It Feels Like A Cookie Day

My little fake 3’ Christmas tree is standing proudly on a table by the window, sporting the tiniest ornaments I have. The front door is hung with a real evergreen wreath and I’ve displayed most of my candles and other accoutrements of the holidays, at least for now. I may trundle down another box from the garage shelf. Or not. Next year I might get brave and have a real tree again. All the years I have lived here I just didn’t want the bother with the mess and last year I when I got a kitten, I was afraid Hobbes would bring the whole thing crashing down. So once again, Tiny Tree is holding forth.
One holiday tradition I never miss is making cookies. I love to make Christmas cookies. This year I will make our classics: Russian Tea Cakes, Thumbprint Cookies, Lemon Bars, and Molasses Crinkles, all recipes from the 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook; but my favorites are Pizzelles, the Italian Christmas cookie. Light, crispy, and not too sweet, these delicate rounds are perfect for snacking and giving away as gifts.

Thumbprint cookies

Russian Teacakes

 A few years ago, about this time of year, I gathered up a pile of clothing, some knickknacks I was tired of and the old waffle iron that belonged to my mother. It was just gathering dust up in the cupboard. I hauled the loot down to the local thrift shop and dropped it off, feeling quite self satisfied. One persons’ junk is another one’s treasure, and so on.

Mom's old waffle iron (or so I thought)

The very next day I was dreaming about the wonderful Pizzelles, that my mother always made every Christmas. Even though she was Welsh and Scottish, she loved making those Italian cookies. I wondered what had happened to her Pizzelle Iron. I even looked at some ads online to see what they cost these days. I called my sister.
    “Whatever happened to Mom’s old Pizzelle maker?” I asked her.
    “You have it,” she said.
    “What? No, I don’t.
    “Yes, you do. You know that old waffle iron of Mom’s?”
    “Yeah,” I answered with a sinking feeling in my stomach.
    “Well, those waffle plates can be removed, you know, and flipped over. Voila! Pizzelle maker.”   
    “Oh no,” I groaned. “I just gave it to the thrift store.
    “Oops,” she said.
 I called the thrift store, told them my story.
     “Why, you come on back down here and get the waffle iron,” said the lady on the other end of the telephone. “We’ll hold it aside for you. Thank heavens we hadn’t put it out for sale yet.”
    “Thank you so much,” I said.

Voila! Pizzelle Iron

Sure enough, when I got it home and flipped the waffle plates over there was the lovely circular, intricate Pizzelle design plate and on the handle of the iron, a recipe for Pizzelles! Strange, I never noticed that before!
From that Christmas on, I have made those light-as-air Italian confections for my family and friends. This year is no exception. I will not be using my mother’s recipe however, as it makes hundreds of cookies. Instead, I will use the recipe that is on the handle of the waffle iron. There goes the timer. Time to bake another set of Pizzelles. 

 Pizzelles

3 eggs, beaten                1 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar                1 teaspoon anise seeds (Optional)
3/4 cup butter, melted            1 teaspoon sesame seeds (Optional)
1-1/2 cup flour              
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp vanilla                      

Beat the eggs well and add the sugar, melted butter and mix well. Add the flour and baking powder, about a third of the flour at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest and/or anise seeds or sesame seeds. (Traditional Italian cookies have anise seeds)

Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of batter onto each side of the Pizzelle iron. Close and bake for about one minute. Use a timer. They bake fast! Cool on a flat wire rack. Makes about two dozen.