Kekszeit

[schneefink]

My flatmate is an excellent cook and baker (I used to think that having cooking classes in high school is unnecessary because people can learn cooking at home but now I think it's a great idea) and this year she again baked nine different kinds of Christmas cookies. Today we ate some and lamented that while you could in theory make the same cookies in other months than December, it just feels weird. Like eating Faschingskrapfen not during Fasching. But then, after realizing that the same ban mysteriously doesn't apply to chocolate chip cookies because they're not associated with Christmas, I got the fantastic idea that in other months instead of calling them "Kekse" we'll just call them "cookies" and I think it might actually work. I really hope so because especially her nougat cookies, and the ones with rolled oats, and the ones with cardamom, and those with egg liqueur were all fantastic.

In general there will be more baking in the new year than in the past few months because she's finally done with her strict nutritionist-prescribed diet (for now...) and clearly that needs to be celebrated. With baking.

Comments

[lilly_the_kid]

Those sound delicious! It's interesting how much the name influences our perception. For me "Plätzchen" are the ones only made for christmas and "Kekse" are the ones you can buy at the supermarked all year round :)

[schneefink]

"Plätzchen" is such a German-German word...
"Kekse" can also refer to other types that are eaten year-round occasionally, I guess it depends on context.

[yuuago]

Mmm, all those cookies sure sound delicious. (Egg liqueur? What is that?)

[schneefink]

Google tells me it's "like eggnog but better" ^^ (The version she made is actually alcohol-free and just imitates the flavor, but it's still very good.)

[yuuago]

OH, boozy eggnog flavour, that makes... so much more sense than what I was imagining. xD

[rueckenfigur]

In our house Plätzchen are specifically christmas only, Kekse are whenever ... but it’s the same issue. Why these small delicious treats only 1/12th of the year?!

[schneefink]

I mean I get that it makes them more special when we only get them rarely... but still!

[merit]

I found cooking in school a bit too regimented (measure spices? I don't understand) but then if you learn how to cook at home, it is less of an issue!

That is a good number of Christmas cookies! I hope there's more baking in the future.

[schneefink]

I always hope there is more baking in the future :)

[extrapenguin]

Ooh, cookies! Om nom nom.

Cooking classes in school are a good idea in general, since not everyone's parents have time to teach the kids cooking, and there are always those families that subsist on readymade microwave meals... Part of the great equalizing mandate of the school system.

[anotherslashfan]

True enough, but sadly, the Germany-German school system isn't intended to equalize, I'm afraid. There weren't any cooking classes at my school because, I guess, at a "grammar school" type of school, cooking classes aren't quite "academically focused" enough :( That was for the "easier" secondary schools.

[schneefink]

Yeah, sadly cooking as a skill is not highly valued.

[schneefink]

I didn't even think of that! But you're absolutely right, that's an important aspect. Especially since cooking classes should also include nutrition (and that would even be good for the health care system as a whole, seriously I don't understand why nutrition education isn't a bigger thing, at least here it's barely existent.)

[queenofanything]

That sounds lovely! I miss having a roommate who cooked, I'm capable but too tired/lazy haha

[schneefink]

It's so convenient! I'm capable but tbh since living with DD I do it a lot less because she's just better at it (and sometimes that's intimidating, but I like to think that (slowly) I'm learning.)

[dancing_serpent]

I'm with the "Plätzchen" people. *g*

As for cooking classes...there were none at my school(s). And I certainly didn't learn at home. So, ready made stuff or take away it is for me. *g*

[schneefink]

Germans with their weird language *eyeroll* ^^

It's never too late to learn! There's plenty of stuff that's really easy to make, and on average it's also cheaper. (Though of course it's harder with allergies.)

[dancing_serpent]

I also lack the interest and patience, especially cooking only for myself. *g*

[schneefink]

That makes sense, cooking just for one person is way less fun.

[starshipfox]

I'm so impressed that she made nine different kinds! I made about 100 rum cookies today, but that's only one flavour. I don't particularly associate cookies with Christmas, though these rum ones taste very Christmassy to me.