Love

I treasure this tattered photograph of a young woman in summer dress, leaning against the rocks on the shore, her Kodak Brownie at the ready, gazing into the future. The location was her future mother-in-law's cottage.  The day was her 20th birthday, a warm day in late May 1921.  The young man who took the photograph would become her husband two years later.  They were my grandparents.  Sixty-seven years later, he still carried this photograph in his wallet, and as my grandmother was pleased to point out, never forgot Valentine's day.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Proust Bite: Teatime at My Grandparent's.

My grandparents, a convivial couple, were of an era that would be at home to friends who might drop by in the late afternoon.  It was a rare day that there was not a visitor, or two, or three, who had wandered by at tea time for gossip and conversation.  Simple treats were always at the ready for these unannounced visitors.  One of the best were these wafer thin lace cookies, kept in an old fashioned tin to keep them dry and crisp

The bottoms of these cookies are very shiny from the caramelization of butter and sugar, and my grandfather loved to remind novice visitors to be sure to 'peel off the wax paper' before taking a bite, and derived almost sadistic enjoyment from watching the hapless souls try.

I've compared this recipe with others, and most lace cookies recipes seem to involve corn syrup.  These do not, and I think they're better for it, sugary and crisp.  They can also be tarted up with chopped nuts, dipped in chocolate (Pepperidge Farm Brussels cookies anyone?)

Lace Cookies:

Melt 1 Stick butter in saucepan
Add 1 Cup Sugar
        1 Cup rolled oats
        1/4 tsp. salt
        2 heaping tbs. flour
        1/4 tsp. baking powder
        1 tsp. vanilla or other flavoring
Mix well, and beat in:
        1 egg

Line cookie sheet with foil
Drop 1/2 tsp. of batter for each cookie
Bake 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes, watching carefully
Cool thoroughly on foil.  When cool, peel off foil.

Makes 3 dozen.