The Menu Thus Far...

I've been asked this question many times, so to satisfy those of you who are curious and to give a little teaser for what's to come this weekend, here's the menu thus far (remember that I'm not even halfway through my baking time yet!):

• Springerle: A very old, traditional German cookie flavored with anise
• Rosemary Butter Cookies: One of my favorites; these consist of a classic butter cookie jazzed up with some fresh rosemary and encased in a sugar bark.
• Lemon Meltaways: These cookies are basically made of confectioners' sugar precariously held together with butter, so it dissolves the second you bite into it leaving behind a tart kick of lemon.
• Cardamom Spritzgeback: A delightful, bite-sized vanilla cookie with an earthy hint of cardamom to spice it up - literally!
• Whipped Shortbread Spot Cookies: These bring me back to my childhood - my family used to go to the bakery on the main drag in Long Beach, Long Island, and bring home a box of "spot cookies" which never survived the day.
• Peanut Butter Compost Cookies: Soft, crumbly, and loaded with goodies like crushed Oreos, pretzels, potato chips, and M&Ms
• Peanut Butter Kisses: A classic, creamy peanut butter cookie topped with a Hershey's Kiss
• Pistachio Cherry Meltaways: A perennial favorite, bringing together the resinous, flowery flavor of pistachios with the tart sweetness of maraschino cherries (both of which contain hints of almond-esque flavor), with a texture that dissolves in your mouth
• Dolci di Noci: A newcomer this year, consisting mainly of pulverized walnuts with a touch of sugar and egg.  One taste-tester declared that it tastes like the filling of a pecan pie...which is perfect this weekend is Pi Day!
• Shortbread Spirals: A eye-catching new *twist* on a classic shortbread.
• Gluten-Free Cake Batter Cookies: Invented in a pinch upon learning that a close friend was suddenly eating gluten-free and was convinced she'd never eat a delicious dessert again, these cookies are coaxed out of a box of cake mix, a box of pudding mix, and just some oil and eggs to hold them together - and they're positively addictive!
• Sugar Cookies: The classic; this year, they're shaped like the scales of justice to celebrate the fact that I was admitted to the New York State Bar as a practicing attorney exactly a week ago!
• Vanilla Meringues: Light and airy, these are absolute heaven to me.  They have a satisfying crunch on the way in and melt in your mouth, leaving just a memory of vanilla behind on your tongue.
• And there's one more that's partially made - I just took three cakes out of the oven.  If you're curious as to how a fully-baked cake becomes a cookie, stay tuned for more to come tomorrow!