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Ok, so here's part 2 with all the fabulous details from their day! Ceremony was at the beautiful Holy Name Cathedral, which is always fun to photograph. The outside of the building is actually one of my favorites, just love the texture. After that we headed back to The Drake Hotel for cocktails and reception. […]
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I have four people with the name Stirzaker in my family tree. It's not a name I have researched yet. So the earliest person I have is Richard who married my great aunt, Isabel Musgrove in 1927. The marriage is registered at Preston in Lancashire.
According to the website surnamedb Stirzaker is a "curious" surname of old Scandinavian origin. It is said to be a locational name from a place called Stiracre in the parish of Garstang in Lancashire.
The place name is believed to come from the old Norse personal name "Styrr" together with the Olde English pre 7th century "aecer" meaning ploughed field or cultivated land – in old Norse this would be "akr". Therefore – Styrr's akr.
Early examples of the surname include: Johannes de Steresaker (Yorkshire, 1379), and William Steresaker, "The Corpus Christi Guild", York, dated 1477.
In modern times the name has four spelling variations: Stirzaker, Starzaker, Sterzaker and Sturzaker.
On September 5th 1567, Anthony Stirzaker and Elisabeth Philipson were married at Garstang, Lancashire, and on November 6th 1568, Alice Stirzaker married James Orton also at Garstang.
In 1664, Robert Sturzaker of Garstang was recorded in the "Exchequer Depositions", Lancashire, and in 1668, Evan Pilkinton, of Sturzaker, in Garstang, was noted in the Lancashire Wills Records held at Richmond.
The surname appears in London Church Registers of the 17th and 18th Centuries: entries include the christening of Ellen, daughter of Joseph and Isabella Stirzaker, at St. Andrew Holborn, on January 14th 1703.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Steresacre, which was dated 1332, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire".

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Monday, July 20, 2009
SPEED Tolerates Fifteen Minutes Of Darrell Waltrip
All the pieces were in place for some TV fun and fireworks. SPEED's Wind Tunnel on a Sunday night when both the Sprint Cup Series and the IRL were parked was a golden opportunity for some good discussion of motorsports topics.
Host Dave Despain was joined by SPEED's Robin Miller, who among other things is a great catalyst for conversation with his good questions and strong opinions.
NASCAR on Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip was a guest who has been quite popular in his Wind Tunnel appearances. Since SPEED lacks any other type of TV program where this type of conversation about NASCAR is allowed, Waltrip was the perfect guest to match wits with Despain and Miller.
Prior to the show, SPEED ran one hour of TV programming that featured policemen who drive big trucks to catch car thieves. Jacked was a series that already ran once on another national cable TV network. After Wind Tunnel, SPEED aired an hour of PINKS All Out. Finding a drag racer who does not know exactly what his car runs is impossible. It is the mission of PINKS to hide this fact at all cost.
Apparently, no thought was given to expanding the one hour of Wind Tunnel on this night. While Despain continues to take calls online after 10PM, SPEED returns to the lifestyle programming for which it is now infamous.
This idea of expanding the show had merit the moment that Dave Despain told Darrell Waltrip his two segments were done and the program had to move along. "Is the show over?" asked Waltrip after his fifteen minutes. "You mean the show's over?"
Those words may have been repeated by NASCAR fans who had tuned-in for a NASCAR TV fix on this Sunday from someone who was trying very hard to deliver just that. In a flash, Waltrip was shuffled off the show. In many ways, it was a statement of the situation SPEED finds itself in every single day.
Looking fresh and sounding up-to-date on NASCAR topics, Waltrip was candid in his brief remarks on several subjects. Where Jeremy Mayfield is concerned, Waltrip repeated the words said several times on this blog. "You have to follow the money," remarked Waltrip. "His career is ruined, so what would you say he would probably want? He would probably want a settlement. Maybe they will pay him to go away."
After a question from Robin Miller, Waltrip repeated an answer he gave during the Fox portion of the season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has too many distractions and needs to limit his outside activities. "I believe his confidence is not there...he needs to just focus on driving that race car and you might see a difference."
"The COT is an old guy car," said Waltrip. He was talking about the success of Mark Martin this season. "It drives like a car from back in the 80's. This thing (COT) takes experience, it takes patience, you have to wait on this car. The young guys just don't like to wait on it."
"Look at Joey Logano," continued Waltrip. "He can go over in the Nationwide Series and run away with it. He gets in the Cup car and he is lost."
Perhaps the most surprising comments of the evening came from Waltrip on the subject of Kyle Busch. This season, like the last one, Waltrip was the champion of this driver during the Fox portion of the Sprint Cup Series. Apparently, those feelings have now changed and Waltrip did not mince words.
"He's a man in the car," said Waltrip of Busch. "But he is a brat outside the car. Somebody has to to get their arms around this kid. Even when he drove the #5 car and he made the Chase he fell flat on his face. You've got to have composure, you've got to be able to control your emotions."
After briefly addressing the potential Indy 500 participation of some current NASCAR drivers, Waltrip was done for the night. Miller and Despain are certainly open-wheel oriented guys, but Waltrip cut through the IRL clutter and was the star of the show.
More and more each passing day, the only location for long-form conversation about NASCAR is Sirius Satellite Radio. TV has dropped the ball completely. The marching orders of SPEED on the weekend are clearly competition-oriented. ESPN's NASCAR Now allows Ricky Craven brief comments on selected topics, but there is no real conversation in that tightly controlled environment.
The basic problem is that Sirius serves around 18 million subscribers while SPEED is available in 78 million homes. So, fifteen minutes of Darrell Waltrip may be the only candid conversation about NASCAR topics on SPEED for a very long time. At least it was interesting.
TDP welcomes your comments on this topic. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
To see the picture of a slightly younger Darrell Waltrip full-size, just click on it.
39 comments:
- TexasRaceLady said...
That was a great show --- as long as it lasted.
Just as DW was getting good, they shut him up.
A magic opportunity was missed. Sad.
- July 19, 2009 at 11:27 PM
- Sophia said...
So true this column and about SPEED.
The best darn show they have and it's ALWAYS a rush job. Tonight could've easily gone longer.
I guess SPEED giving WT EXTRA online is there way of giving us more. Sure but what about folks that want to watch on TV or don't have broadband?
Robin Miller's comment on Paul Tracy seeing replay late Sunday of Helio and his crash, was priceless. Can't remember if that was on TV or the Online extra. Miller was the best I'd seen just ENJOYING chatting with Dave. If only they could've had a couple of beers for the online show. :)
p.s. my word veri is
CHEAT! LOL. these things have been a scream lately.
- July 19, 2009 at 11:49 PM
- Jimbacca said...
I would rather see 2 hours of WT on sunday then VL. Despain is under utilized to put it mildly. There are enough recap shows to make up for them.
That typed..
I really wish DW was like this all the time. Everytime he is just DW I remember why I like to hear him talk. Does fox just have him so clipped he's not allowed to be jaws? Honestly I could handle DW being DW all the time whenever he was on TV if he's like he is on WT.
It is a shame they cut it short. Just too much info to handle in just two short segments. If you put robin miller, Despain and DW on I could easily sit through 2 hours. They are just being honest and no PC bs messing up the message.
- July 19, 2009 at 11:50 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Just take a moment to think of the topics that were not covered.
This could have been a wonderful TV night for NASCAR fans. Instead, oh well...
- July 19, 2009 at 11:52 PM
- Jimbacca said...
I know JD real shame. Just too much packed into this. WT is like an ADD child show. Coming at you full speed then boom right turn to next topic. The nascar segment was basically 20 pounds of .. into a 5 pound bag. If they could have expanded it would have been just incredible. 3 straight shooting people talking is just awesome to watch.
- July 19, 2009 at 11:55 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
As much as I gripe about the now-reduced Windy Tunnel, what really gripes me is when it goes into hibernation for 8 to 10 weeks after the so-called end of racing season. W-Tunnel reruns would be far superior to the recycled cast-offs of others.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:12 AM
- Lesley said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:15 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Just drop me an email when you have a moment and I will be happy to review that issue.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:17 AM
- Dot said...
Finally got to watch DW on WT.
I wish it would have been only DW on the show. And I really wish the Extra WT would have been all about DW. I didn't appreciate Robin asking DW questions. Ruined the flow. I do like Robin, just not tonight.
I don't agree with him about NASCAR paying JM to go away. We've discussed that already.
I wonder if DW has always felt that way about Weed. Was Hill behind that bromance when FOX was on the air? I can't see DW changing his mind in 2 months. Weed was the same back then.
DW has good ideas about JR. Maybe Rick should try them. Couldn't hurt at this point. The rest of his season is in test mode anyway.
If Dave reads TDP because JD made the list, have DW back on all by himself. Please?
- July 20, 2009 at 1:13 AM
- Lesley said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- July 20, 2009 at 1:16 AM
- RobFromCanada said...
I dropped Speed from my cable package some months back..it became too irrelevent...the programming is horrid..who in thier right mind wants to watch a show about tow truck drivers?..heck..just hang off an overpass during rush hour and you get open air programming of that daily..soooo..unfortunately..i no longer get to watch the only remaining watchable show on speed...that being wind tunnel..
