Yesterady, I made the rest of the dough around lunch time, one of the guests was still here and we enjoyed them over a discussion of the financial situation, national and personal. So engrossing was the conversation that I forgot to note how the cookies had changed (and burnt them a little). Our guest is still here this morning and says, “they were airier but more tough, less fresh and, yes, burnt” (thanks for covering for me Jonathan).
Later I went to a friend’s for dinner: miso soup, yucca fries and homemade cayenne mayonnaise. He asked me to bring ingredients for cookies but said that he would supply the butter and egg. After we had done with the savories, I unpacked my mobile cookie unit and set to work. When it came time for the eggs he asked if I could use the whites he had separated from the yolks to make the mayonnaise. I thought I remembered Cookie Couture telling me she uses only whites so I decided to experiment, but after I had combined two eggs worth with the butter and sugar Aurora reminded me that it was the yolks she uses. But it was too late to turn back, I added chopped dark chocolate, coconut, walnuts, oats and I dropped smaller than usual cookies to keep with my Couture theme. After a few minutes in the oven it looked like they were going to spread out into a flat mess — my friend reminded me that the emulsifying proteins are in the yolks, whatever that means — BUT when I looked a little later they had puffed up and looked right. The result, pale and soft, were a big hit there and at the bar later. I got into a discussion with a guy over them and he said his friend is a baker and might be looking for a cookie person. Business continues.
Meanwhile, Stewart is haunting our home town, he and David sent me the video below.
