Holiday Cookie Exchange

National Cookie Day, December 4th, just passed and I went to my first Holiday Cookie Exchange that same day. Those cookie swaps vary in detail and in baking skill, but the general idea is that each person bakes enough cookies for each guest to have one from each baker. So if 24 people were invited, as in my cookie swap the other day, each person bakes 24 of the same cookie, one for each to try. The host provides some wine and other refreshments and appetizers. The guests are encouraged to bring the same too, since most people don't actually eat the cookies at the swap.

I went wearing my ugly Christmas T shirt and armed with coconut cookies. There were some interesting cookies, some looked delicious and others not so much. I'll try them as time does by but the simple cranberry slice cookie, the peppermint chocolate cookie and date bars look good enough to motivate me to try a recipe for each of those. No, there weren't 24 versions of the chocolate chip cookie there. The attended has to inform the host ahead of time what the selection to be brought will be. One need only ask the baker for the recipe or try another version of it. The swap does induce the attended to bake more at Christmas time, a worthy and therapeutic endeavor.

These swaps usually introduce the baker/attendee to new people and interesting conversation (unrelated to baking). I think the relaxed atmosphere of cookie and Christmas time are a great combo. Too, the exchange is a fun sharing and not a baking competition and the conversation is not threatening, as in political talk. Rather, it's delightfully innocuous. Who but a Scrooge could dislike cookies and Christmas?  Of the 24 in attendance at the cookie swap, I was one of only 6 men there. Does that mean that men only eat, not bake cookies? Anyway, I have quite a few of the cookies that I took home packaged and put into the freezer for later consumption.  I want to sample each when fresh (and thawed from the freezer), not stale.

Having written all of this I have to say that I still can't decide which type of cookie is my favorite.