Holiday Cookies - so many memories

Okay - now I'm thinking cookies. I bought four pounds of butter today. What can I say? It's a start.

The cookies all have memories attached.

Gingersnaps - made with butter. The recipe says: might as well double. This is my brother's favorite.

Shortbread - Grandma T's recipe. A Cream of Tartar cookie. Rolled out with Grandma D's rolling pin, these are crisp and delicious, often encrusted with impossible colors of frosting. We have a little Scottie dog cookie cutter (Roosevelt era) that is excellent, and makes a nice sized cookie especially when frosted with blue icing.

Rugelach - a recipe my neighbor brought to us. Sour cherry. Worth all the work.

Sugar cookies - Mrs. Juel's recipe, clearly doubled makes millions of cookies. Another Cream of Tartar recipe. There is a certain taste to them that is irresistible and I love them when they are slightly over baked.

Thumb prints (Sonja Heine cookies is what Grandma D always called them) Basically shortbread balls rolled in pecans, pressed as they come out of the oven. Serve with a blob of tart jelly - red currant, plum. Why are these named for a skater?

Krumkaka - my beloved aunt Ann used to labor over these crispy tubes that we filled with whipped cream and strawberries. I'm going to make these this year.

Date Filled - Little pillows of cinnamon dough, plump with cooked dates. Mom loves these. They are an acquired taste in my opinion.

Meringues - Filled with pecans and chocolate chips. Grandma D had Celiac's and couldn't eat gluten - but she LOVED sweets. Meringues went in the heated oven at night, oven was turned off, and they dried out over night.

Candies
Divinity - white, sweet, time consuming.

Penuche Fudge - Brown sugar fudge. Paradise.

Peanut Brittle - made in a cast iron skillet and poured onto the granite counter top. Remember to add a pinch of salt. I especially like watching the candy foam when you add the baking soda.

So, the question now remains: where do we start to bake?