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Great Review of "Rose's Christmas Cookies"
Just got a wonderful holiday present in the mail--the advance copy of the Decemeber Woman's Day Magazine, soon to be on the stands. On page 136 is a terrific review, by associate food editor Ellen Greene, of my now SEVENTEEN year old book.
It was my wind-down, treat-to-myself book after the exhaustive process of producing "The Cake Bible."
Because of its seasonal name, it is rarely available in book stores but Jessica's Biscuit (800/878-4264) catalogue #D612 and Sweet Celebrations (800/328-6722) are both wise enough to know that these cookies know no season and always have copies in stock! (Though with this lovely mention their supply may run out quickly.)
Of course they are also available on amazon.com (there's a link from this blog under my books)
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so glad to hear from you--you still make the best cookie cutters out there!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | July 22, 2008 2:33 PM #
Hi
Hammer Song does do mail order and can be reached by calling 715 266 2193 or through email at hammersongtin@aol.com
Many new cutters have recently been added to their inventory including the popular "Pie Baker" and "Racing to the White House Elephant" and "Good Luck Democrats Donkey". These cutters can be viewed at www.cookiecuttersearch.com
Bill and Betsy Cukla will be at the Waterford Craft Fair in Waterford, VA on October 3,4,5 2008.
Cookie Decorating Classes and Pie Workshops will be offered by Betsy Cukla at La Cuisine in Alexandria, VA this fall.
Thank you for all your support and interest.
Betsy
Reply to this Posted by: betsy cukla/ Hammer Song | July 12, 2008 9:52 AM #
Hi
Hammer Song is alive and well! Betsy and Bill Cukla of Hammer Song are now living and working on cookie cutters in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. We are still the same great tinware company specializing in original handcrafted tin backed cookie cutters. They may be reached at hammersongtin@aol.com
Reply to this Posted by: betsy cukla/ Hammer Song | July 12, 2008 9:36 AM #
Hi,
Thank you for all your responses. I realize now that the fact that the flour I used was unbleached must have been the problem. I have actually never used it before for baking cookies.
I usually use Red Rose all purpose flour for cookies and their cake flour for some cakes. I have never had a failure using Rose's recipes before. In fact once I adjusted the butter the gingerbread house turned out fine. I made cookies with the rest of the dough and my kids just loved them. I will try the recipe again this weekend using bleached all purpose flour and see how it goes. I still have a few more gingerbread houses to make.
The link to Kate flour was very interesting. It just goes to show you what a difference flour chemistry makes.
Thanks again,
Janina
Reply to this Posted by: Janina Kropka | November 22, 2007 2:51 PM #
Continuing the story of kate flour, you may like to try this for your cookies ...
http://amerrierworld.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/cookies-galore/
Reply to this Posted by: Kate | November 22, 2007 1:07 PM #
Janina, the PC organic all purpose flour has 3g of protein per 30g of flour (I think), which is the same as the Monarch Cake and Pastry flour. However the PC organic flour is unbleached. Which part of Canada do you live in? If you live in TO the Real Canadian Superstore carries Monarch cake and pastry flour and Bruno's carries Swans Down cake flour. Maybe you can give it a try. Hope this helps.
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | November 22, 2007 9:41 AM #
Hi,
Re: gingerbread recipe
I live in Canada and use a brand of flour called President's Choice Organic all purpose flour. Is this higher in protein that American flours? Do you suggest I decrease the amount of flour or use cake and pastry flour or a blend? I have also seen flours here labeled by strength for example, 400 or 500 would these be of any use?
Thanks,
Janina
Reply to this Posted by: Janina Kropka | November 19, 2007 3:49 PM #
the recipe is correct as it needs to be firmer for strength but perhaps your flour is higher in protein.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 19, 2007 1:24 PM #
Hi,
I have enjoyed using your cookie book for many years and in fact have two copies. I make gingerbread houses every year for my nieces and nephew( nine in all )and we have a big party and decorate them. I recently tried your gingerbread recipe in the back of the cookie book and found that it is very dry. I had to up the butter to make it malleable enough to roll. I weigh my ingredients so I wonder if some amendment to the recipe has been made that I am unaware of. The recipe is almost the same as the one for the gingerbread boys except the butter is reduced and it has no egg.
Thanks,
Janina
Reply to this Posted by: Janina Kropka | November 17, 2007 8:34 AM #
Sandra, If you look at the rest of this post(up further) you will see that I have ordered from Hammersong from La Cuisine.
They have a web site and there are lots of different cutters offered. They were wonderful and everything came beautifully packed and on time. Hope you find what you what. I love mine, and have given some away as present...reluctantly.
Address is http://www.lacuisineus.com
Reply to this Posted by: Melinda Pickworth | July 2, 2007 1:57 PM #
Several years ago, I ordered tin cookie cutters from Hammer Song in Maryland; I would love to order more but can not find them listed in the internet. I suspect that maybe they have retired and do not have the business any longer,does anybody know?
