good. Moist and fruity. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Tasty and yummy - the perfect amount of spices and nuts. Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "A hearty, dense and spicy concoction. Maida points out that Hermits were particularly suited for men who went to sea because they kept well. This reviewer loved the spice combo while finding the glaze a bit too sweet when added to raisins, sugar, and molasses. Rating - 3.7"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.3

Next week - Brittle Peanut Bars

Nutrition Facts

BBM3 - Mickey's Package from Shelley Arrives

Far away in The Netherlands, another BBM3 package finally finds its way...

hi Cathy,

I received the most wonderful package from Shelly, packed with local goodies from Virginia!

There was Virginia wine, chocolate, bbq-sauce, mustard, honey, lemon curd. There was a mix to make my own bread from a local historical tavern (loved that!). Ginger snaps, pecan blend coffee. A wonderful hot jalapeno pepper jelly, a can of 'brunswick stew', traditionally that contains squirrel, this one, thank god, is chicken :-). Then there was a herb-and-salt mix, a Virginia ham paté and lots of peanuts.

And local papers and a magnet and recipes and-and-and...I just received THE best parcel!!!

It took 7 weeks to reach me, but boy, was it worth the wait!

Mickey

You can see photos and more details about the package on Shelley's blog.

Mondays with Maida - Christmas Fruitcake Bars

Page 97 in the old book / page 139 in the new book

I realize I am in the minority, but I like fruitcake. No, not those horrid plastic-like things sold in the grocery store (though, Whole Foods has a fruitcake that has sorely tempted me all season with apricots, prunes, and a couple of pounds of other dried fruits), but the one my Mom used to make every year and ration out in slim little slices. I admit that those tubs of neon-colored candied fruits sold for the purpose of making fruitcake hold less appeal for me now than they did in those days of blissful-ignorance many moons ago, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for fruitcake.

For most of the rest of the world, it seems that any variety of fruitcake is automatically regarded with deep suspicion. Consequently, this cookie came out of the gates with one big strike against it. In spite of that, all the cookie panelists and many others in my office gave them a chance and tasted them without too much arm-twisting. No one came away from the experience a fruitcake convert, but just about everyone commented to me that they liked the cookies much more than they expected to.

A small amount of thin, orange-scented batter holds together copious amounts of candied fruits, dates, raisins, and walnuts. Maida notes that candied cherries may be used, or a mixture of candied pineapple and candied cherries, or the prepared mixed fruits can be used. I used the mixed fruits (orange rind, lemon rind, citron, cherries, and pineapple). If you like fruitcake, you're bound to like these.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I'm not a fan of fruitcake, but this was probably the best fruitcake I've had. The dates and loads of nuts saved this cake; and it was actually moist. Rating - 2.5"

Denny: "Very high potential. Should have liked it more, but tasted like fruitcake! Rating - 3.0"

Terri: "I don't usually care for fruitcake, but these are delicious. Not too fruity, but crunchy and sweet. Very moist and chewy with fruit pieces being just the right size. Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "While this lighter and powdery version is better than the traditional cake, it still triggers those longstanding questions about its remarkable shelf life - is there really only one cake that keeps getting passed around in different forms? Can a covering of cheesecloth doused with a good shot of brandy help revive it? Was it fruitcake that sustained a musher fighting a blizzard during a prior Iditarod competition? Rating - 3.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.1

Next week - Hermit Bars

Nutrition Facts

Meeting Nupur

A week ago Sunday I had the priviledge of meeting Nupur, her fiance V., and their beloved Dale. If you read Nupur's blog or have come to know her through her comments on other blogs, you probably already have an idea of what a nice person she is... and so did I. But I had no idea as I approached her apartment in New York City of how much I would enjoy our visit, how easy our conversation would be, or how warm her welcome would be.

I had contacted Nupur a few weeks back when I knew I'd be spending a day or so in New York on the way up to Vermont. I suggested we meet for coffee or something, but Nupur immediately extended an invitation to me to have tea with her in her home. As the date approached she sent me another email and suggested that I select a recipe from her blog for something I'd like to try during my visit. Of course, I had trouble narrowing it down to a single recipe and I wound up listing several that appealed to me. Deep down though, I knew which one I was hoping she'd make - her Batata Vadas, potato fritters with chiles, onions, and many other wonderful flavors. To my delight, the fritters are what Nupur decided to make! I wasn't the only one thrilled at the prospect of eating them - V. was pretty happy as well. He said they reminded him of college where these treats, readily available from street carts, were always just a few steps and a small amount of money away.