One of my local sports networks..TSN..carries espn's nascar show on occasion..but theres no rhyme or reason to thier programming..so its basically when they need to fill a time slot.
I agree..its an old mans car..its big..heavy..unbalanced....sorta like allison's mid 70's t-bird..ya gotta actually drive it..the drivers got all spoiled with thier lazy mans cars.
unfortunately..the cot is also just a horrid spec car with no soul..personality..style...
The cot is spossed to be about safety right?..well..thats the chassis..the cage..etc..the body shouldnt matter...so why cant they allow stock looking manufacture bodies over the spec chassis...at the very least..my fords would look almost like fords..am getting sick of rooting for a set of headlight stickers :(
- July 20, 2009 at 5:09 AM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- July 20, 2009 at 6:35 AM
- GinaV24 said...
Wind Tunnel (and VL when my favorite driver wins) are about the only time I put the tuner onto Speed Channel these days. Wow -- what happened to the cheerleading that DW was so famous for regarding Busch and Jr? Amazing - but I so wish that DW would talk like this during the Fox broadcasts, then I wouldn't be so daggone annoyed with him most of the time. I preferred WT when it was 2 hours long -- but gotta get over to the Pinks show -- JD, any idea what the ratings are for these shows? I personally don't know of any fans who are watching.
- July 20, 2009 at 8:48 AM
- eaglesoars said...
Honestly what have you been watching go around the track for the past 20 years if not just manufacturers decals? You're not really going to say that that banana shaped wedge car looked like production cars are you?
While this car sure ain't perfect symmetrically it comes a whole lot closer to production cars than they've run recently.
Times and economy have changed drastically over the past 40 years when manufacturers built cars to race. They've found they can't afford to do that because car designs that will race good won't sell in the open market.
You think the auto industry is in dire straights now think what it would be if they were spending 100's of millions a year just t keep redesigning cars that would race good but not sell and the constant cat and mouse of each manufacture complaining because one manufacturehad an advantage over the other. Remember that in the not to distant past and everyone kept tweaking what they had more and more so it was not even close to a car. These cars have been 100% hand built in shop, no manufacturer parts for years anyway, they have been constructor cars.
NASCAR and the manufactures actually worked together to create the COT, because if something wasn't done to help equalize them the manufacturers would be completely gone. Then what would we be running? The teams wouldn't be able bear the total cost.
IMHO I think we should go to the molded bodies like CASCAR manufactured and used. That would drastically cut costs for teams and level the playing field.
- July 20, 2009 at 8:50 AM
- Anonymous said...
I was so disappointed that DW was cut off after such a brief time. He had interesting things to say and an ensuing discussion among the three would have been fabulous. I love NASCAR but it isn't often that there an opportunity for such honesty and unscripted dialogue on air. SPEED used to be my favorite but only Sirius now provides such a forum.
- July 20, 2009 at 8:53 AM
- 50 yr. fan said...
Wind Tunnel was great with the
intermix of the three guys, but
'ole DW proved me right about being
a chameleon. I guess the "Irritator" and "Junebug" love fest is over until February.
- July 20, 2009 at 8:56 AM
- Garry said...
It's obvious that SPEED is going the way of MTV. Nothing but reality t.v. Jacked? Unique Thugs? Er, I mean Whips, Wrecked? None of these shows have anything to do with motorsports. I miss the TNN days of Midweek ARCA racing, or World of Outlaws, or Busch North, East, or Winston West. SPEED has an opportunity to either prove that they are a motorsports network, or become a clown sister to MTV. Looks like they chose the latter...
- July 20, 2009 at 9:26 AM
- Anonymous said...
My biggest gripe about Speed is that they opt for original programming instead of actual races and coverage of motorsports itself.
- July 20, 2009 at 9:43 AM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- July 20, 2009 at 9:49 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The email for TDP has been on the main page since February of 2007.
Any off-topic, derogatory or hateful comment will be deleted.
Let's focus on DW and Wind Tunnel for these comments. Thanks.
- July 20, 2009 at 10:28 AM
- MRM4 said...
I, too, would like to know the ratings of shows like Pinks, Wrecked, and these other crappy shows. I never turn over to Speed during the middle of the week. I know what will be on there.
DW's appearance last night was great. He didn't hold back. He needs to do the same on the Fox broadcasts. Maybe some reporter will ask him about that some day.
- July 20, 2009 at 11:26 AM
- Kevin said...
If my memory is correct, wasn't Wind Tunnel on 4 nights a week when it first started? Those were the good ol' days of SPEED. Then they shrunk it down to a 2-hour block on Sundays, which was still pretty good. 1 hour just isn't enough time for what is arguably SPEED's best show. I think the best idea would be to have a 1 or 2-hour show on Sundays plus a second 1-hour show on another night, maybe Thursday.
P.S. I don't know what's going on with a few of these posts that have been deleted, but I can tell you that I e-mailed John Daly for something several months ago and his reply was both very fast and very courteous.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:07 PM
- Anonymous said...
SPEED has lost its way. It has become irrelevant to people who enjoy..well, speedy things. Like racing, for example.
I couldn't care less about 90% of what it runs these days. WT is worthwhile, as are the Truck races.
The Daytona history specials (like, for example, the one Despain hosted last time) are very good.
But that's about it. A reality shows about tow-truck drivers? Come on, how many cable nets (wisely) passed on this one before SPEED bought it?
The pseudo-infomercials like "Unique Whips" are worse yet.
Does anybody watch this crap? Or is it so cheap for SPEED to run these shows that they don't care if the audience is tiny?
Why not change the name of the network to "Whatever Automobile-Related Shows We Want to Run," since it has very little to do with SPEED anymore?
- July 20, 2009 at 12:19 PM
- Anonymous said...
I, too, would like to know the ratings for shows such as "Jacked", "Wrecked", "Pinks", etc. I can't imagine anyone actually watching them. "Wind Tunnel" is by far the best show on Speed and is one of the best shows on TV, period. DW was good Sunday night. I wish he was that good on Sunday afternoons on Fox.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:19 PM
- darkon said...
The best NASCAR show SPEED ever had Pit Bull with Mike Mulhern, Marty Smith and the late David Poole. Nothing will ever beat that in thier views and critques of NASCAR. Too bad it was cancelled way too soon. I think NASCAR couldn't take it in my opinion.
As far as DW, there was a race this year on FOX that was rained delayed and DW talked about Carl Long's absurd penalty. He took NASCAR to task on the penalty and fine for an independent team and getting an engine from a reputable builder and so on. He defended Carl Long and questioned NASCAR's actions. That was the DW that I love. That is the side that rarely comes out on the FOX broadcasts. I want that DW on TV all the time.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:27 PM
- Anonymous said...
Wow people...MTV used to play videos,CourtTV showed trials and Speedtv races and people walked 5 miles to school. Times change and we get older deal with it. I also have to believe that all channels are in the business to make money, so the hows that run make more money than ones from the past.
- July 20, 2009 at 12:39 PM
- Lesley said...
I think Nascar would do well to add DW to there Staff,along side Helton and Pemberton.. He would ad a much needed voice of reason..(Carl Long for example)
Also,How much longer are we going to have put up with PINKS on speed!!Enough already!!
- July 20, 2009 at 1:42 PM
- allisong said...
Just can't go along with you on DW being the star of this show. He is such an "any way the winds are blowing" kind of guy. So the COT is now an "old man's car" now that Mark Martin is winning a lot? Seems to me that a year ago, when the younger guys like Kyle and Carl were winning a lot, well then he says it was because they were young and didn't have to re-learn anything like the older guys had to.
As for his Mayfield opinion, he was trying so hard to come up with something "folksy" and memorable to say, he comes out with "follow the money"?? For a moment there, it was sounding like he was coming off on Jeremy's side with the accusations against NASCAR, and I think he realized that. Suddenly, he was stumbling over his analogy until he could come up with "Jeremy wants money to go away."
Sorry you were disappointed, JD, but for me, it was about 15 minutes too much.
- July 20, 2009 at 1:52 PM
- J.J. said...
I dunno, 15 minutes of DW is about all I can handle (and I once worked for the guy)...
DW, said it's easier for a Cup driver to go to Indy and do well (citing the example of Tony Stewart as one), but harder for an Indy driver to come to stock cars and do well... Ummm... I dunno DW, when did that ever happen? Name one stock car driver who did well in Indy cars? Stewart? Umm... Indy first. Robbie Gordon? Umm... Indy first. Andretti (Mario or John) Indy first. Foyt? Umm... well, you get the idea.. In fact, indy drivers do do well in stock cars, they've won Daytona, Riverside, etc. etc. etc. No Nascar driver has ever won anything in an Indy car...
Maybe Indy isn't that easy after all, DW.
And as for the rest of his comments, especially about Mayfield, Waltrip and Mayfield have a history (not a good one), so it's tough for old DW to be objective.
- July 20, 2009 at 2:49 PM
- Anonymous said...
NASCAR needs a Robin Miller - someone who tweaks the noses of the powers to be.
I hate it when I agree DW, but his comments about Junior, Kyle Busch and Jeremy Mayfield where right on. I especially agree with his comment about the new double file restarts - the pass around cars are the key. I never understood why teams should be penalized (placed in front of the leader on restarts but still on the lead lap) because just by pure happen stance they pitted just before a caution flag.
