b'food mattersMake the Holidays SweeterHow to host a successful cookie exchangeBY KAREN DONOVANofthemlately,itsfuntoreadthrougha recipe simply because it looked easy.them,remembertheeveningandmar- Once everyone is settled in, its time to swap by vel that so many of the attendees are stillwalking around the table with a container (I remind friends so many years later. people to bring one with I got inspired to have my own cookiethem) and taking some of exchangeafterfindingRobinL.Olsonseach cookie. If cookies are websiteandherCookiePartyCookbook.left after the first round, a Olsonswordsofwisdomgavemethesecond trip is in order.confidence to email that first invitation. ISomepeoplewho change the words of a Christmas carol tothrow cookie parties have tell people the when and where detailsrulesaboutwhatisac-and the number of cookies to bakeusu- ceptabletobake.They This cookbook inspired the ally six dozen. mightbanchocolate IloveButmostlyIenjoyspreadingof butter inWhen I get flack from people who saychips, for example. But Iauthor to have her own cookie exchange.theycannotimaginebakingthatmanyfeel that if people are go-love cookies. I love baking them, and I lovecookies, I remind myself that not every- ing to the trouble to bake for you, dont make their eatingthem.one buys 25-pound bags of flour and has 40 poundsjob harder. Just appreciate their effort. I do insist cookieby baking them for others totheir freezer. I advise the complainersthat cookies be labeled for people who have food enjoy. The ego boost when someone takes ato make cookies that are small so their batter goessensitivities and dietary restrictions.bite and swoons over something Ive baked isfurther. A useful tip: Do not leave the baking to the last like no other. Because a cookie swap is not just a cocktail party,minute. Things happen. I have one friend who has One thing I love even more than cookiesI devise cookie-themed activities. Its fun to makehad oven issues over the years. As her kids got old-is the holidays: parties, concerts, decorations, family,up a few games, such as asking people to name theer and she had fewer distractions, things improved, friends, presents, Hallmark movies, indulgent food,ingredients in gingerbread cookies or unscramblingbut during those early years her offerings were some-decadent desserts. Whats not to love? the names of classic cookies. times sparse and on the crispy side.When I first heard about cookie exchanges, myI like to have people vote for their favorite cookie;Another friend, who was new to this country and heart skipped a beat. Here were parties that combinedbecause nobody has sampled all of them yet, the pret- had never heard of cookie exchanges, underestimat-two of my favorite things: the holidays and cookies. tiest cookie usually wins. Presentation does matter. ed how long baking so many treats would take. We A cookie exchange is when a group of friends,With games come prizes. I favor things that are in- were ready to swap when she flew in the door with familymembers,colleaguesorneighborsgetto- expensive and cute yet useful, such as miniature spat- three half sheet pans filled with warm, uncut brown-gether and bring cookies to share. You can have ev- ulas, cookie cutters, holiday sprinkles and candies. ies that were stuck to the metal. Im not going to ery person bring enough cookies so everyone at theAs guests arrive, they add their cookies to mysay that I wasnt annoyed to have to go back in the party can enjoy one or two of each type, or you canempty dining room table, and it gets transformedkitchen and scrape her brownies out of the pans.have everyone make a set amount so that attendeesintothemostamazingdessertbuffet.WithmyItookabreaththen,andIrememberedthat can go home with samples of each. guests hands free of cookies, the priority becomescookie exchanges are as much about enjoying the My first cookie exchange was years ago with thenibbles, beverages (Im a sucker for a signature cock- momentwithpeopleyoucareaboutastheyare NewcomersClub.Eachofussubmittedarecipetail) and games. If anyone has a story involved withabout stocking your cookie jar. ahead of time and showed up with six dozen cook- their cookie, I ask them to share it. Karen Donovan worked for 18 years at the Kings Cook-ies. We must have returned home with only a fewI had a friend who attended for the first time lasting Studio honing her cooking, baking, and dishwash-of each, because 28 people attended, but we had anyear and was crushed because she chose a cookie foring skills (somebody has to clean up after class). She is amazing variety of cookies to try. I still have thatsentimental reasons (her mom used to make the rec- planning this years cookie exchange and hunting for a book of recipes, and although I havent made anyipe every Christmas), while some other guests chosegood sale on butter.38/ matters magazine / holiday 2023'