Reply to this Posted by: Sandra Davis | July 2, 2007 1:25 PM #
i don't have a magazine. but you can find the thread for no knead bread if you put it in the search box of this blog.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 4, 2007 2:00 PM #
I tried looking the no knead bread recipe on the web site you had listed in your June magazine. There is no such posting. How do I get it?
Reply to this Posted by: Pat Zietlow | May 4, 2007 10:44 AM #
thanks a million julie--very kind of you!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | December 14, 2006 11:42 AM #
Oh, and I forgot to tell you my favorites from Rose's Christmas Cookies: the peanut butter dough for Peanut Butter and Jelly Jewels, although I sometimes bake it off as plain peanut butter cookies or use other fillings. Another favorite is Melting Moments, although I'm not so great at tempering the chocolate (wish I could do that better)...and I absolutely adore the Swiss Hazelnut Lebkuchen, which is so much like the Elisen Lebkuchen my mother's friend used to make when I was a child. I'm afraid I've missed the window of opportunity on those this year, since they should have at least 2 weeks to ripen, correct?
Reply to this Posted by: Julie | December 14, 2006 11:26 AM #
Hi Rose -- I've been enjoying your blog for a while without commenting -- and I've long used your wonderful cookbooks, baking tips, and given them to others as well.
I just gave you and your amazing cookie book a "shout-out" on my own blog, which I've been keeping for a couple of years now. I thought you might like to know how much great knowledge you've shared with me and so many others, and which we're joyful to pass along.
May you and yours have wonderfully sweet, crunchy, creamy, crisp, meltingly delicious holidays --
Julie http://fingerineverypie.typepad.com
Reply to this Posted by: Julie | December 14, 2006 8:33 AM #
thanks melinda--you're right. andi, if you post as "anonymous" it probably goes into spam as i never saw these postings which by the way are duplicate--i'll try to delte one of them if i can find it!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | December 12, 2006 10:01 PM #
Anon, Rose had an entry about this same tart knife under 'Welcome to my Scratch Baking Blog' dated March 11, 2006 and another follow up dated March 18. She lists your product code number, 4821, and also gives a phone number 800- 289 9898 to contact them. Have you tried already?
I just remember reading this a few months ago so thought I would say. Melinda
Reply to this Posted by: Melinda Pickworth | December 12, 2006 10:43 AM #
Rose I made linzer tarts tonight and a peach tart....I was unable to FIND the tart pie knife anywhere here in Vegas...I called Dean and Deluca IN NEW YORK TO NO AVAIL (*)?(*)..no one has it this year..when we moved from Florida to vegas..boo hoo no more knife and I loved that wusthofs rec knife...do you have any ideas where I should look next....#4821...product code...
HAPPY CHANUKKA...
love ya,
Andi*
Reply to this Posted by: Anonymous | December 12, 2006 12:05 AM #
melinda--you have truly embraced the spirit of this blog. thank you so much for your added info and have a wonderful holiday!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | December 10, 2006 5:36 PM #
Stephanie, LaCuisine sells the Hammersong cutters and there is a very good website. I just bought a few from them and the mailorder(even though I had to order over the phone,because I was ordering out of USA) service was excellent. The leaf shape cutters are under flora and fauna grouping.
I also have bought some beautiful copper cookie cutters from www.coppergifts.com and they have a huge selection of cutters. The mailorder service was excellent too. I am ordering from England so I didn't expect such fast and helpful service but both were superb. The only trouble is that the sites are loaded with so many nice things I ended up buying more than I originally intended! Sorry to butt in on your question to Rose, so I hope this is OK.
Melinda
Reply to this Posted by: Melinda Pickworth | December 10, 2006 5:00 PM #
don't despair! la cuisine (800 #) in alexandria va. carries hammer song cutters. maple leaf cutterse are so popular i'm sure other places will have them too even if not hammersong.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | December 10, 2006 4:49 PM #
Rose,
I received your Christmas cookie book about 8 years ago and have made cookies out of it every year. I love it!! There are always such good recipes that are a little different from other's Christmas treats. Every year I try new recipes in there in addition to making the Mahogony Toffee which is so easy but yet a requested favorite. I am attemping the Maple Walnut Sable Sandwiches. My question is where can I find the maple leaf cookie cutters? I tried the phone number listed for Hammer Song in the back of the book but got another company. I could not seem to find a web site either. Is there some other place I can locate them or a different contact for Hammer Song? Any help would be greatly appreciated especially since I'm trying to do these for Christmas.
Thank you ever so much:)
Reply to this Posted by: Stephanie | December 10, 2006 4:14 PM #
oh dear! i wish i could help. but it's roasting in ny today and together with the humdity it's not auspicious for doing sugar work or gingerbread houses.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 30, 2006 6:59 PM #
Rose,
Your Christmas cookie book remains one of my favorite gifts! With so much useful information, gorgeous photos, and delightful recipes - it is truly a book for all seasons.
