18 March 2011

Local Thumbprint Cookies

I've been wanting to make these cookies for a long time now. Although I wasn't sure it was precisely these that I wanted to make. I just wanted cookies that involved pecans and jam (local!) and couldn't find what I wanted in my big book of cookies (apparently not big enough). But that was last year and my supply of jam started running low and I couldn't bear to use the last of my precious preserves in a cookie, so I forgot about this idea.

thumbprint cookies

But, this year I did a MUCH better job of stocking my "larder" and - even as we are approaching spring - I have an ample supply of jams, jellies, preserves, and butters. Then I was reading my colleague Andre's blog and saw not one, but two thumbprint cookies recipes. Neither of those was quite what I wanted, but they reminded me of my forgotten quest and sent me to this PERFECT recipe.

most of my ingredients came from somewhere close by

I made these with my local Heartland Mill flour, local Shatto butter, my own local peach jam (ever and always so pleasantly reminiscent of my grandmother's fried pies), local eggs, and the last of my Missouri pecans. Only my vanilla and sugar came from "undisclosed" locations.

baby-wearing and cookie-rolling

When you consider the provenance of my ingredients and thus the carbon footprint of my version of these cookies - "thumbprint" does seem like an appropriate name. (PS: I didn't actually use my thumb. My nifty trick to ensure uniformity was to use my half teaspoon to create the indentions.)

melt-in-your-mouth buttery, crumbly

These cookies were EXACTLY what I had been wanting.

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