If you've been looking for the perfect gingersnap recipe for this holiday season, look no further.
How did I find such perfection? Let me give you some background info.
I spent last weekend in Nashville visiting my dear friend Emily. The origin of our friendship is a funny story indeed (the high school crush I had on her brother was, um, not subtle...let's leave it at that), and I'm continually grateful for the handpicked, God-ordained reasons why we continue to be friends. For one, we love books. Give us fiction, non-fiction, C.S. Lewis and Walt Whitman and you will see quite the smile of captivated contentment on our faces. See, Emily and I are the types who will gladly spend hours in an antique bookstore marveling over the authors, the book spines, the strangely appealing smell of old pages. Most people don't have interest in such an activity, but for us, it's an adventure. Having taught together, she and I geuinely admire literature. We like to plumb its depths, compare our perspectives, and engage in a friendly debate over what the author is really saying. I know, sounds very English nerdy. And I guess it is. And we're not apologizing.
On a less brainy note, Emily and I also love ginger, particularly in the form of gingersnaps. When I arrived at her house last Thursday night post a lovely dinner at Park Cafe (if you are ever in Nashville, you MUST eat at this quaint neighborhood restaurant...the food is divine), she offered me one of the best cookies I have ever tasted. Unlike the typical gingersnap which is dry and crunchy with an overpowering ginger flavor, this one was soft and not overwhelmingly gingered (is that a word? "gingered"?). After taking my first bite and savoring this cookie's perfection, I had to get the recipe. Emily promptly showed me the Taste of Home app on her iPhone which I then downloaded from the Android market (the app is free, and even if you just download it for this recipe, you will be glad you did). I marked the recipe as a favorite and vowed to make it when I returned home to Raleigh. In the meantime, I ate about three cookies each morning for breakfast. Why not? Cookies are great breakfast food, especially with a cup of Caffe Verona (cinnamon-enhanced, thanks to Emily).
I made good on my word and whipped up a batch of the gingersnaps to serve to my small group on Monday night. In addition to the cookie tasting so darn good, it also sparkles. I love it when food is tasty and stylish.
And for all of my fellow bibliophiles out there, if you're in the Nashville area and you want to experience one of the most amazing bookstores with that intoxicating old page smell, go to Yeoman's in the Fork. Be sure to take a seat on the bench outside so you can have your picture taken with Ben.
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