My Cookie, My Love

My brother and I were talking the other day, still disbelieving that our Mom is gone, even though it's been a year now. Somehow, the subject of her cookie cutter collection came up. I have some of them now, but I never really tried to match her talent with pastries. When it comes to cookies, pies, and cakes, she was an artistic genius. Her standard always seemed impossible to live up to before, but in talking to Jonathan about those memories, I was struck by an overwhelming desire to make something beautiful.

There was a bit of a learning curve to overcome with the particular type of cookie I set out to make, but it was soon a family affair, with all the kids joining in, and James coming by to do occasional taste tests. The kitchen was a complete sticky disaster. My royal icing was way too fluffy and took days to dry. My piping hand was less than steady. But we had hours of fun, everyone's designs were so creative, and yes, they were things of beauty (it's in the eye of the beholder, after all)...