- July 20, 2009 at 3:36 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Like he said, that whole wave around issue is going to be something that changes a lot down the stretch.
It's like a double super-duper lucky dog free pass!
- July 20, 2009 at 4:36 PM
- Anonymous said...
Just wait until next year when NASCAR launches its own channel similar to NFL, NHL, and MLB...you'll see NASCAR pull its support of SPEED and even more race coverage will dwindle from this once great bastion on racing... maybe they can start putting sponsor logos on the tow trucks????
- July 20, 2009 at 5:02 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
JJ, as I recall in the early 1970's Donnie Allison & Cale Y. both raced in the Indy 500 a couple of times and were respectable. And the open-wheel guys who've won in NASCAR ( AJ, Mario, and Dan Gurney) are only some of the greatest drivers of all time - just ask AJ.
Seems like a lot of people have had issues in the past with JM. I did find DW's follow the money remark to be intriguing, whatever he had in mind.
- July 20, 2009 at 6:04 PM
- Anonymous said...
I liked the idea of the 100th Indy 500 be under the lights on Sat. nite, so Nascar drivers could try it. Dave did not think that Nascar would allow it...but I think that Nascar, with ratings down, would be happy to let their drivers race in Indy...and hopefully bring some of the open-wheel fans to Nascar.
I see the problem being all of the weekends in May that Indy takes up for practice and qualifying. Nascar drivers have to be racing.
- July 20, 2009 at 6:24 PM
- midasmicah said...
I'm getting to the point where I don't watch SPEED much anymore. Don't look for much nas$car on this channel. It's not there. What you do get is way too much pinks and pinks all out. Add wrecked (in the crash lane)Hey, let's watchy big block Thursday. Not!!!! The only programs I watch on The speed channel are the truck channel and sprint cup practice and qualifying (when it doesn't get rained out). I love Dave Despain, but the Waltrip fiasco showed me the reason I don't stand in line to watch these programs. speed is more interested in catering to the 18-24 (or younger) age group. That leaves the older age groups hung out to dry. Stop me if I'm making too much sense here. Omne thing you've got to remeber. The Speed channel is owned and operated by Fox. 'nuff said.
- July 20, 2009 at 7:05 PM
- Dannyboy said...
THANKS JD for the succinct evisceration of PINKS, a show that I despise almost as much as I like PASS TIME, create by the same Rich Christiansen. Go figure.
All I can say about last night's WT is: MORE MILLER! MORE DW! MORE WIND TUNNEL, for that matter! Boy we didn't know how good we had it when it was WT Mon-Thurs and TWIN with DD on Mondays. I like Steve B but you almost can't have too much Dave.
Just a side note: on Saturday afternoon ESPN radio in San Diego had a network sports variety news program and the host did a phone interview with Allen Bestwick. She asked him about Jeremy Mayfield and to my great disappointment Allen kinda skirted the meat of the issue and said he was tired of hearing about it. Then just as the host was asking him to expand on that, the local affiliate cut in for the Angels pre-game show in mid-sentence. Wotta drag!
- July 20, 2009 at 9:27 PM
- Sophia said...
Since so many others seem to be so disenchanted with SPEED these days, I remember my snarky comment a few months back that I'd like to repeat here. Remove the first letter and THAT'S all that's left on this station 97% of the time.
It's CRIMINAL so many people all over the internet WANT MORE WIND TUNNEL and sPEED thinks adding 30 minutes Extra online should appease everybody. Granted it's FABULOUS not having commercials but it should be offered to folks with television. And Dave's already in studio, two or three hours would be fabulous.
- July 20, 2009 at 9:51 PM
- Zieke said...
Looks like Speed was running out of content so they called up "Mr. Over the Hill". Dave & Robin are so good on that show. Why ruin it with a bunch of blather from Waltrip? That comment of his about Logano is so far off base, it isn't funny. Has Waltrip checked where Joey is in the points? And he is just a rookie. He will be a better driver than 'ol DW ever was. And as far as Jeremy is concerned, maybe they should pay Waltrip to go away. You can tell that Robin actually substantiates his reports before the broadcast. You can call him a windbag, but at least he knows which way it is blowing. Dale JR. Sure like him, but he needs to find some people he can communicate with to get his cars right. And Kyle, what a driver! Some day down the road, the Busch Family will be great ambassadors for racing, just like Tony Stewart.
- July 21, 2009 at 11:24 AM
- Anonymous said...
Speed lost its way when it changed from Speedvision to Speed. It started with a focus on Nascar, almost exclusively to the detriment of other motor sports programming. The NascarTV concept failed to work because it was overload and by that point they had given up on most of the other forms of motor sports that made Speedvision such an enjoyable network. Unfortunately, it seems the days of complete motor sports coverage are over on the network are we are limited to racing on weekends only.
- July 21, 2009 at 10:12 PM


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Wednesday, January 6
How to De-Seed a Pomegranate and Make Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies
Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies
Remember on Monday when I said I was going to introduce something new to my blog? Well, here it is: How to De-Seed a Pomegranate. OK, so how to de-seed a pomegranate is hardly new, but this is a video of me de-seeding a pomegranate, which is new frontier for this Food Blogga.
Some of you are panicking right now, thinking, "Oh, great. Now I have to watch her chop vegetables every week just so I can leave a comment on her blog."
Fear not, friends, you will not be tortured.
1. The videos will be short. I know you don't want to watch an 18 minute video of me peeling and slicing butternut squash. So you won't.
2. I'll keep them useful yet light in tone. I'm thinking of adopting a mockney accent like Jamie Oliver (actually I love Jamie, accent and all).
3. I don't have Giada's budget, kitchen, or film crew, but I do have a kind-hearted, savvy husband who is willing to give up a few hours on the weekend to be both my film and editing crew. Already he has suggested I dress like Giada. He's so insightful. Thanks, Jeff.
OK, here we go -- Put on your 3-D glasses and watch the pomegranate come right at you!
Once you've de-seeded your pomegranate, you need to make cookies. Why pomegranate seeds in cookies? Why not? Their tartness is the perfect foil to sweet chocolate and rich pecans. Plus it just sounds cool: Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies.
Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies
Makes about 30-35 large cookies
Print recipe only here.
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and center a baking rack. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars; beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl; add to the large bowl, and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, pomegranate seeds, and pecans.
3. Drop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough 2 inches apart (as they will spread) on the parchment-lined baking sheets.
4. Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes, or until firm and golden brown around the edges. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes.
To store cookies, layer between pieces of waxed paper to prevent sticking and place in an air-tight container. Properly stored, cookies should last up to a week.
Note: Feel free to use all dark chocolate chips instead of white or to substitute pistachios for the pecans. Also, you can make smaller cookies if you prefer. But, really, why would you want to do that?
Here are more pomegranate recipes you might like from Food Blogga:
Winter Jewel Fruit Salad
Low-Fat Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones
Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate Glaze
Fiery Shrimp with Avocado-Pomegranate-Tangerine Salsa served over Soft Polenta
I'm not the only one who loves pomegranate cookies:
Glazed Pomegranate Cookies recipe at Pots and Pins
Pomegranate Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe at Coconut and Lime
Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies recipe at Tender Turning Quiet
45 comments:
- The Teacher Cooks said...
I think this is great! I can really use this in my classroom. Thanks!
- January 6, 2010 at 7:12 AM
- Finla said...
I didn't even know we could make cookies with pomegranate. Looks yumm.
- January 6, 2010 at 7:54 AM
- amanda said...
what a great tip, susan! i really do always get pomegranate juice all over me and the kitchen whenever i use them.... and the cookies look fabulous! :-)
- January 6, 2010 at 8:53 AM
- Karen said...
Very cool! You look beautiful, Susan! I had no clue how to do this... thanks and I look forward to more of your vids!
- January 6, 2010 at 9:39 AM
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
That is some amazing finger action in the middle - you look like "The Bionic Food Blogga!" :-) Can't wait to hear the one with the accent!
- January 6, 2010 at 9:53 AM
- Kelly said...
THANK YOU!!!! That video was just what I needed!!!
- January 6, 2010 at 10:28 AM
- ♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...
Oh what a lovely cookie with pomogranates...bookmarked to immediate..hopefully...
The cookies so so good and i love this color but i doubt i'll get this lovely color if i use the dark brown sugar that i have..even my lite brown sugar is dark :-)))))
Love the ever so slightly cracked look ..tells me they are a crunchy kind....
- January 6, 2010 at 11:08 AM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
I think you did a beautiful job with the video Susan. You're a natural.
- January 6, 2010 at 12:40 PM
- Abby said...
So cool! I can handle two minutes. I'm going to try a pomegranate this year. Definitely adding it to my list!
(PS. Love your haircut!)
- January 6, 2010 at 2:45 PM
- Sarcastic Quilter said...
I love the idea of little videos like this since I learn best by seeing it. I will be making those cookies just as soon as I can find some good pomegranates here in TN and then shipping a tin to my dietician SIL who will LOVE the chocolate, nut, pom. combination!
Cheers! Beck
- January 6, 2010 at 3:32 PM
- Daisy said...
I didn't know it was that easy! Great and simple video.
- January 6, 2010 at 4:45 PM
- Blue Bicicletta said...
