Of Baking And Blocking

'Tis the season for baking.  Baking and eating.  We have a long list of cookies that we bake every holiday season.  One of the cookies I enjoy baking is springerle, a German cookie made with molds or a rolling pin.

I use a rolling pin.  


There are hand cut impressions all around the pin.

Animals.

Designs.

The owl is one of my favorites.


First I roll out the dough with a smooth rolling pin.  Then I use the springerle rolling pin.

Little cookies ready to be separated.  The cookies sit for several hours before baking.  I grew up with anise flavored springerle.  The cookies are placed on a baking sheet that's been sprinkled with anise seed. The anise seed bakes into the bottom of the cookies.  Not everyone in my house appreciates anise seed the way I do, so I'll probably make another batch with either almond or lemon flavoring.


When I haven't been baking, I've been knitting.  The Cabled Keyhole Scarf has been my friend.  Earlier this week I started one at knit night. By the end of the evening it was done except for a couple of rows. We won't discuss the fact that I discovered - after it had been blocked - that I had knit it with two different size needles.  I can't tell the difference and I'm sure the recipient, a non-knitter, won't be able to either.

Two of three.  The third one is still on the needles.  And I've been blocking, but I still have a couple of things left.  I can't decide if secret knitting or secret blocking is more challenging.


I have elves (kids) lined up to wrap presents.  There's the matter of bringing in the tree and decorating it.  And I should do some cooking unless all we want to eat is cookies.


This season is magical, but it requires a lot of work.  And so I remind myself . .  . amidst the flurry of activity be sure to take time to savor the moment.