Page 26 - North Haven Magazine Issue 21 Holiday 2021

for Days by Jill DeChello

ince I became editor of North Haven magazine, you’ve all
Sheard my stories about eating my way through North Ha-
ven and my true love of sweets preferably cake and at the
holidays . . . cookies. I thought I’d give you an insight into my
holiday cookie baking. In my younger years, I could do it in 3
to 4 days, working through the night. Now, with age, it takes
me a good week. Keep in mind I make 16 different kinds of
cookies, at least 100 of each, to make about 15 to 20 holiday
trays. I call it my own personal Food Network challenge.

There is a process. First, I review the cookies I made the
previous year. I always want to add new cookies or try new
recipes so I add my new cookies and delete some. This NEV-
ER works! People have their favorites and ask me not to cut
them. That’s how my “I’ll never make more than ten different
kinds” grew to 16!

Then, I make my shopping list. It starts with at least 30 lbs.
of butter, 40 lbs. of flour and so on. I have to admit, no matter
how careful I am, I somehow end up with a huge excess of
something. I have never been good at Math. One year I had
an extra 20 cups of walnuts. Once the shopping is done, I lay
everything out on my dining room table.

Then I block out a week to bake and I make a schedule. I
never freeze cookies but I do freeze dough. The first cookie
that I put in the oven is always my Mom’s cinnamon cookies.
They make the house smell like Christmas and always stir up
memories of baking with my Mom. I give friends a copy of the
schedule and people visit, with milk, to eat some of their favor-
ites. Another annual activity is me spilling sugar and flour all
over, my dogs eating it and running through the house leaving
white paw prints. I’m a messy baker.
Then I make my trays. The rule is - if you didn’t return your
tray, you are out. People put their name on them, it’s funny.
And the one thing I failed to mention is that I start baking in
a Christmas t-shirt and a tiara. There is proof. People have
seen. But, I truly love my holiday tradition and I am happy to I even made mask mandated gingerbread
share it. people last year

26 North Haven Magazine - Holiday Issue 2021