OK, that was brilliant on so many levels---I mean a white shirt and a pomegranate on video!!? Wow. I am impressed. I have ruined many a shirt while eating a pomegranate, so I can't wait to try this out. Also, it was great to see you in person! The recipe looks amazing too--I've only ever eaten pomegranates raw, so I'll have to give it a try.
- January 6, 2010 at 4:51 PM
- Half Baked said...
Great video! I usually end up with juice all over the place! The cookies look delish as well:)
- January 6, 2010 at 6:32 PM
- Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...
Love the video, and keeping that white shirt white is impressive!
- January 6, 2010 at 6:45 PM
- Le Flâneur Novice said...
You go girl! :))) I do enjoyed the video!
- January 7, 2010 at 1:24 AM
- Tasty Eats At Home said...
Great video - you are too cute. And yummy-looking cookies!
- January 7, 2010 at 7:24 AM
- Patricia Scarpin said...
You are just adorable, Susan - loved the video!
These cookies are wonderful - what a great idea to add pomegranate seeds too cookies. Yum!
- January 7, 2010 at 7:46 AM
- Christine said...
What a joy it is to see you and your sweet personality on your blog! This is great, Susan. Keep it up.
- January 7, 2010 at 7:50 AM
- kuishinbou@zakka&food said...
Hi! I've never thought of making cookies using pomegranate.
looks great and pretty.
You look great in video (^^)
- January 7, 2010 at 8:40 AM
Wow! This is one of the top three "how to" tips ever (cubing a mango and deseeding an avocado are my other two)! I have a pomegranate tree in my backyard and had no idea how to get the seeds from the fruit...thank you so much!
- January 7, 2010 at 11:25 AM
- Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home said...
These are beautiful. I've never baked anything with pomegranate arils. Cool idea. Happy New Year :)
- January 7, 2010 at 2:51 PM
- lisaiscooking said...
I love the underwater seeding method! And, these cookies sound fantastic.
- January 7, 2010 at 3:01 PM
- Janet Rudolph said...
How healthy, too! Pomegrantes and chocolate!! Can't wait to try this, and thanks for making it so easy!
- January 7, 2010 at 4:33 PM
- Cara said...
Never thought about putting pomegranite seeds in cookies. Thank you!
- January 7, 2010 at 6:58 PM
- Manggy said...
You are a natural! :) I love your voice too, it's very (and I hope you consider this a compliment) Giada-like, actually. Never had a real pom before so thanks for the lesson! :)
- January 7, 2010 at 9:30 PM
- tracieMoo said...
Sounds delicious! I love your blog :)
- January 8, 2010 at 7:58 AM
- Maria said...
Fabulous cookie creation!
- January 8, 2010 at 10:12 AM
- Claude-Olivier Marti said...
they looks great! And you have a very nice blog, nice to find you ;-) cheers! Claude
- January 8, 2010 at 10:23 AM
- Kitchen Butterfly said...
So, recently bought my first pom and had some in couscous and now this......I think I'll have to try them with white chocolate!!!!!!!! Lovely! Have a blessed 2010!
- January 8, 2010 at 10:30 AM
- Marcia H said...
wonderful, now I'll have a clean shirt and my baby can have tons of this wonderful fruit - she just loves it.
by the way, you look far better than Jamie. No, you look wonderful
and I love the necklace!
- January 8, 2010 at 1:34 PM
- Unplanned Cooking said...
I love videos! Makes it so much easier to understand, and much simpler than instructions seem.
- January 8, 2010 at 6:03 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
teachercooks-Wonderful! I hope your students like it!
happycook-Yup! And they're delicious.
amanda-Not anymore! :)
karen-Oh, thank you so much!
TW-You didn't know I had that bionic skill, did ya?
kelly-Yay! You're welcome!
vanillastrawberry-Yes! And farmers tell me the cracked ones are the ripest and most flavorful too.
val-That's sweet of you to say.
abby-Thanks! (I had just gotten it cut!)
beck-That's great to hear, actually. Feedback is always helpful.
daisy-It really is easy.
nicole-I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Now you can wear your white shirt while eating poms without a worry in the world.
paula-The cookies are really great.
lydia-It helps illustrate the point!
bbb-Thank you!
tastyeatsathome-You are too sweet!
patricia-I hope you try them as I know you love to bake with unusual ingredients.
christine-You always leave such thoughtful comments. Thank you.
zakka-Well, I hope you give it a whirl now! Thanks too!
- January 8, 2010 at 6:36 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
elizabeth-Yay! That makes me so happy! Mangoes and avocados are good ones too.
erica-They are pretty cool.
lisa-I'm glad you like it!
janet-It's my pleasure!
cara-Now you can!
mark-I'll take it as a compliment, for sure! (so will Jeff) ;o
tracimoo-Why, thank you!
claude-olivier-Nice to find you too. Thanks!
kitchen butterfly-Your first pom? That's so exciting! Really. You're going to love them.
marcia-How sweet of you to say. Thanks! I just got that necklace in Austin. I love it too. :)
- January 8, 2010 at 6:40 PM
- S said...
that is such an adorable video! i love the idea of pomegranate in biscuits. simply adore them.
- January 9, 2010 at 5:28 AM
- Mardi Michels said...
Cute video! And I love the combination of chocolate and pomegranate - yum!
- January 9, 2010 at 6:07 AM
- Hettar7 said...
I love pomegranates, but I'd never thought to make a cookie out of them before. I'll have to give it a go. Thanks for posting.
- January 9, 2010 at 9:42 AM
- Michelle @ Find Your Balance said...
Mmmm why have I never thought about baking with pomegranate? That was a good idea for a video, most people have no clue how to get in there :-)
Also - you write for NPR right?...I'll be on On Point in two weeks! Very excited! How did you get involved with them?
- January 9, 2010 at 9:42 AM
- Johanna GGG said...
entertaining and informative vid - and delicious cookies - am looking forward to the day we can send them through the computer to taste a la willie wonka - now that would be a great use of technology
- January 9, 2010 at 11:38 PM
- janelle said...
Susan you are awesome! Way to go live---I am so proud of you! Okay next up will you slice up an artichoke for me;)?
- January 10, 2010 at 2:17 AM
- Soma said...
Fresh pomegranates in cookies - how awesome. My daughter eats one whole pomegranate at one sitting! I do not get much opportunity to do much with the fruit! But for cookies she will spare some I am sure.
- January 10, 2010 at 5:52 PM
ah pomegranate arils and chocolate. I see you were inspired by my Christmas mendiants! I'd never think to put them in a cookie though. Great idea
- January 11, 2010 at 5:08 PM
- Jeanne said...
Look at you, foxy lady! I must say, I did do a double take when you arrived on screen to de-seed a pomegranate wearing white/cream.... ;-) The cookies look awesome - I never seem to know what the heck to do with pomegranates when I do have them - but now I do! (btw, I love your bracelet!!)
- January 12, 2010 at 7:41 AM
- Siri said...
Just the other day I thought to myself, what can I do that's different with these pomegranate seeds? My boyfriend said, bake cookies, and I laughed at him. Now, I will make these and pray to god he doesn't remember that incident so I can claim they were my idea. Thank you!!!
- January 12, 2010 at 11:15 AM
- Mariya said...
Came across your blog from Food 52 and really like this video. So cute! Also, a really great twist on chocolate chip cookies! Great idea =)
- January 16, 2010 at 6:55 PM
I just made the cookies, and I love them. Thanks!
- October 27, 2010 at 6:26 PM


text:
I am preparing for a programming contest where we have to code in C++ and it is all about producing working code in a short time. An example would be to use a macro to get the minimum of two ints or using memsets to initialize arrays (but I was told that you shouldn't use either here).
This leads to the question: what kind of coding techniques exist to speed up coding at a real job?
Related: "Software design: Build it fast or build it well?"
Answer: Go fast by slowing down (26 Votes)
The way to produce working code fast is to slow down. Take very small steps. Make sure you know what each step is for. Make sure that after each step your code compiles and runs.
Best of all, use Test-Driven Development. Write a failing test. Write just enough code to make the test pass. Refactor to make the code clean, making sure it still passes all the tests. Repeat.
If you do not do this, then it is very easy to write a big pile of code which does not work. Then it will take you a very long time to figure out why it does not work.
See Also: "Learning test driven development..."
Answer: Know your STLs (13 Votes)
Review the standard libraries intensely, particularly the STL algorithms. This will save you many lines of code and a lot of time. The key to winning programming contests is in programming at as high a level as possible. In C++, without external libraries, this means STL calls instead of for loops.
Related: "What should and shouldn't be included in a standard library?"
Answer: Know your language (7 Votes)
Well, it sounds to me like you only know C and not C++ at all. These questions are easily answered by someone with a basic working knowledge of the language.
> "An example would be to use a macro to get the minimum of two ints"
Just use a function? [std::min] already exists.
> "or using memsets to initialize arrays"
[std::array] already initializes its contents.
> "what kind of coding techniques exist to use at a real job?"
The first step is to know the language you are using.
I would recommend a book. We kindly present only the books worth reading, instead of those that teach C garbage.