Needless to say, the fritters were incredible. Nupur had prepared the potato mixture and the chickpea flour batter ahead of time, but shaped and cooked them as I watched. She made the assembly and frying of the fritters look so easy that I am determined to make them myself, even if it does involve deep fat frying! Nupur also served a couple of other things which I'm afraid I don't have names for. The first was a mixture of rice flakes (sort of like rolled oats, only rice), peanuts and raisins (if I'm remembering right). This was also seasoned with some spices. A very tasty and addictive snack! She also served me a sweet which she characterized as a "dry pudding". It was a sweetened mixture of cream of wheat, nuts, and I'm not sure what else. It was just moist enough so that when lightly pressed into a cup, it held its shape when turned out onto a plate. It was delicious. Finally we had tea - a sweet milky tea with ginger and I think some other spices - yum!

While the food was fantastic, it is the opportunity I had to talk with Nupur and get to know her a little better that I will treasure most. What a kind, generous, and intelligent woman she is! I instantly felt at ease talking with her and really got a kick out of comparing notes with a fellow food blogger. As I was about to leave, Nupur gave me a gift from India - the beautiful bag you see pictured above. Meeting Nupur was a wonderful, wonderful experience.

Mondays with Maida - Palm Beach Pineapple Squares

Page 96 in the old book / page 138 in the new book

These cookies were actually made the week before I left on vacation and I'm afraid my memories of them are dim. I do recall that I wasn't really wowed by them and that they were cakey with neither the chocolate nor pineapple especially pronounced.

For these cookies, you prepare a plain vanilla batter which is divided into two portions. To the larger portion, melted chocolate and walnuts are added, and to the smaller portion, lemon rind and drained pineapple are added. Chocolate and pineapple may seem an odd combination, but in this cookie they are quite compatible.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "Chocolate cake bottom, a yellow cake top and pineapple make this a yummy cookie. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Very good. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Tasty and sweet topping, but not really my cup o' tea. Rating - 2.0"

Phil: "This unusual looking blond on brown layered transplant was not the most inviting among the bar crowd yet the different forms of sweetness seemed to work with a little added moistness from the pineapple. Rating - 3.9"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.5

Next week - Christmas Fruitcake Bars

Nutrition Facts

Mondays without Maida

I'm headed out of town tomorrow morning... I'm making a brief stop in New York (and will get to meet Nupur!!) and from there it's on to Vermont with Bob and Chuck (yay!). I'll be back here on the 19th with the next installment of Mondays with Maida. In the meantime, I leave you with this...

I had a dentist appointment last Monday and didn't get in to the office until close to noon. Meanwhile, Phil and Suzanne came to the conclusion that there would be no cookies that day and Phil sent this out to the cookie panel:

From: Phil
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 10:26 AM
To: Suzanne; Laura; Denny; Terri
Cc: Cathy
Subject: Mondays without Maida


Wondering where that next Monday morning fix will come from?

Feeling confused or irritable? You may have CFS!


Cookie Fatigue Syndrome

How do I know if I might have cookie fatigue syndrome?
If you answer yes to any of the questions listed below, you may have cookie fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is also called cookie fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS).

1. Have you missed your weekly feeding of those Monday with Maida cookies?

2. Are you able to do less than half of what you used to do because you feel tired or cranky?

3. Have you had problems that keep coming back or don't go away with any of the following signs and symptoms?

* Confusion or irritability
* Shakiness followed by a tendency to pace back an forth in your cube
* Trouble with short-term memory or concentration
* Trouble composing meaningful emails or in badgering your coworkers

People with CFS may have other symptoms as well.

What causes cookie fatigue syndrome?
No one is certain about what causes CFS. Although a chemical dependency on large quantities of sugars and fats may be contributory factors. Researchers are still looking for the cause of CFS.

How is cookie fatigue syndrome treated?
The first step is to eat a cookie and preferably several – but not just any cookie. Your doctor will probably want to review your symptoms and medical history, and give you a physical exam. Your doctor may also want to do some blood tests, but lab testing is not often helpful.

Some of the symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, or excessive mumbling can be treated with Maida cookies. Although dose response studies have not yet been completed on the appropriate number of cookies required. So far, there is no other treatment for this chronic condition.

How can I help myself?
* Keep a daily diary to identify times when you have the most energy. Plan your activities for these times.
* Give yourself permission to recognize and express your feelings, such as sadness, anger and frustration. You need to grieve for the energy you have lost.
* Ask for support from family and friends. Look for cookie support groups or counseling in your community.

How can my doctor help?
Your doctor can work with you but only a good long term relationship with a competent cookie chef can really help.

