Sugar and Spice

First for the sugar.

My mater and I stopped in at Williams Sonoma a few nights ago and we spent time sizing up the store’s candy selection.  I squealed when I spotted my very favorite foreign chuche!  We peeked at the label and of course, the little sweets are a product of Spain.  I pulled the only producto de España right off of that shelf!  I am waiting for my confectionery expert badge to come in the mail any day now!  Not only do I have an extensive knowledge of American treats I am now branching out and becoming an international chuche connoisseur, if you will.

Fiona's Red Berry Blocks.

And my favorite candy. I imagine that Santiago would be very proud of my discovery.

Now for the spice.

I made an attempt at gingerbread cookies and I used this recipe of Martha Stewart’s.  Gingerbread men are my favorite holiday cookie but I had never made them for myself.  My cookies are doughier than I like but I’ll chalk this batch up as a valiant early effort in my gingerbread career.  Now, if I can find a hardening cookie glaze that does not call for confectioner’s sugar (our family doesn’t care for the too sweet taste of royal icing) I will be able to bake you the perfect batch of gingerbread cookies!

Gingerbread trees and gingerbread bells.

And my spicy gingerbread tree (that I am about to eat)!

And finally, this is something nice (and almost too pretty) that I am listening to on a quiet Wednesday night…