Answer: Veteran advice (5 Votes)
I participate regularly in ACM competitions. Hopefully some of these tips will help you:
- As others said, familiarize yourself with the language, in C++, especially the STL, it has both common functions that you'd want to use (binary_search, min, max) and robust data structures to save you time (stack to avoid straight up recursion, queue for BFS, even priority_queue for Dijkstra if you like it that way).
- Identify the category of the problem, if it's mathematical / dynamic programming / graph theory etc. Ask yourself how familiar are you with it. After doing this you should make decisions regarding the order in which you'll solve them; this goes hand to hand with the next point...
- You want to understand the problem completely before typing. Solve the right problem. In my first competitions I thought that if I wasn't typing, I was wasting my time. I later found that this was a mistake.
- Don't think comments are a waste of time. At least in "clever" code, you don't want to go debugging line-by-line to see what went wrong (that is a real waste of time). Value clarity.
- Have fun.
Think you know how to code faster in a contest or professional environment? Disagree with the opinions expressed above? Bring your expertise to the original post at Stack Exchange, a network of 80+ sites where you can trade expert knowledge on topics like Web apps, cycling, scientific skepticism, and (almost) everything in between.


text:
It's the first-ever star chart that folds up like a road map! DeepMap 600 shows the positions of the 600 finest celestial objects visible from the Northern Hemisphere. All are plotted on a giant 33" x 21" full-color star chart by world-renowned star-mapper Wil Tirion.
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text:
My first encounter with Irish culture was through dance.
I had moved to NY after college and a friend who had been in my college dance company, then working for an entertainment lawyer, was able to get us comp tickets to see "Riverdance." Not just any comp tickets — the best in the house, which in case any of you are wondering, for a dance performance or musical theater, is generally front row center mezzanine, not orchestra. This (as opposed to "Lord of the Dance" which is all about Michael Flatley taking off his shirt and prancing around) remains one of my favorite shows because it gives a version of Irish history through music, song, and dance.
Initially I had a difficult time relating to some of the dance — the performers on stage seemed so stiff. Their ramrod torsos with arms on hips or straight at their sides while their feet seemed to go a mile a minute in military rhythms, heel and toe clicks, high kicks, fast knee bends that made me repeatedly flinch for fear of a flying shoe. The real action starts around 2:20 in this excerpt from the finale:
The explanation for the posture came about mid-way through the first act when right before one number, a disembodied voice commands, "Irish dancers, stand proud!" A proud army they were, straight posture, heads high, shoulders down, feet-a-flutter.
I was so excited, too, when I took a few Irish step classes and the first thing we learned was to put our hands out in front of us, palms up, fold our thumbs in, curl our fingers over our thumbs, and lower our arms to our sides. A proud army ourselves even in our mishmash of leotards, jeans, tights, and tap shoes.
Wanting to make something for St. Patrick's Day, I tried to learn a bit about the Jews of Ireland (through food of course) to find something to cook that would incorporate Jewish traditions and Irish pride. I couldn't find any "Jewish Irish dishes" in searching through my multi-cultural Jewish cookbooks and few of my Irish Jewish friends seem to cook.
I turned to Ellie, The Baking Architect, who participated in a bike trip through the Emerald Isle a few years ago to raise money for Miklat, to suggest some authentic Irish recipes, maybe made by Jews in Ireland, but she could only send me some beautifully decorated butter cookies. I have little patience for such fussiness and sweet icing (sorry, El).
In looking around on the web, the main thing I found about Jews in Ireland vis à vis food is that they were traditionally involved in city life, acting as merchants and business people (surprise, surprise…), and therefore bought most of their food rather than growing it. Many Jews came to Ireland from Lithuania and Russia in the late 1800s/early 1900, so much of their food is Ashkenazi. The Bretzel Bakery, that makes traditional Ashekenazi baked goods (including rugelach) has been non-Jewish owned for decades and is no longer kosher (though apparently the non-Jewish owners did keep up with kosher certification, working with a mashgiach for several decades).
Back to square one.
So, forget Jewish…I might as well make something sort of Irish. And something that I'll want to eat. Scones. Perfect. Plus, it'll use up some flour before Passover (do the holidays ever end???).
Cinnamon Chocolate Scones
Adapted from Molly O'Neill's New York Cookbook.
I found a Scottish scone recipe — close enough to Irish? — that didn't call for fancy flour or buttermilk. This recipe does use a LOT of butter. 3 sticks! I'll keep playing with some of the proportions, but this makes a really nice, moist scone that is not dry. I replaced whole milk with skim milk, increasing 3/4 C to 1 full C. Replaced raisins with cinnamon chips and chocolate chips and added some cinnamon to the batter.
If you're going to bake with butter, you might as well use Plugrá or another European style butter with a slightly higher (82-84% vs. 80-82%) butterfat content than American-style butter. The cinnamon chips (parve) I used are from Peppermill, a high-end cookware and bakeware with gourmet products. The Schokinag semi-sweet baking chunks (dairy) are available at Williams-Sonoma (thanks, Mom!) — and have a nice half-barrel shape. Really, any good chocolate chunk will do. My other alternative was to chop up some Callebaut (see the Resources page about this chocolate).
Makes 12-16 scones
4 C all-purpose flour
1 C sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
3/4 unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (YES – THIS IS 3 STICKS OF BUTTER)
1 egg
1 C skim milk
1 C chips (I used 1/2 cinnamon chips, 1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chunks)
Cinnamon (optional)
Turbinado sugar aka"sugar in the raw" for sprinkling (or, for you, Ro – sprinking)
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment (or grease baking sheet).
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
Cut cold butter into dry mixture with pastry blender, 2 knives, or my personal favorite, your hand. Resulting mixture should resemble a course meal.
Add in beaten egg and milk – stir until well combined and then knead in bowl until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. This is not a tough dough, but it is a bit sticky. Add a little extra flour as necessary.
Add chips and a few dashes of cinnamon — so there are swirls of cinnamon, but not a brown dough.
Refrigerate dough ~3o minutes so it is easier to handle.
Shape the scones.
Option 1: Make triangles that are just barely attached — like the proud Irish dancers standing in close formation. To shape into triangles, take out ~ 1C of dough and flatten into a 1-inch thick round patty on a floured board. A good estimate of an inch that I learned from my architect sister: distance from most adult thumbs to the first knuckle is approximately 1 inch (obviously depends on the size of your hands). Cut patty into quarters and transfer onto parchment-lined (or greased) baking sheet, separating quarters by a finger width (~1/2 inch) because scones will rise and spread a little – I think it's nice for the quarters to meet a bit in the middle, but not so much that they need to be pulled apart. As they bake, they will make a 4-leaf clover, er, shamrock, for good luck – and who can't use a little extra luck (random interesting note, most shamrocks are 3-leaf clovers and are said to represent the Trinity)
Option 2: Make "drop scones" with a small ice cream scooper (should be ~1/4 C). You might need a second spoon (or your hands) to get the dough out. Flatten a bit with a floured hand to 1-inch thickness (see "Option 1" for thumb measuring stick approximation).
Sprinkle lightly with turbinado sugar so the scones will glisten slightly after cooking, but not so much that there will be a hard sugary crust.
Repeat with rest of dough. I had to make 2 batches.
Bake for 25 minutes. I had to move my first batch from the middle rack to the top rack for the last 5 minutes because the bottoms were getting a bit too dark, so check your scones after about 15-20 minutes and adjust position as necessary.
Cool on rack.


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General information When to contact your healthcare team after treatment
After cancer treatment, it's easy to worry about every ache and pain. It helps to know which signs and symptoms to look for.
Community member, Kath, was diagnosed in 2012 with squamous cell cervical cancer at age 36. Read her inspirational story of how she went on to have a son after treatment.
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Scrum != Agile
Full-bore agile is the only software-development process I know that actually works (and believe me, I've tried many). Nonetheless, I'm afraid that Agile might go the way of the dodo. Think about OO, which was pronounced dead several years ago. Those who put OO in a premature grave, however, usually aren't doing OO. Their ad-hoc if-I'm-using-an-OO-language-and-following-the-vendor's-rules-it-must-be-OO methodology is now eating brains in the cemetery at midnight. Don't confuse what they were doing with OO, though. Real OO is valuable.
Which brings me to agile. More and more lately, I've been seeing the press (including some parts of the press that ought to know better) saying things like "Scrum—the most popular of the agile methodologies..." This equating of Scrum and agile is worrisome. Scrum and agile are by no means the same thing.
First of all, agile in the true sense of the word (flexible, innovative, customer focused) is a culture—it's something that infuses the whole organization. It's not a process, and it's not limited to the engineering department. That's one of the reasons that I don't like to use capital-A "Agile." Agile should mean "agile," as in English, as in "able to move quickly and easily." It's not Agile(tm). When the company can move quickly and easily, it's agile.
So, let's look at how a culture mismatch can subvert agility. If an agile team needs some sort of resource (software, training, whatever) to complete the current development iteration, they need it right now. If, however, your organization puts massive delays in the process of acquiring that resource—sign-offs up the management hierarchy and six weeks to cut a check, for example—the team simply won't get the resource soon enough for it to be useful. So, engineering can't function in an agile way if the finance department isn't equally agile.
Another example: An agile philosophy implies short release (not development, but release) cycles to get feedback from real users as soon as possible, and that feedback should immediately feed into the next iteration. If an organization releases semi-annually, or even if there's a three-week delay while the finished code wends its way though production, you won't get that feedback soon enough.
