This is my space to share my quest to collect as many broken branches as I can in my fractured family tree which resembles a bramble bush more then a proper tree. As I go forward in this blogging journey I hope to share how I have searched far & wide for family - with no regard for where they come from or if I should really want them.
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

You Wouldn't Believe It ~ He Used the Wrong Shortbread Recipe

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2023: Week 50 (YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT)


Last week I wrote about my mother's shortbread cookies explaining that I loved them because they were wrapped in childhood memory and love, but they weren't actually good cookies. 

When Chris offered to bake my mom's shortbread cookies for me, the first Christmas after she died, I asked him to make whipped shortbread instead because they were better.

In the years since he has become our annual baker of perfect shortbread cookies. 

Every year our Christmas Butter Budget grows as he includes more and more in his list of shortbread cookie recipients. 

I noticed he was digging his recipe card out of the box this week when he asked me to add butter to my grocery list since he only had enough butter for one batch. 

This wasn't a problem though since he was making the first batch for his next day meeting at work. 

He said he had shared in a meeting earlier that day that he was a shortbread master and promised cookies. 

That evening he proudly presented me a cookie ...


I took a bite ... 

He watched my face, and said 'maybe it's because I flattened them" after a pause he said 'I've never had to flatten them before'.

I asked if he used my mother's recipe. 

He said he used the recipe he always uses.

I found the recipe card he used on the counter, and couldn't believe it - he used my mom's recipe.

I had known he used my mother's recipe the moment the cookie hit my teeth - I recognized the texture & flavour. 

The only thing missing was the dried fruit.

He stood at the counter looking at all the cookies that were not brag worthy to take to his meeting the next day looking sad. 

About an hour later he dashed to the grocery store for butter & left it overnight to soften.

He got up early in the morning to make a fresh batch of cookies for his meeting. 


His reputation as a master shortbread cookie maker was protected!

There is a part of my that believes my mom was a part of ensuring her annual shortbread cookie present arrived this first Christmas without Grandma. 


Remembering my mom via awful cookies!!! 



This is why I search - 


Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!







***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***




Photos:

Personal


Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/



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