Holiday Treats

Never have been a baker but when the holiday season comes around the baking sheets come out and the electrix mixer gets whirring. The assorment I made included:

* Coconut Cranberry Macaroons* The sweetness of coconut was balanced by the tart cranberries and a little orange zest (left). Recipe from "Food Network" found here.

*Chocolate Chunk Shortbread* my coworker described them as the "cookie of another time" Buttery and crisp with bittersweet chocolate. Made a vegan version too.

Recipe from the Boston Globe found here.

* Salty Oatmeal Raisin* I need my oatmeal raisin cookies to be BIG and chewy. I also wanted a kick of salt in the mix, inspired by Salty Oats made by Kayak Cookies.

Recipe based on recipe from this blog.

*Chocolate Pretzel Balls* Crunchy pretzel covered with caramel dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with chopped almonds. Tried a batch with Snyder's garlic-flavored nuggets - oh boy!

Based on a recipe in the December isssue of Rachel Ray's Everyday magazine.

Vegan "Cheese"

Suanne and I are very similar but one thing keeps our worlds apart: CHEESE.

She's a vegan. Whereas I sample, describe, and sell cheese on a daily basis.

Her latest culinary experiment was vegan cheese, which made me question the definition of "cheese" altogether:

All ingredients or terminology applicable in the cheese world (e.g rennet, rind, MILK) had no place in the recipes for these were nut- or tofu-based creations.

She made three molded rounds: an herbed one, a brie and a smoked gouda. All types were nut- or tofu-based, which steers away from the main component of any type of cheese, milk. All three were tasty (the "brie" being the favorite among most) but I don't think I could call them cheese, maybe pate of sorts? Though I suppose that would be a slap in the face to a person who abstains from all animal products, nevertheless spreadable animal organs.