Showing posts with label Cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cookies. Show all posts

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Easter Helpers / Ayudantes de Pascua



I 'd dreamt of elves in my kitchen many a time, cutting, and baking and piling and stacking away cookies I'd carefully and dedicatedly decorated, but never did I imagine they would show up at Easter...
They arrived, the three of them a week before Good Friday and I was late to pick them up. I got to Sants train station and there they were together, ligthly packed and trendy looking on the arrival of their first ever trip as an indepedent group.
Habia soñado con elfos en mi cocina mas de una vez, cortando, horneando, apilando y despachando las galletas que yo habría decorado cuidadosa y dedicadamente, pero nunca imaginé que llegarían en Semana Santa.
Llegaron, los tres , una semana antes de Viernes Santo y para variar yo iba tarde a recogerlos. Llegué a la Estación de Sants y ahí estaban, juntitos, ligeros de equipaje y con look trendy en lo que era la llegada de su primer viaje como grupo independiente.


 Welcome ! / Bienvenidos!

                                                                                                                            
The first day was dedicated to Las Ramblas, and a must visit to La Boqueria Market www.boqueria.info where the eldest took shots of the mouth watering fruit, different kinds of nuts and all sorts of sweet edible goodies. 
 El primer dia fue dedicado a Las Ramblas y la visita obligatoria al Mercado de la Boquería www.boqueria.info  donde el mayor disparó hacia las suculentas frutas , la variedad de frutos secos y todo tipo de delicias dulces y comestibles.


Back on the Ramblas where I had found my own little goody-spot on the way to La Boqueria, I made a stop. Here, the attraction the object of my new interest/hobby exerts on me, ran wild and I began getting one of each...but before I get carried away let's just make a note that this shall have a post of its own in the near future. There was also a visit to "Titanic the Exhibition" which added another hour to our already overwalked day, and then... we collapsed.
De regreso a las Ramblas donde camino a la Boquería ya había encotrado un lugar de deseo propio, hice un stop. Aquí la atracción que sobre mi ejerce el objeto de mi último interés/hobby se desbocó y comencé a coger uno de cada...pero antes de que me desvíe, hagamos una anotación para hacer una entrada al respecto en un futuro cercano. También hubo una visita a "Titanic the Exhibition" que añadió otra hora a nuestra ya "sobre-caminado" dia, y luego...colapsamos.

The next morning I treated my honorable guests to a crêpe breakfast on the terrace.

La mañana siguiente serví a mis honorables invitados un desayuno de crêpes en la terraza.
 

It was lovely to see them rejoice in the dripping and pouring of the many high calorie accompaniments I 'd served them with...in total ignorance of the trek up to Montjuic Castle that awaited them.
Fue encantador ver cómo se regocijaban vertiendo y chorreando los diferentes e hipercalóricos acompañamientos con los que los había provisto ... en total desconocimiento de la subida al Castillo de Montjuic que les esperaba.

The later walk around the Gothic Quarter with goodies of its own , hoped to bring gargoyles as well as this specific time in history and the eldest of the elves to a better start which I'm not sure occured. What we all did agree on that night was the need for something yummy to munch on as we watched a movie so I headed to the kitchen and did my 360 degree turn I usually do when in need of incoming inspiration from the ingredients on display...apples ! Apple pie ? Yes.
La posterior caminata alrededor del barrio Gótico y sus delicias propias, esperaba traer las gárgolas asi como este momento de la historia y el mayor de los elfos a un mejor y mas cercano inicio de relación, el cual no estoy segura ocurrió. En lo que sí estuvimos de acuerdo todos esa  noche, fue la necesidad de tener algo rico que saborear mientras miráramos una peli asi que me dirigí a la cocina y llevé a cabo mi giro 360 que suelo hacer cuando necesito inspiración proveniente de los ingredientes a la vista...manzanas ! Pastel de Manzana ?  Sí.


All of a sudden there were 8 busy hands where there usually were 2 .   I spoke and they made it happen. 
Y de pronto había 8 manos ocupadas donde normalmente había 2. Ýo hablaba y ellos hacían que sucediera.

Anyone who loves to work in the kitchen can understand what I mean. Times had been reduced by more than half. Not only the cooking in itself but the cleaning up the mess. Magic - elves in my kitchen.
Cualquiera que ame trabajar en la cocina, puede entender a lo que me refiero. Los tiempos se habían reducido a mas de la mitad. No sólo al cocinar propiamente dicho sino en la parte en la que hay que limpiar todo el desastre! Magia - elfos en mi cocina.

I had the impression they had actually enjoyed it. Like with most impressions derived from teenage behavior, the odds are you're probably wrong.
Tuve la impresión de que en realidad incluso lo habían disfrutado. Como con la mayoria de las impresiones derivadas del comportamiento adolescente, las probabilidades son que posiblemente estés equivocado

