The Zoo over Ambuscade Street

Ever want to know what store clerks really think of you? Having been one myself...no, no you really don't. For the most part.

The biscotti are done, and damn but they were finicky! I need to remember to not try to bake the two logs on the same cookie sheet next time - they fit, but cutting the slices and getting them to lay flat without falling apart is...not easy. To say the least.

And...I HAVE A DREAM! Some will call it silly, nay, even frivolous, but nonetheless, it is my dream! That dream is to be able to walk into a grocery store some day, any grocery store, and, just like I can purchase butter in sticks or shortening in bars, both with convenient measuring notches, I will be able to purchase peanut butter in handy, pre-measured bars. Because damn but I hate spooning that stuff into measuring cups and then trying to get it all back out again.

The peanut butter cookie dough is chilling, and will be finished within an hour. The Ginger Creme and Chocolate Frosted Jumbo recipes are...MIA. I don't know where the sheet I printed them on went to. So...probably the gingerbread scones this afternoon, once Erik gets up to help. And I'm glad I didn't purchase any more molassas, because I have four jars of the stuff in my pantry. Apparently, I've bought a bottle every time I wanted to bake something that required it, not realizing that I already had some. And a little molassas goes a long way. Maybe I'll try molassas candy, just to use some of it up!

Things That Piss Me Off #89,291,583,709.2:

-Watching the mail get delivered, only to find a pink "Sorry! We Missed You!" package delivery slip in the mailbox. Grrr....

Wow. Several people saying several different and unrelated things in different places have made the internet rather unpalatable for me today. I guess my stupid tolerance is lower than normal.

I think I'll go read, instead...I could make those scones, but Erik had to work after all, and it gets really difficult to keep the kitchen semi-clean because you have to knead the dough, and it's very, very sticky and messy dough.

Since starting my baking, I've used seventeen out of the eighteen eggs I bought. I've used ten sticks of butter (the real stuff), an entire bag of flour, half a bag of sugar, nearly an entire bag of brown sugar, and a godawful amount of chocolate, spices, and decorative things.

And I have two batches of cookies left to go.

My scones are...passable. They taste just as good as I remember, but they're rather less pretty - probably because of the lack of an assistant with hands not caked in gingerbread dough. Sorry guys! I assure you that, fugly or not, the taste is quite, quite good. This, however, is why I don't work in a bakery.

And speaking of bakeries, if anyone happens to be around downtown Fredericksburg this Saturday, December 10, I'll be in the general viscinity of Eileen's at the Chimneys from 8AM to 5PM in garb for the Virginia Renaissance Faire Appreciation Day, in garb - and if you take pictures, I can't prevent you from putting them online. ^_^ Stop in and visit me!

(*Makes a note to order a dozen of Eileen's fabulous cranberry and sugar cookie scones*)