I have a question I hope you can help with. I just made my first gluten-free gingerbread house and recycled some poured sugar to use for windows. I've used silica gel and calcium chloride in the past to keep sugar pieces from becoming sticky. I really like my little house, but my windows are sort of "melting" into the gingerbread and very sticky. Perhaps it was a bit too warm to start the house project. Do you have any advice?
Reply to this Posted by: Linda Daniels | November 30, 2006 6:45 PM #
it is a bit painstaking, but there is a set of 1-inch cutters in the right shapes for the cathedral cutouts (hearts, the "sloping-sided diamond," four-leaf clover, teardrop); not arranged with spaces, but if you follow the photo you can cut large rounds and the spaces. I've done it this way and it works but the big rounds must be frozen a few minutes to cut cleanly.
Reply to this Posted by: Reeni Espino | November 25, 2006 2:36 PM #
the only person who might have them is bonnie stern in her cooking school in toronto: 416-484-4820.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 23, 2006 8:14 PM #
I have had the cookie book since it was published (two copies in fact!); the gingerbread cookie recipe is the best I've ever had, and I love to half-dip them in chocolate (talk about gilding the lily!!). I have often wanted to find the press/cutter to make the cathedral shortbread cookies - is there any chance there's a source out there?
Reply to this Posted by: Jeanne | November 23, 2006 9:54 AM #
amy! thanks for the great report and for the vote of confidence (i don't think you'll be disappointed and i know your kids won't!)
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 18, 2006 11:42 AM #
leslie--any second now it will be on the coastal goods site as i've proofed the semi-final! or you can contact nigel@coastalgoods.com thanks you for your support and enthusiasm!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 18, 2006 11:41 AM #
I bought your "Rose's Christmas Cookies" off amazon a couple of weeks ago, because the folks over on Fine Cooking Magazine's message board were raving about it!
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-cookstalk
Reply to this Posted by: Amy | November 18, 2006 11:20 AM #
I recieved my November issue of Food and Wine and saw your Rose's Heavenly Cakes on page 35. They are perfect to complete a Christmas gift idea I have so I went to Coastal Goods to purchase them and the mixes are nowhere to be found. Please let me know how I can buy the mixes before Christmas arrives.
Reply to this Posted by: Leslie Young | November 18, 2006 10:58 AM #
My kindergartener came home this week with instructions to make a gingerbread house for a "school" project. I've made nearly every recipe in the cookie book, but that cathedral scares the daylights out of me! I looked there for help and advice, but ended up ordering a kit from King Arthur. It hasn't come yet, but I think I still have to assemble and decorate it, with my son, of course. I can't imagine a kindergarten teacher expected homemade gingerbread houses! She added a note at the bottom to please "not stress" about this assignment. Anna
Reply to this Posted by: Anna | November 17, 2006 8:52 PM #
melinda--i suspect you are the same melinda whose charming comments i just found on marie's bread blog!
my cousin marion bush, who's a micologist, suggested on seeing the melting moment that they reminded her of the mushroom called a stink horn!
yes--the ladies at la cuisine are marvelous and do us all a great service. and the cuklas make THE most amazing cookie cutters don't they!
i know of two people for sure who made the cookie cathedral--one submitted it under her own name (lock stock and flying buttresses) to a magazine contest and won second place i think. the other was an employee at williams sonoma in miami who made it when the book first came out. when i went their on tour for a signing he told me how the miami herald came to photograph the various stages and how it was first in the window of the store and then given to a local orphanage. he went on to say that it launched him into a whole new career--he was in his late 60's--he had a face lift and then was the host of his own t.v. show. imagine what one little cookie cathedral could lead to!!!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 16, 2006 9:29 PM #
Rose,
I think that this cookie book is timeless. My favourite cookie is the Chocolate-dipped Melting Moments. I have made it several years for my friends. They think I am very clever, but I know it is because I have a good recipe. It bakes up well, even here in England.The cookie is as light as an angel kiss and the chocolate is the delightful devils tail!
I plan to do bespoke decorated sugar cookies this year. I found the Hammer Song Cookie cutters from the back of the book, and have ordered some from the delightful ladies at Le Cuisine. Thank you for this reference. The cutters are very special indeed. The decorated examples by Betsy Cukla are gorgeous. I don't think mine will be as artistic and charming as hers.
Has anyone written back to say they have made your Notre Dame Gingerbread Cathedral? That would be quite an adventurous project. Did you get the idea while you were studying at architecture night school? The stained glass windows are magic if not genius. Anyway...it is a classic, classy cookie book. Cheers for now. Melinda
Reply to this Posted by: Melinda | November 15, 2006 6:43 PM #