The next day we headed to our planned Girls' Shopping Day downtown and of course there was posing, street photoshooting, drinks and all that goes with it. Except for a stop at a store where one of them asked what some tiny spoon shaped chocolate silicone molds were and which of course I got her, for once I was doing very little of this activity myself ( I have to say I've developed a new kind of respect for male shopping companions). However on the way back from lunch I mentioned my intention to stop at a bookstore www.happybooks.com  I love which lately has not only increased their stock of cookbooks but have opened a little baking utensil area. Here's where I confirmed my suspicions - the elves had been struck, charmed, converted.
Al día sigueinte nos dirigimos a nuestro planificado Dia de Shopping de Chicas en el centro y por supuesto hubo posados, sesión de fotografía, bebidas y todo lo que acompaña. Excepto por una tienda donde una de ellas sntió curiosidad por unos moldes en forma de cucharitas para chocolate y que por supuesto le regalé, por una vez no era precisamente yo quien estaba llevando a cabo las compras (debo decir que he desarrollado un nuevo y profundo respeto por los shopping-acompañantes masculinos). Sin embargo, de regreso del almuerzo mencioné mi intención de parar en una librería que me encanta www.happybooks.com y que ultimamente no sólo ha incrementado su stock de libros de cocina sino que ha abierto una pequeña área de utensilios de reposteria. Aquí es donde mis sospechas se confirmaron-los elfos habían sido golpeados, encantados, convertidos.

They touched and explored each and every chocolate melting set, madeleine kit and cupcake book . The latter courtesy of La Marquise, and another cookie recipe book they purchased themselves - speechless.
Tocaban y exploraban cada set de moldes para chocolate , kit para magdalenas y libro de cupcakes que podían encontrar. Este último cortesía de La Marquise, y otro que se compraron ellas mismas - sin palabras.

Among the many activities I had planned for them, one was a Baking Workshop (Easter Cookie Themed)which I had initially envisioned as me in the kitchen and they watching TV, but after the recent course of events I realized it was my opportunity to put these elves down to work!
Entre las muchas actividades que había planificado para ellas, una era Taller de Repostería (de tema galletas de Pascua) que inicialmente visioné como yo en la cocina y ellas mirando TV, pero que después del reciente curso de acontecimientos, me di cuenta era mi oportunidad de poner a estos elfos a trabajar!


          
                   
I snapped  my fingers...and this is more or less what happened /Chasquée los dedos y esto es mas o menos lo que sucedió 




 The masters of Royal Icing  / Las Maestras del Glacé Real


and here a couple of the ones I managed to save from their voracious little hands and decorate myself
y aquí unas poquitas que logré rescatar de su voraces manitos y decorar yo







Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Baby and the Cookies

It probably wasn't until a month before the due date that we were able to tell our friend was soon a mother going to be.......the truth is she looked so great we had no need to alter our social schedule whatsoever and so the  three of us and the guys kept the BBQ's, lunches, dinners, morning coffees and cocktail nights coming...

The odds of course suggested it would be at one of these lovely encounters that baby M was to make his appearance...and that J and I (picture obsessive) would document it of course


I even recall a clothes & cosmetics shopping marathon I was not able to join the girls for ,  and which i was sure would have an exquisite shoe shop to be the scenery... but it wasn't...


 

Fortunately baby M arrived as planned and gave me time enough to bake his mom these cookies















When we arrived at the hospital  J2 ( there's 3 J's ) couldn't believe she looked ready to go shopping again!


It took her a minute to make the cookies disappear...  and half to look her amazing self again!





Welcome Marcos!



Thursday, June 16, 2011

Butter Walnut Cookies



I was on the other side of the room when the phone rang. The paralyzing ring...I stood immobile only my head turned round in the direction of Bell's element of morning torture. I stood immobile... a chill ran down my spine as everything went into a Hitchcock black and white mode...would it be the squeaky voice that had tried to persuade me down the 200 TV channel lane? the sinister gas company "converters"? I 'd already refused to change my air conditioning, and answer any surveys, so "who could it beeee nowww?"
I  shyly approached the phone(they weren't giving up) to take a peek at the incoming number, I mean after all they couldn't see me... right?
I picked up...  RELIEF -  it was a friend in need. She began to speak... (did I say  relief?) After three minutes of chat it became clear that "having something sweet would make her feel sooooo much better" and as i tried to find solutions to the topic of our conversation...she pointed out she really wouldn't take that long to get to my place, "after all, these conversations are much more productive in person"... I kinda got the hint...

After all, cookies hadn't been on the menu for a while...and here's why you should always have this easy as can be Slice & Bake cookie dough in your fridge




How to ?
Beat
1 cup of butter and1/2 cup of sugar
Add 1/2 cup powder sugar, and a pinch of salt
Kkeep beating
Add 2 egg yolks  and then mix in 1 1/2 cups of flour
If the dough gets too hard you can  finish mixing with a spoon, add chopped walnuts
Divide dough and shape into logs, chill in plastic wrap for 3 hours min in refrigerator
You can roll them in sugar before you slice and bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly brown



to help a friend in need...
Enjoy!


Monday, May 31, 2010

Spring Treats I



I've been tempted to make a "springy " post for a while now and since it's been sunny for a few days in a row here it goes / He estado tentada de hacer una entrada primaveral por un tiempo y ya que lleva soleado variso días seguidos, ahi va



Spring Bouquet






Daisy Cookies / Galletas Margarita









Butterflies... in your stomach...literally !
Marposas ... en tu estómago...literalmente !




















Spring Baskets
Canastas de Primavera




a tisket a tastket, a green and yellow ...well , a purple yellow basket!


Monday, February 8, 2010

Saint Valentine's Cookies & Cupcakes / Cupcakes y Galletas de San Valentín

LES COOKIES

Cookies in Red

 
or Pink...





Cookies by the dozens... 



for friends or for lovers




Cookies are fine, but Cupcakes Divine...







Cupcake Trio ...



Cupcake Swirl

 

Cupcake Crowd