Without a company-wide culture, no agile process will work. Which brings us back to Scrum. Scrum is not a culture. It's a process. So, Scrum won't work outside the context of a supporting culture.
Moreover, Scrum isn't even a complete process. Take XP, which is a full-blown process to my mind. XP is made up of 12 interlocking practices. One of those is planning. Scrum is little more than a formalization of the XP "planning game," which is to say that it represents 1/12 of the full process. Kent Beck pointed out in his "Extreme Programming Explained" that the practices that make up XP are tightly interlocked. For example, if you're not doing pervasive and early unit testing, it's difficult to refactor safely. In fact, Beck said, if you're not doing at least 80% of XP, you'll see only 20% of its benefit. You can't cherry pick the practices you like, because the practices influence each other. And I'm not even talking about how engineering-department processes interact with other processes in other departments. If what you're doing is Scrum in isolation, you're down in 20%-effective land (or lower).
This doesn't mean that Scrum isn't valuable, but it does mean that Scrum can't stand alone. Without the culture, Scrum will fail. My fear is that people will look at the many failed or dysfunctional Scrum shops and start saying "agile doesn't work." That's the danger of imagining that Scrum and agile are equivalent, and we need to push back hard whenever we hear somebody say that.


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Sunday, October 26
How to Make Italian Pizzelle Cookies in 5 Easy Steps
Pizzelles are Italian waffle-like cookies made from flour, sugar, eggs, and butter and typically flavored with anise or vanilla. The name pizzelle comes from the Italian pizze, meaning "flat" or "round."
Believed to be the oldest cookie in Italy, pizzelles have a unique history. According to legend, in 700 BCE, snakes had infested Abruzzo, in south central Italy, and after they were banished, the townspeople celebrated by eating pizzelle. To this day, pizzelles are eaten to celebrate the Festival of the Snakes, now known as the Feast Day of San Domenico.
Pizzelles were originally baked over open fire using irons that were embossed with a family or village crest. Today they are made using a pizzelle iron, which is similar to a waffle iron, but has an attractive floral pattern rather than a grid. Need a pizzelle iron? Click here for some resources or here for specific models. Don't forget to read the story about how I received my new pizzelle iron.
Makes 60 pizzelles.
This recipe makes a thicker, firmer pizzelle--my family's favorite.
Print recipe only here.
6 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (or 2) teaspoons anise seed**
1 tablespoon anise extract
4 tablespoons baking powder
7 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat pizzelle iron. Coat with cooking spray and wipe off excess with a paper towel. You do not have to re-apply.
Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter, vanilla extract, anise seeds, and anise extract. Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl and add to the egg mixture. Beat for a few minutes, or until the batter becomes thick. It will have a dough-like consistency. Knead with your hands for a couple of minutes until dough is smooth and has a sheen. With your hands, roll into one-inch round balls and place in the center of the pizzelle iron grids. Close the cover of the iron and bake for about 45 seconds, or until golden brown. Remove from iron and place on a cookie rack to cool.
Dust with confectioner's before serving, if desired.
Pizzelles will last for a couple of weeks if stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool area.
**The original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon anise seed. However, I like a stronger anise flavor, so my dad put 2 teaspoons of anise seed and 1 tablespoon of anise flavoring. With all the flour in the recipe, it's not overwhelming, but put as much or little as you'd like.
Here's a step-by-step guide showing you how to make pizzelles.
1. Mixing the ingredients. Here Dad is adding anise extract to the cooled melted butter, vanilla extract, and anise seed mixture.
2. After mixing the batter with an electric beater, knead the dough by hand until smooth.
3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls.
4. Place the dough balls on the center of each grid. Close the cover and bake for 45 seconds, or until golden brown. Note that every pizzelle iron is different and baking time can range from 35-70 seconds, so experiment with yours.
5. The finished pizzelles with be lightly golden brown. Remove from the grid immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack. Pizzelles will harden as they cool and will have a crisp, biscuit-like texture.
Pizzelle irons come in different beautiful designs though this simple flower pattern is most typical.
They will last for a couple of weeks if stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool area.
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31 comments:
- Karen said...
My first pizelle iron (which I still have) was a single iron with long handles. The handles had wood on the ends so they would stay cool. What a JOB it was to make pizelle's... ONE at a time and standing over the stove the whole time... but they were wonderful! I finally traded something in my kitchen (I forget what) with my sister for her electric 2-burner pizelle maker. I haven't made them in a few years... I'll have to have some this Christmas!
- October 26, 2008 at 5:48 PM
- Proud Italian Cook said...
Your pizelles look beautiful Susan, but more importantly you got to share the experience of making them with your dad! I too still have the old single iron pizelle maker, I better get into the 21st century!!!!
What a kind gesture from Maryann, she's a real sweetie, she certainly did put it in the right hands. ;)
- October 26, 2008 at 6:41 PM
- Manggy said...
I love the ornate pizzelles, Susan-- it's combining my love for cooking and design/ ornamentation :) Thank you for this step-by-step! I wonder when I'll be able to own a pizzelle maker of my own? :)
- October 26, 2008 at 6:54 PM
- MyKitchenInHalfCups said...
Oh you make me want to make Pizzelle cookies now. Where ever will I put a Pizzelle Iron? Um . . . .
- October 26, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Loved your post about pizzelles last year!
So lovely to make them with your father.
I'm still looking for a Dutch version of a pizzelle iron but they are very hard to come by, at least the pretty ones. I don't think they make them anymore.
- October 27, 2008 at 12:04 AM
- Rosa's Yummy Yums said...
Thanks for sharing that recipe with us! Those Pizelle look fantastic and ever so pretty! A wonderful speciality!
cheers and have a nice week,
- October 27, 2008 at 1:46 AM
- Culinary Wannabe said...
Love how light and delicate they look, and the history behind them is so interesting. If I didn't already have my kitchen spilling out into the other rooms of our apartment I would totally add this gadget to our collection.
- October 27, 2008 at 2:57 AM
- Rita said...
Oh what a sweet story of generosity! I am thankful that there are still good, generous people in the world!
In Brazil we used to call this waffles, maybe because we don't really have the waffles as we know them here in the U.S.
Do you think it could be made in a savory version?
- October 27, 2008 at 9:06 AM
- Deborah said...
I received a pizelle iron for Christmas last year, and I'm embarrassed to say that I've never used it. That's going to change, soon though!
- October 27, 2008 at 10:55 AM
- The Italian Dish said...
Wow, your dad makes them perfectly! Mine never turn out that beautiful.
- October 27, 2008 at 3:16 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
karen-My grandmother had one of those single irons with the long handles. I wish I still had it. I think it's definitely time to take the iron out again!
marie-Oh, yeah, the future is all about the 2-grid irons. ;) She is a sweetheart.
mark- I never tire of their beauty or their delicious flavor.
tanna-I hear you. On top of the fridge or under the bed. ;)
linda-I'm not familiar with the Dutch variety. I hope you find one though.
rosa-It was my pleasure.
culinarywannabe-I know exactly what you mean.
rita-Well, they are a waffle-like cookie, so I can understand that. Savory? Do you mean adding herbs? I have never tried that actually, so I'm not sure. Let me know if you experiment and like it. Good luck!
deborah-Make them for Christmas this year!
italian dish-He's a pro after all these years. :)
- October 28, 2008 at 6:46 AM
- Cannelle Et Vanille said...
how wonderful to make cookies with dad... gorgeous!
- October 29, 2008 at 9:26 AM
- Elle said...
Those are perfectly bueatiful cookies! Nice to get to cook with your Dad, too. Lucky you!!
- October 29, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Thanks for the great tutorial. They came out perfect!
- October 29, 2008 at 11:27 PM
- Nic said...
Aaaggghhh, why are you doing this to me?
So not fair!
- October 30, 2008 at 5:42 AM
- Jeanne said...
What glorious cookies - and I love that the pizzelle makers have such pretty patterns! Very kind of your dad to be "celebrity chef" on your blog ;-)
- October 30, 2008 at 8:40 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
aran-It was a wonderful time indeed.
elle-I am. Thanks!
jude-You're welcome!
nic-Sorry. ;)
jeanne-Yeah, I didn't have to twist his arm. ;)
- November 2, 2008 at 5:06 PM
what beautiful pizelles! my aunt's husband's family has brought the tradition to us - i now have my own iron! the family recipe we use now makes them thinner and crispier, but i am excited to try your thicker version!
Also - I have used the colored sugars to give my pizelles a little bit of sparkle! I open the iron about 15 seconds into cooking, and sprinkle some sugar onto the cookies, and then close the iron again. The colored sugars melt and give a bright sparkly addition!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe and lovely family story!
- November 7, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Wow they look perfect!!!
I will use your dad's recipe, I have a Pizelle iron that has a Mickey Mouse design...I'm soooo excited to finaly use this gadget at this Christmas, it will be a nice addition to my cookie buffete.
Thank you for sharing
- December 3, 2008 at 12:43 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
clarissa-My nieces would adore adding sparkles to them! Thanks for the sweet idea and for your kind words.
anonymous-Mickey Mouse pizzelles? That is too funny. Happy baking!
