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I drove to work this morning, a bit frantic, but thinking hard about how to add interest, relevance and snappy repartee to a Pumpkin Spice cookie recipe. My attention span, already compromised by my advanced years and bad behavior in my youth, was quickly distracted by a news story on the radio. In an Emergency Special Session, the U.N. General Assembly voted on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution was overwhelmingly supported by the member nations. The vote was 158 to 9 or something like that. Among the countries voting ‘No’ was the United States. My country, our country. I learned that 45,000 people have been killed in Gaza. Seventy percent are women and children. Ninety percent of Gazans live in tents. One ambassador to the U.N. speaking to the assembly said that “Gaza doesn’t exist anymore”. It has been destroyed”. I pulled to the side of the road and sent a text to my wife, my son and a couple of close friends offering what I had just learned. This was not something I would normally do. As we march towards Christmas and Hanukkah and turn our attention to the new year, I am like a lot of people, as prone to sadness as I am to joy. Sometimes and only sometimes, it’s hard to be in the world celebrating peace on earth, goodwill towards all and Gods miracles, when so many people are struggling to find hope, dignity and a way to carry on. My cynicism generally provides me with a comfortable distance from the affairs of the world. My circumstances and the opportunities I have been gifted have given me shelter from the storm. My heart is calloused, it must be in this world, but I’m not dead yet and human suffering on the level described in Gaza made it impossible for me to think clearly, let alone choose ‘stocking-stuffers’ or write a cookie recipe.
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My son Louis joined me for dinner at the restaurant tonight. We sat at the bar and talked about the day’s events. Louis ate Pasta Puttanesca and gingerbread for dessert. We serve our gingerbread warm, with whipped mascarpone and a salted caramel sauce. It’s crazy good (see photo above). We were finishing dinner, when a table of four walked towards us from the dining room. I noticed that one of the four guests was a teenage boy. He was walking but supporting himself by holding onto a young man just ahead of him. His gait was strained, and he seemed shaky, uncoordinated. I noticed this but looked away as they walked past. In the next moment, a woman, his mother, approaches me, asks if I am Howie and tells me that her young son suffered a terrible stroke. Life threatening. He is being treated at Stanford hospital and making a miraculous recovery. She apologizes for crying as she tells me that they come as a family to the restaurant whenever he is being treated. The food and the warm hospitality they receive make their otherwise dark day a little brighter. Something to look forward to, she says. I tell her how sorry I am and put my hand in front of my heart as I thank her for her kind works. We hug. As she walks to the door, I run to the pantry and put a few Pumpkin Spice cookies in a brown paper bag. The woman was already in the parking lot as I handed them to her. “A little something sweet”, I say, “Merry Christmas”. She takes a long last look at me and smiles big as day. |
There’s a moral to this story. Today I learned that a simple act of kindness can change a life. That’s an important lesson for sure, but honestly, I’ve been taught that lesson many times before. This was just a much need refresher course. Maybe this time it will stick. When I consider this day overall, with its trials and small triumphs, I wonder what have I really learned? When I think about how much the world has turned since I woke up this morning, I wonder how my actions have caused or relieved suffering, my own and others. Today I discovered that what I do for a living is not any more or less important than what anyone does for a living. In one’s work, one finds themself. Happy Holidays to you all, Peace on Earth |
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Yields 14 cookies
448 g Butter, browned, room temp
475 g Light brown sugar
150 g Sugar
65 g Egg yolks
2 tbl Vanilla Extract
175 g Pumpkin Puree, canned
775 g All Purpose flour
3 ½ tbl Pumpkin Pie Spice (recipe follows)
2 tbl Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
¾ tbl Salt
Written Instructions are below the video.
Watch the Video Tutorial Below on how to make the Cookies!
Brown the Butter (see video). Cool to room temperature.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, work the brown butter and the sugars until combined.
Add egg yolks and vanilla. Combine.
Add pumpkin puree. Combine
Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, spice mix, soda, baking powder and salt).
Add dry ingredients to the mixer bowl all at once. Combine (carefully).
Finish working dough by hand, taking care to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
Use a number 8 (Grey) Scoop to portion cookies into round balls. Flat Bottom Scoop. Without a scoop, scale dough into 140 grams portions. Roll into a ball.
Prepare a standard half sheet pan (13 x 18) with bakers’ parchment.
Place 6 cookies (2 x3) on lined sheet pan.
Press the cookies with flat hand into round pucks.
Sprinkle pucks liberally with Spiced Sugar (recipe follows).
Refrigerate or freeze at this point if you prefer. Thaw before baking.
Bake at 350° F for 17 minutes.
Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough
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