This is a story of adaptation and collaboration. A couple of weeks ago, my bee-loving- beloved-friend, Jen, gave me a cookie to eat from her friendly neighborhood baker. It was a great rosemary lemon cookie which really piqued my interest (apparently obviously) so, as I chewed, clearly ruminating, she asked me what I thought. "They should lose the lemon frosting on top, and up the rosemary" I muttered, and on we went to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden plant sale.
The next Friday, I was back again, but this time, we were headed off to Lavender Fields Farm. She handed me another cookie, this time of her own creation, and asked if it was better. Indeed it was so good, by the time I got home, I wanted more.
Her recipe came from Food.com and made something close to shortbread. I decided to tinker a bit, and make them even lemonyier and rosemaryer, as well as fluffier and more like a conventional cookie.
Fortuitously, for our wedding anniversary last week, Jeff me these lovely plates designed by my schoolmate, Matthew Rice, and produced by his wife, Emma Bridgewater, in honor of our boarding school, Bedales, which is located in the rolling hills of Hampshire countryside.
So this is a vision of collaboration celebrating all sorts of things I love: Jenny, Jeff, bees, lemon, Bedales, rosemary, these plates,......oh, and did I mention that I love these cookies?
Lemon Rosemary Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
zest from 3 large lemons, roughly chopped and divided
3 tablespoons, chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 extra large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
In a large bowl, beat the butter, I cup of the sugar, 2/3 of the lemon zest, the rosemary and the eggs together , with an electric mixer set on medium.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt, and mix just to combine.
Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the remaining sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and using a small scoop or a spoon, form 36 small balls of approximately 1-inch in diameter. Roll the dough balls in the lemon sugar mixture and place them 2-inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for about 8 minutes or until the edges are only very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and immediately remove the cookies to a wire rack and allow to fully cool.
Store in an airtight container.
—Adapted from Food.com