- December 3, 2008 at 5:37 AM
Thanks for the recipe and the wonderful story. I have no oven at the moment and need some cookies for an event. Since I have an electric pizzelle maker (haven't used it for awhile) that's what I'm making. Even though I have hundreds of cookbooks, I like to look on the web. So glad I did and found your blog. Thanks for sharing. Fran
- December 6, 2008 at 5:47 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
Fran-I'm so glad you found my blog. Thanks for your kind words as well. It's always a pleasure to hear from new readers. Cheers!
- December 7, 2008 at 4:18 AM
- Unknown said...
Bellissimo! Your pizzelle look great. I've been making these for years, and friends always marvel. Pizzelle look harder to make than they actually are, I believe. My mother's four-cookie iron (circa 1975) was one of very few non-negotiable items when it came to moving to Tokyo.
Susan, it was your great fri-taaa-ta entry sent to me by a friend--as a thinly veiled suggestion--that got me reading your blog. Love it!
- December 8, 2008 at 5:46 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
scooter-Welcome! I'm so glad you made the fritatta and liked it. They are wonderful, aren't they? I can believe that you would take the pizzelle iron with you wherever you moved. Once you get a good one, you should never let it go! :)
- December 8, 2008 at 5:00 PM
hi i loved the pizzelle recipe and your story with your dad. used other recipes but love the crispiness of these and i detect a slight taste of lemoney ( maybe just the anise ). thank you again, catherine
- January 15, 2009 at 11:33 AM
- Pizzelle Maker said...
Thanks for sharing. I loved pizzelle so much. Will try it soon according to your guide.
Thank you
- May 18, 2009 at 1:40 AM
- Lily M said...
Oh gosh! I loved these as a kid but completely forgot about them. Will have to try making. Thanks!
- October 18, 2011 at 3:10 PM
- Sana said...
Thanks a lot for the recipe which was so easy to follow. I have an electric pizzelle maker which we bought in Philadelphia another life time ago. It had gathered dust on the utility room shelf until today...
Thanks to your post which had great pictures to demonstrate how to make the pizzelles it got me inspired to try them out. They turned out just great, and were so much easier to do than I had originally thought! I am planning on experimenting with different batters and flavours. Thanks once again. Sana
- November 14, 2011 at 9:24 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
sana-You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that you dusted off your pizzelle iron and made some cookies! The more pizzelle the better! Thanks for your kind note. I really do appreciate it.
- November 15, 2011 at 6:18 AM
- Amy N said...
I'm so excited I got a pizelle maker for my birthday in Nov. I just made my first batch and they taste so yummy. But they don't look so pretty. I either had to much batter or not enough, any tips
- December 14, 2011 at 1:57 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
amy-Honestly, I'd follow this recipe next time. I've never had trouble with it. If yours didn't come out pretty, what was happening? Was it sticking? Was the batter too thin?
- December 14, 2011 at 6:57 PM


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"It's almost zwetschgendatschi time," Melanie informed me over lunch the other week.
Punctuated by my attempts to pronounce the name in the Swedish accent that I seem to adopt every time I try to speak German (find the real pronunciation here), Mel brought me up to speed. Her family in Munich has a zwetschgen tree in the backyard. It bears small, deep purple plums that ripen over the span of a short week or two in late August/early September. During that time, there's a mad rush to use up all zwetschgen before they drop off the trees. Enter the zwetschgendatschi. It's a cake made in a sheet pan nearly the size of the oven and uses up about half a trees worth of plums.
A week later, I found the first zwetschgen in the grocery store and bought about a dozen. I called Mel, we made plans for a Sunday of baking, and I set to work researching recipes. Following Mel's guidelines very closely. The dough shouldn't be too sweet. The zwetschgen should be sour. Streusel is optional, but not necessary. Whipped cream is not optional.
Over the next few days, I found two base recipes and studied technique. I practiced cutting and folding the plums into quarters while leaving the skin intact. This sounds like a lot of trouble, but when you're arranging the plums in overlapping rows like roof shingles, jammed against each other all the way to the edge of the pan, you'll be thankful for the efficiency. Because when you're trying to use up a tree's worth of fruit in one large cake, you want the zwetschgen packed as tightly as possible.
When Mel arrived at my place 10:30 am on Sunday morning, I was ready. But a quick glance at the mere pound of plums sent us straight to the grocery store for more. With three more pounds of plums in hand, we rolled up our sleeves and set to work.
We made a yeast dough, watching as my mixer kneaded it into a perfect ball. While it was rising, we carefully quartered our plums. There's nothing like working side by side over a cutting board.
The dough doubled, I rolled it out and then we stretched and pushed it into the edges of the pan. We arranged the plums, gently pressing each one into the dough, tips upright in a tight phalanx formation. Datschi most likely comes from the Middle High German word detschen or datschen which means to press.
We sprinkled the plums with sugar, Mel reminding me not to make the cake to sweet, and then popped the tray into the oven.
While we waited, I made lunch. As we sat down to the table, we could smell the zwetschgen concentrating in the oven as they sank deeper into the sweet rising dough.
Plates cleared, Mel called her mother, then her brother, the sound of lively German in the background when I pulled the glistening cake out of the oven.
As the cake cooled and the juices pooled, I whipped up some cream sprinkled with confectioners sugar.
I carried the tray around my apartment, trying to find the perfect light for capturing its beauty. This shot was taken on a blanket on my balcony. (And then the blanket, splotched with a few sticky spots of juice, went straight into the washer.)
We finally cut into the cake into large rectangles, the knife slipping between zwetschgen and hitting the soft bread-like cake beneath and reaching the pan with a thud.
The scoop of whipped cream! Don't leave it off. It slowly melted, the cold mingling with the warm, the sweet cutting the tart.
I invited a few other friends over that evening to help get through the pan and had just a few rectangles for the next day's breakfast (and lunch) by which time the plum flesh had deepened from a golden green color to a rich ruby red, the syrup dyeing the dough nearly all the way through.
Happy weekend, all!
Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian plum cake)
Zwetschgendatschi is a plum cake made in Germany (and nearby countries) with the small, oval zwetschgen plums (also called Italian prune plums or damson plums or quetsche in French) that ripen in early fall. The cake has a yeast dough and is jammed edge to edge with plums. Pick out plums that are just slightly tender. If they're too ripe, they'll fall apart when you cut into them. Plus, the whole point of the cake is to use up the plums before they pass their prime.
This cake is classically made in a sheet pan – I used a 13X18 cookie sheet with a raised edge.
Serves 12-15
– 1 C whole milk
– 1 T dry yeast (approximately one packet)
– 1 t + 1/2 C + 2 T sugar (you add sugar three different times)
– 1 t + 4 C flour
– 1/2 C butter (one stick), plus more for greasing
– pinch of salt
– 1 egg
– 1 lemon for zest
– 4 lbs zwetschgen (Italian plums)
– 1 pint heavy cream
– 2 T confectioners sugar
Proof. Warm milk in a small pot until lukewarm (don't let it bubble). Remove from heat and sprinkle in the yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of flour. Cover with a cloth towel and set in a warm place for about 20 minutes until the top is frothy (i.e., proof that the yeast is alive and working).
Melt. Melt the butter and let it cool while the yeast is proofing.
Knead. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or just a regular bowl if you want to knead by hand), stir together sugar (1/2 cup), flour (4 cups), and salt. Add the milk mixture, melted butter (make sure it has cooled – you don't want it to cook the egg), egg, and lemon zest. Knead until the dough comes together into a solid ball. Knead by hand for a few minutes. You shouldn't need any extra flour while kneading.
Rise. Return the dough to your bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, poke a hole in the plastic, and place the bowl in a warm place. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
Slice. You're going to want to slice each plum into quarters. You can do it the old fashioned way – cut all the way around the pit and then cut each half in half, but this will make arranging the plums a bit more difficult. The other way sounds a bit more complicated, but works really well with these plums. Slice the plum on only one side and pluck out the pit (these plums are "freestone" ones, so the pits pop right out). Gently open the plum halves without cutting the skin. Make two more cuts to flatten the plum into quarters, still keeping the skin intact.
Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Press. Generously grease a large cookie sheet. When the dough has risen enough, knead it a few more times by hand and then roll it out into a rectangle around the size of the pan (don't worry if it's not exact). Transfer the dough to the greased pan and press and stretch it until it reaches the edges. It will initially spring back, but evenutally it will stay in place. Try to get the dough the same thickness all around.
Arrange. Place the plums quarters on the dough in layered rows, flesh side facing forward and with the stem tips facing up. If you've flattened the plums, lean each one up against the next, overlapping like shingles on a roof. Now you see why it's worth the early effort of cutting the plums carefully.
Bake. Sprinkle the plums with sugar and bake for about 30 minutes until the dough gets golden brown. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before eating.
Whip. Whip together cream and confectioners sugar. Watch carefully so you don't overwhip to make butter (trust me, I've done it).
Slice. Cut the cake into 3X4 or 3X5 rectantgular pieces.
Eat. Top each slice with a good spoonful of whipped cream. Have at it!


