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Extended Holiday Hours:
Open Mondays
until January 3rd
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Ken's Notes:
|  Christmas cookies always bring happy memories back to me, but not like you might think. I grew up the oldest of eight in a relatively frugal household. Treats were rare, and on the special occasion when my Grandmother made donuts they would be eaten as fast as she could make them - there were never leftovers.
I remember making cookies at Christmas time as a child, but it was never a big part of the holidays. To this day, the one treat that gets my siblings excited is a big box of Maurice Lenell cookies, preferably broken ones from the Chicago factory. Outlet shopping was a way to save money and Lenell had a factory outlet where you could buy seconds. But the best part of those excursions into the city was watching them make the cookies through the windows in the store. As kids we were fascinated with the process, and the end result! To this day, my Mother still manages to pull out a big box of Lenell cookies during the holidays. I'm not sure if she realizes what a tradition they've become in our family or if she's still being frugal, but I don't care. Just show me the cookies!
Extended Holiday Hours: We're now open on Mondays until January 3rd.
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Cooking Classes at The Cook's Shop!
|  Christmas Goodies - Monday, Dec 6, 2010 - 6:30 pm, $35. Sold Out!
Entertaining Right - Make Ahead Appetizers - Friday, Dec 10, 2010 - 6:30 pm, $40. Sold Out! (Please note that this date has changed from the 11th to the 10th).
Breads In Under An Hour - Monday, Dec 13, 2010 - 6:30 pm, $30. Sold Out!
Healthy New Year, Lo-Cal and Easy - Saturday, Jan 8, 2011 - 6:30 pm, $40. John Murphy - Culinary arts teacher, Barry Tech, Nassau County, NY. Currently waiting on John for menu details. Class is limited to 15.
Cake Decorating 102 - Monday, Jan 10, 2011 - 6:30 pm, $40
David McIntyre - Baker, The Little Stir Bakery, Vienna, WV. Building on our earlier Cake Decorating 101 Class, David will cover more advanced decorating techniques including flowers, fancy borders and edging. Each student will get their own icing bag and a few tips to keep. Class is limited to 12.
Cooking With Chantal Copper Fusion Cookware - Saturday, Jan 22, 2011 - 1:00 pm, $50
Deb Jech - Factory Representative, Chef for Chantal Cookware . The Chantal Copper Fusion line is a solid copper cookware with an enamel inner and outer coating. The heat is beautifully diffused all the way up the sides while cooking, using lower, more controlled heat. Learn the basics about this cookware from an expert chef and go home with your very own 8" Chantal Copper Fusion Fry Pan, a $60 value! Chef Deb will teach you to made Chicken Saltimbocca with Artichoke Sauce, Pan-Seared Asparagus, Roasted Vegetable and Fresh Ricotta Sandwiches and a Warm Chocolate Cheesecake. Class is limited to 15.
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| Cookie Craft Christmas, Dozens of Decorating Ideas for a Sweet Holiday by Valerie Peterson & Janice Fryer. Published by Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA. Copyright 2009. |  |
This charming little book provides large inspiration for the holiday baking season. Its petite size (about 6" x 6.5", hardcover) belies the wealth of information and ideas contained within. The authors share their expertise and passion for well-decorated cookies beginning with several excellent dough recipes that produce a perfect cookie canvas. From there, we are treated to a primer on royal icing and icing techniques. With these basics firmly grasped, dozens of cookie decorations and patterns are presented. Plain circles suddenly turn into a lovely portrait of Mrs. Claus, or glittering ornaments. This book, along with a rolling pin and a few cookie cutters would make a great start to a cookie baking gift kit. We enjoyed baking from this book well enough to invest in their first book, "Cookie Craft," which covers a year's worth of holidays and special occasions.
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Rolled Sugar Cookies
as Holiday Cookie Tree
View & Print
This dough turns out terrific sugar cookies. The texture is very cooperative during mixing, rolling, and cutting. The dough accepts different flavorings and colors easily. Chill before baking, and the cutouts hold their shape very well. The result is a stack of perfect cookie canvases ready for decorating. Of course, the real test is how the cookie tastes - they taste very good! |  | Two Icings: Glazing Icing and Royal Icing
View & Print
Working with icing is a bit of an art form. These recipes offer a successful starting place for beginning the craft of cookie decorating. With either icing, mix two consistencies - a stiff one for piping outlines, and a more fluid one for flooding the shapes. The glazing icing remains shiny when dry, while the royal icing dries quickly with a more satin finish. |  | Rolled Gingerbread Cookies
as Gingerbread Snowflakes
View & Print
As the authors note, this cookie dough has a mild gingerbread flavor with just the right amount of spice. The dough handles easily through all the handling steps, and well-chilled cutouts hold their shape nicely once baked. Snowflake shapes in gingerbread dough are piped with vanilla-flavored frosting and sprinkled with sanding sugar while still wet. | 
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Recipes from Cookie Craft Christmas, Dozens of Decorating Ideas for a Sweet Holiday by Valerie Peterson & Janice Fryer through permission of Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
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| Unleash your inner artist on some edible masterpieces, and share them with someone special this holiday season! |
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