Nostalgia Always Wins: Reflecting on the past can make us smile, especially now when we need it most
It’s been a very weird spring. When I woke up on April 18th the landscape outside looked like a Robert Frost poem. The once-budding signs of spring were now flaked with white snow, white tree limbs sketching out a winter wonderland.
I thought, “What on earth is happening?” but as I watched the snow fall, I appreciated the tranquility of the moment. And memories came rushing back of snowy winter mornings with my family when I was young, the only items on the day’s agenda to bake something sweet and stay cozy inside.
I have always loved baking. Cooking came later, but baking is something I’ve cherished since childhood. Over the winter holidays, my mom and I would make “Christmas Candy,” a recipe passed down from her grandmother Luella. I watched closely as she made the toffee portion and was thrilled when we got to spread the melted chocolate over the top—licking the chocolate-covered spoon was an added bonus. I loved looking through my mom’s black and red recipe book; to me, it held all the secrets to baking, and the treats our family held so dear.
Baking has become a lifelong joy: Creating something delicious that I can share with others is something I truly love. With so much heaviness in our current world, I wanted to use my love of baking and giving in a more meaningful way, so I’ve used this time to ship care packages to my loved ones as a way to bring some brightness to their days. Baking is a great stress reliever for me, especially now, so I am delighted when orders come in and I get to share some sweetness with family, friends and acquaintances alike.
I am writing from the sixth week of this new normal—we’re this far in and we don’t even know what normal will mean in the weeks and months ahead. Looking outside on that April morning’s snow, I thought about all the memories people might be making that day. Those who were forced to stay inside, out of the cold, creating something together. I thought of how many times I’d snuggled under a big blanket with my mom and sister on snowy days, laughing at something my dad had said about the movie or show we were watching; those memories are so vivid in my mind. We’d rarely change out of pajamas, we’d cook something new and, of course, there would be sweets: cookies, brownies or some other treat mixed up in the kitchen.
We’ve all been pushed and pulled in different ways over the last few weeks—whether that means homeschooling children, working from home, standing on the frontlines in hospitals and clinics or postponing events we’ve been looking forward to. I hope we come away from this with a new appreciation for our health and wellbeing—and perhaps a new skill, like a perfected cookie recipe or a new meal for the family to enjoy. We should appreciate these moments we have together, because we might not have this kind of extended time again.
And why not eat a cookie fresh from the oven? As the rich chocolate melts on your tongue, hug the ones you’re with and savor the moment—making a sweet memory for the future.
My Go-To Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Always use salted butter, and don’t be afraid of using some extra salt!
Makes 28 cookies
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon
¾ cups granulated sugar
¾ cups light brown sugar
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Semi-sweet chocolate chunks
flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Melt the butter in a microwave for 1 minute.
Remove and set aside to cool slightly. Mix granulated and brown sugars together and add the butter to the bowl. Mix for at least 5 minutes (using an electric mixer or a whisk) or until fluffy.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
When the butter-sugar mixture is fluffy, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add the vanilla and mix again.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The batter will begin to look like dough. Add the chocolate chips and chunks (I like both for texture, but that is my preference!). Once the dough is mixed, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking. (Dough can be baked in batches and kept refrigerated for up to 72 hours.)
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. Place your cookie sheet in the oven with 1 tablespoon of butter on top. Remove after a minute and spread the butter around the sheet so to covers completely. Let cool for 2 minutes.
Scoop 8 golf ball-sized scoops of dough onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until the tops are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining dough. Eat warm, with a napkin and smile.
Grandma Lu’s Christmas Candy
I prefer walnuts because that is how my mom taught me, but pecans add some fun flavor and texture.
Makes about 24 candies
4–5 cups crushed walnuts or pecans (choose based on your preference)
1 cup butter
1½ cups brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Spread out crushed walnuts evenly on a 9 x 13 baking sheet.
Boil the butter and sugar about 7 minutes or to “hard stage.” To test this, drop a piece of the boiled butter and sugar in a cup of water and see if it is hard to the touch with your fingers. It should not dissolve.
Pour the butter-sugar mixture over the crushed walnuts. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and allow them to melt, 1–2 minutes, then spread the chocolate so it covers the nut mixture. Place in the freezer and let cool.
When chocolate has hardened, break the candy into pieces using clean hands or knife. Store, wrapped in wax paper, in an airtight tin or container.
This story and recipes appeared as an online exclusive in May, 2020.
