Carrot Cake, of course! But, since I've been self-nominated as Queen of the Cookie Coop, I figured I'd tempt you all with a Carrot Cake Cookie a la Whoopie Pie! Who needs cake when you can have cookies? Today I dove into the test kitchen to work on some new recipes for a line of treats I plan to call the "Happy Hippie." As a child of hippies, I know a thing or two about whole grains, seeds, honey and dried fruit. I figure carrot cake with whole wheat flour, oats, honey, raisins and of course, freshly grated carrots would jump out of the danger zone and right into line with a long-haired leader shouting, "It's healthy!" Well....that might be a stretch as it is still a cookie confection after all, but I can tell you as an old-hat connoisseur of carrot cake in general, these babies are delicious. Tomorrow I'm diving into a low sugar seedy little number that will wear the "Happy Hippie" cookie label. It's fun to get creative and find new ways to tempt all those Kookie Cookie customers.
Since our launch five years ago, I've been continuously surprised by the demand for sweet treats at the farm store. There are a number of items that I keep stocked regularly: Triple Chip Cookies, Chewy Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies, Compost Cookies, Lemongrass Crinkle Cookies, Hemp Brownies, and Farmhouse Fruit Bars. There have been an increasing number of rotating sweets you all clearly enjoy as well: Sumac - erdoodles, Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies, Hazelnut White Chocolate Cookies, Oatmeal Chip Cookies, Gumdrop Cookie Bars, Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Banana Bread, Butterscotch Mallow Cookies, Tea Cakes, GF Triple Chip Cookies, Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies, and Rhubarb Cookies to name a few. I never expected to become a cookie maker, but when people ask lately what we sell at the farm store, I reply, "COOKIES!" But, of course, you know if you've been to the store that's not all we sell. Maybe the cookies are the icing on the cake!
I've been in flow with these gloomy days, careful not to let the darkness zap my spirit. Each day to combat cabin fever, I research or test new cookie recipes, take a good long walk, sing loudly (think Janis Joplin Mercedes Benz), listen to books and keep little warming fires.
One of William's metal junk art creations works great as a petite fire pit I've used to spark light and adorn the patios around the farm (Yes, it's easy to pick up and move.) Until recently this little disc sat on my deck, and when it would fill with rain water, I'd call it a bird bath. Sometimes the dog drinks out of it then it's the water bowl. On the farm where "perfectly imperfect" is the name of the game, such items can be molded and adapted to different needs and the whims of human creativity. This makes me happy.
In such a quiet place, little disturbances catch the ear. One afternoon a few days ago, this big eagle got Kia all stirred. It's not uncommon for Kia to bark at night while she's guarding the farm, but seldom does she make a peep during the day. However, this visitor got her attention and therefore mine. I was prompted to see what she was so upset about and watched as she ran and barked as the eagle sailed across the treetops over my yard. Once it landed she barked up the tree trunk until it got bored and flew off. I figure she had buried treasure and the eagle must have sniffed it out. The dog and bird were in a standoff for a few long minutes.
Warm December air gave us the opportunity to fire the pizza oven for Christmas Eve and celebrate with friends and family. Around the corner is the season of cutting back, but first...eat a Carrot Cake Cookie!
Sending shenanigans and love!
From the farm,
Sarah