BBM3: Chiara's Package from Mickey Arrives

Hi Cathy,

finally I got my BBM3 from Mickey from Amsterdam! Fabulous, thanks a lot Mickey! She sent everything to celebrate Sinter Klaas (ST. Nicholas feastday): the instructions to celebrate well, Peppernoten (cookies with spices), chocolate letters, almond marzipan, chocolate sinter klaas, spekulass, cinnamon candles and a fantastic cinnamon mustard. But most of all I liked a very dutch magnet. If you want to know all about Sinter Klaas - http://www-astro.physics.ox.ac.uk/~erik/sint/sint.html and on my italian blog http://lacuocapetulante.blogspot.com/2005/12/bbm3-casa-per-le-feste.html

hugs
chiara

BBM3: Nancy's Package from Ruth Arrives

Hi Cathy,

I got my package from Ruth in Philadelphia- thanks Ruth! She sent a few bottles of Olde Philadelphia Ben Franklin Black Cherry Soda, a can of snapper soup from Bookbinders in Philly, some delicious raw Delaware honey (I love this with some hot water and a slice or two of a meyer lemon-yum!), a bag of Herr's chips, and Tastykakes, which apparently are rare here on the west coast. All this AND a jar of home made peach melba jam. Thanks again Ruth, this was so much fun to recieve!

Nancy

Mondays with Maida - Florida Lemon Squares

Page 94 in the old book / page 137 in the new book

OK, these are the cookies Niki made a month or so ago and my pastry mixture did turn out crumbly, so I stand by my theory that it has something to do with the temperature of the butter. After all, it is nearly summer down under and verging on winter in these parts. As I typically do, I started with cold butter. This is due as much to my failure to plan ahead as any method on my part. My mother taught me to take the butter out ahead to soften, but my mixer has a paddle which I've found is capable of creaming cold butter with little difficulty (but with a considerable racket). Of course, I haven't checked with Niki to see if she did soften her butter, so I could be completely wrong.

Most everyone liked these better than last week's cookies. The cookie base was much more interesting - sweet with a higher proportion of dark brown sugar, and nutty with the addition of oatmeal. The filling was equally good and even more lemony than the cream cheese filling of last week. As Niki mentioned and Maida suggests, these are best served cold.

Suzanne: "The best part of the cookie was the crunchy topping. The cookie was too lemony for my taste. To use Phil's word from last week, it was too "puckerable." Rating - 2.5"

Denny: "Very good, crunchy and lemony, but could have used a touch of cream cheese. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Tasty and crunchy... with just the right amount of lemon! Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "Comparable to last week's Florida cream-cheese squares with a slightly thicker crust and tarter filling. As with key lime pie, the tart/sweet contrast really works, although key limes seem to offer the ultimate in pucker. Rating - 4.3"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.7

In two weeks - Palm Beach Pineapple Squares

Nutrition Facts

BBM3: Kim's Package from Stephanie Arrives

There have been some interesting stories behind the scenes at BBM3 central and Kim's was certainly among the most interesting...

Kim was in Albania when BBM3 started, but the situation with the power there got so bad (a severe drought disrupted the operation of hydro power plants resulting in daily blackouts of 4 to 18 hours), that she decided to pay an extended visit to her family in Canada. Unfortunately, Stephanie had already mailed her BBM3 package, so most of the contents will be enjoyed by Kim's husband who is still in Albania.

Hi Cathy!

I can't send a picture because I'm not at home (but I did see the contents via my webcam), so here is the list:

A big bag of various Halloween Candy (Halloween is Stephanie's favourite holiday!)
Halloween Glowsticks
Skull wine goblets (these are so weird! haha!)
A lovely jar of Stephanie's own homemade Lemon Marmalade
A big bag of M & M's
2 CD's of Stephanie's favourite music (I can't wait to listen to these!)
and Flyers from her local shops.

Quite an interesting package and a surprise for me since I just assumed everyone's favourite holiday would be Christmas (silly me!)!

Thanks Stephanie- my hubby will make short order of all the edible goodies I'm sure!

Kim

BBM3: Lauren's Package from Lisa Arrives

Hi Cathy,

I loved everything Lisa sent me. She wrote that she put together a package intended to get me through the stress of the holidays. It got me through one holiday at least--nearly everything is already eaten! She purchased chocolate bars, toffee, holiday-flavored Luna and Cliff bars (always a welcome addition!), plaintain chips, biscotti, apple-cranberry tea and dried cranberries (soon to become rugelach) at Trader Joe's. She also sent a bag and a recipe for her favorite homemade granola, and a recipe for brownies. It was all wonderful--I couldn't have chosen better myself. Here's a picture.

Thanks for organizing!

Lauren