text:
Earlier today, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's staff were busy recounting their latest successes on the surface of Mars. At the same time, news broke that JPL's lawyers were succeeding in the courtroom. In 2010, JPL was sued by an employee for religious discrimination after it asked him to (among other things) stop aggressively promoting intelligent design at work. A wrongful termination charge was added less than a year later after the employee, David Coppedge, was let go. But the judge overseeing that case has accepted the JPL's arguments that Coppedge was let go for performance reasons as part of a larger cutback of staff.
Coppedge had worked on the Cassini mission to Saturn, starting as a contractor in 1996, and later becoming a full-time employee. But one of the projects he pursued on his own time was the promotion of intelligent design, the notion that the Universe and, most prominently, life itself, is too orderly to have come about without a designer. (Like many others in that movement, Coppedge is a self-identified evangelical Christian.)
In 2009, he apparently got a bit aggressive about promoting these ideas at work, leading one employee to complain. The resulting investigation found that he had also aggressively promoted his opinion on California's gay marriage ban, and had attempted to get JPL's holiday party renamed to "Christmas party." (There's detailed background on the case here.) Coppedge was warned about his behavior at work, but he felt it was an infringement of his religious freedom, so he sued. Shortly after, as part of a set of cutbacks on the Cassini staff, he was fired.
In court, Coppedge and his lawyer portrayed him as being targeted for promoting an idea that is, to put it mildly, not popular with scientists. But JPL's legal team introduced evidence that his aggressive promotion of it at work was part of a pattern of bad interactions with his fellow employees that dated back at least five years earlier. In this view, pushing intelligent design on his co-workers was just one facet of a set of behaviors that made the working environment awkward and less productive. The judge hearing the case has decided that JPL's version of the matter is accurate, and he's asked lawyers to submit potential rulings based on that decision. A final verdict based on those should be released next month.


text:
Lloyd Carr - Michigan
Costume - Old West Gunslinger
After circling the wagons following a 7-5 season in A2 last year, Carr came out firing with guns blazing in 2006, leading his team to the cusp of greatness. This costume is also convenient because it allows Carr to re-use it and go as a member of the Village People if things don't go as well in 2007.
Joe Paterno - Penn State
Costume: Dracula
JoePa wanted to go as someone who was about his same age this year. Also, after surving all the FireJoePa.com, .net and .org sites a few years back, he's about as hard to get rid of as the Count. Besides, a guy his age always smells like garlic anyway.
Chuck Amato - N. C. State
Costume: Grim Reaper
Let's face it, hosting the party or not, Amato is "Dead Coach Walking" after yet another disappointing season in Raleigh.
Jim Tressel - THE Ohio State University
Costume: Frank N. Furter
The Horseshoe reminds us of The Rocky Horror Picture Show - people screaming and throwing shit at the screen. Plus, the costume did come with a vest...
Greg Schiano - Rutgers
Costume: Cinderella
Yes, they're 7-0, but with WVU and Louisville still to come, it's almost midnight in New Brunswick/Piscataway.
Dirk Koetter - Arizona State
Costume: Headless Horseman
Off the field, he caused a QB controversy right before the season started that was so bad one of his QBs transferred. On the field, he does things like punt against USC with less than a minute and a half left and down just seven points. As such, he's left us and many Sun Devil fans wondering if there's anything up there.
Mack Brown - Texas
Costume - "Mac Daddy"
After years of folks saying he couldn't win the big one, Mack is now the "Mac Daddy" in Austin following the Longhorns' National Title last season.
Tommy Tuberville - Auburn
Costume - Big Baby
After whining about the BCS a couple weeks ago, Tuberville's Tigers have proceeded to lose then look like shit against inferior competition.
John L. Smith - Michigan State
Costume - Turkey
Now that his team has packed it in for the year (as it usually does come October), the Spartans can be counted on to be slaughtered each and every Saturday (with the ax to fall on Smith himself in November).
Pete Carroll - USC
Costume: Stud Boy
Hey, the man played for three national titles in three years. As such, some 'SC fans might argue Pete's "costume" isn't big enough.
Charlie Weis - Notre Dame
Costume: Ballerina
Charlie proved you can dance around the fact that you haven't beaten a top team yet still get a $40M contract extention.
Well, that's it. Those are the coaches we heard were at the party. Next--


text:
I normally read my magazines from front to back. I might sneak a peek at the New Yorker's cartoon contest on the last page, but for the most part, I'm a cover-to-cover gal.
But when I pulled the plastic off of this month's Bon Appétit, I jumped right to page 96 for Dorie Greenspan's cover recipe. She made speculoos.
I first encountered speculoos on a flight to California. This was back in the days when you not only got stuff on airplanes, you got good stuff. Around this time, Belgian cookie maker Lotus contracted with airline food suppliers and literally flew their cookies into the US to expand their market from Europe . As we boarded that plane and struggled with our luggage, the crew handed out two thin little rectangular cookies wrapped in red cellophane. One pack per passenger. This cookie hooked me in just one bite (well, maybe two, then three, then … I stole my sister's pack of cookies). They were crispy and delicate and caramel-y and just a little spicy and they managed to melt away in my mouth.
If I first encountered speculoos on a plane, I first truly experienced these cookies visiting my friends Janouk and Regina in the Netherlands. In light of that, I'm going to refer to these cookies as the Dutch do — speculaas (pron: spek/you/lahs) — going forward.
I met Janouk and Regina during the summer of 2006 while we were taking a stage – a dance workshop – in Nice. We danced for 3-5 hours a day and then relaxed together afterwards — sitting on the pebbly beach, grabbing a bite (and we ate a lot more than salade Niçoise), and walking back through vieille ville, the old part of town, to our rented apartments.
So, the following year at just around this time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I flew out to Den Haag for a few days en route to Belgium. I stayed with Janouk (then a student, now a teacher), toured around a bit, shopped more than a bit, and spent a day in the dance studio, taking a few hours of class with Regina, the owner. After class, we climbed the stairs to Regina's home above the studio and hung out like we had in Nice. But this time, we ate Dutch food. Regina set out a few beers and tossed a big red bag to me. I caught it and tore it open, finding small button-shaped cookies inside. Regina said not to bother putting them in a bowl as they'd disappear before long. Those little quarter-sized nubbins were called kruidnoten ("spice nuts") and had a taste very similar to that of speculaas. But they're more fun that speculaas (and more dangerous) because you can wrap your fingers around about a half-dozen and pop them in your mouth as if they were seedless grapes.
Janouk and Regina gave me a little history lesson about these cookies and Sinterklaas' holiday. As they tell it, Sinterklaas travels by boat from Spain (where he lives the rest of the year) to the Netherlands with several short black Zwart Pieten child servants*. They arrive on the evening of December 5th and Zwart Pieten give out candies and kruidnoten to good children. Judging by the bag we finished in one evening, we must have been very good girls that year.
As I made Dorie's speculoos buttons, I fashioned them closer to kruidnoten, a little smaller in diameter, a little higher in height. I wanted to make sure that I could grab a nice handful at once.
* There is some controversy about these characters and their costumes, but that's a topic I'd prefer not to discuss here.
Kruidnoten (or speculoos/speculaas buttons)
I adapted this recipe from Dorie Greenspan's speculoos buttons recipe in Bon Appetit (December 2012). I skipped her glaze and colorful decorations, opting instead for a very humble looking cookie that really lets the spices and caramel flavor shine. I also made mine slightly smaller (diameter 1.25 – 1.5 inches) and thicker than recommended, so my yield was a bit lower than Dorie's expected 90 cookies. I've kept the original directions. The main difference is that I rolled the logs a little bit longer and thinner (about 9 inches each instead of 8) and made slightly thicker cuts (on the liberal side of 1/4-inch). I might make them even smaller and thicker next time.
Makes 90 small cookies (with my modifications, I only made 70)
– 2 C all-purpose flour
– 1 T ground cinnamon
– 3/4 t ground (dried) ginger
– 1/2 t fine sea salt
– 1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg
– 1/8 t ground cloves
– 1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
– 1/2 C (packed) light brown sugar
– 1/4 cup sugar
– 1 T dark blackstrap molasses
– 1 T honey
– 1 large egg, room temperature
– 1 t vanilla extract
– 1 large egg white
– Sanding or other decorative sugar – I used raw sugar
Whisk. Whisk first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.
Beat. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter in a medium bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add both sugars, molasses and honey; continue to beat until mixture is smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla; mix for 2 minutes.
Mix. Reduce speed to low; add dry ingredients and mix to blend well.
Shape. Scrape dough from bowl and divide into thirds. Using your palms, roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Wrap logs tightly in plastic or parchment paper.
Chill. Freeze the logs for at least 3 hours. (For neater edges, remove logs from freezer after 1 hour and roll on counter.) Dough can be made up to 2 months ahead, just keep it frozen.
Preheat. At least 30 minutes before you're ready to bake, arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Cut. Whisk egg white in a small bowl to loosen; lightly brush all over 1 log. Roll in sanding or raw sugar. Using a long, slender knife, slice off a sliver of dough from each end of log to make ends flat. Cut log into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Transfer to a baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart; place in freezer while you cut the next log. (The cookies hold their shape better if you bake when dough is cold.) Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake. Bake 2 sheets of cookies, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 6 minutes, until tops are golden brown and centers are almost firm, 11-13 minutes.
Cool. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Repeat with third sheet of cookies. Cookies can be baked 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.