Wow. That image certainly brought back memories. I was cooking from it in Ann Arbor as soon as you published it. The pages now yellowed and splattered with some of the ingredients. And, on this cookie page particularly. My kids loved these cookies. Now that they are grown and have children, they continue to use this recipe.
Making Hermine's cookies right now, but dough is very crumbly and difficult to get to baking sheet. Should I add a little liquid - water, milk - so that it holds together? Thank you!
This is an old ranch (Eagle Ranch) in New Mexico. I have gone to New Mexico all my life. I live in New York City, but try to get to Santa Fe about once a year. I order often from Heart of the Desert, different varieties. It is closer than Turkey. Miss Gourmet Magazine, which you made very special.
Interesting recipe, without flour. Could you please clarify the oats? I think of instant oats as coming in individual serving envelopes, often in a very sweet flavor. But there are also quick oats, in a canister. Is one of these what goes into the recipe, or something else?
I just made a batch! I used quick oats (235 g, according to my scale; King Arthur would say that 2 1/2 cups would be closer to 222 g), along with 213 g dark brown sugar (King Arthur’s mass equivalent for a cup of brown sugar). I used unsalted butter, so I threw in a teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt with the dry ingredients. I used a teaspoon of vanilla paste, rather than extract. My spoon for portioning was a pink (#60) Zeroll disher. Instead of greasing my sheet pan, I lined it with parchment. And because my oven has convection and cookies in general seem to appreciate the fan, I used it. I think they could use a bit more salt (maybe Maldon, sprinkled on top of each cookie) because I’m afraid that reducing the sugar would harm the texture of the cookies.
I suspect that this cookie dough would do well with an overnight rest in the fridge, to better hydrate and dissolve the sugar for better browning. I’ll let you know tomorrow or Wednesday, when I get a chance to bake the second half of the dough!
I always enjoy reading your blogs and learn something new each time. But about the pistachios... I always thought the best came from Sicily, along with the best pistachio ice cream, of course!
I had the experince of eating at L'Esperance and staying on the property. I was infatuated with the food, the chef and his wife. They could not have been more hospitable and charming, especially when answering all the questions like an American "wannabe" in the know while gleaming the knowledge of master chefs! I came home with a book (in French), notecards, any remembrance of time spent in that lovely setting! How fortunate am I to have that memory!
Ruth, you’re the best! Thanks for being you, all your enthusiasm, knowledge, good will, humor! I still miss Gourmet under you but at least your voice is here…and even better.
How wonderful! That looks like an incredible meal, and brilliant you still have the menu. Sad I never got the pleasure of eating at L'Esperance, but in 2016 I loved exploring the little village of Saint Père, where we found a clog maker. They couldn't find a French sabotier to work there, so they invited a clog-maker from Holland to keep it going. Just googled and
sadly it's now closed. :-( Still, it's a beautiful area to explore. The view from the abbey at Vézelay is jaw-dropping.
Hi Ruth! Thanks for the as-ever entertaining read. Suggestion for your "Gifts" section: have you met Canada's new Ciselier Company (www.ciselier.com) and their heritage, handcrafted international scissor maker partners? If interested, we're happy to send some to try in your kitchen - the reviews have been all raves to-date. We'd love your thoughts! Thanks and let us know, cheers Susan@thesirengroup.com
I would love to make Hermine's oatmeal cookies. But I cannot have dairy. Do you think the recipe will work with olive oil? Or Miyoko's oatmeal milk butter?
wikipedia says Fernand Fleuret used FANFAN LA TULIPE as an alias! I would gladly eat a meal dedicated to FANFAN LA TULIPE! but he is listed as writing one of the forwards to the book (along with Guillaume Apollinaire), so that's maybe why? I guess between 8,777 € and $68, I'd take the latter!
Wow. That image certainly brought back memories. I was cooking from it in Ann Arbor as soon as you published it. The pages now yellowed and splattered with some of the ingredients. And, on this cookie page particularly. My kids loved these cookies. Now that they are grown and have children, they continue to use this recipe.
Making Hermine's cookies right now, but dough is very crumbly and difficult to get to baking sheet. Should I add a little liquid - water, milk - so that it holds together? Thank you!
I buy the Turkish pistachios by the 1# at Sevan, a small store in Watertown, MA. You are right, they are totally addictive.
This is an old ranch (Eagle Ranch) in New Mexico. I have gone to New Mexico all my life. I live in New York City, but try to get to Santa Fe about once a year. I order often from Heart of the Desert, different varieties. It is closer than Turkey. Miss Gourmet Magazine, which you made very special.
Interesting recipe, without flour. Could you please clarify the oats? I think of instant oats as coming in individual serving envelopes, often in a very sweet flavor. But there are also quick oats, in a canister. Is one of these what goes into the recipe, or something else?
I think you can use any kind of oats. When I wrote the book, in 1971, there was no such thing as "individual serving envelopes".
I just made a batch! I used quick oats (235 g, according to my scale; King Arthur would say that 2 1/2 cups would be closer to 222 g), along with 213 g dark brown sugar (King Arthur’s mass equivalent for a cup of brown sugar). I used unsalted butter, so I threw in a teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt with the dry ingredients. I used a teaspoon of vanilla paste, rather than extract. My spoon for portioning was a pink (#60) Zeroll disher. Instead of greasing my sheet pan, I lined it with parchment. And because my oven has convection and cookies in general seem to appreciate the fan, I used it. I think they could use a bit more salt (maybe Maldon, sprinkled on top of each cookie) because I’m afraid that reducing the sugar would harm the texture of the cookies.
I suspect that this cookie dough would do well with an overnight rest in the fridge, to better hydrate and dissolve the sugar for better browning. I’ll let you know tomorrow or Wednesday, when I get a chance to bake the second half of the dough!
Update: even better after an overnight rest and with a sprinkle of Maldon salt on top.
You are amazing! Thanks so much for this.
I always enjoy reading your blogs and learn something new each time. But about the pistachios... I always thought the best came from Sicily, along with the best pistachio ice cream, of course!
I am not a baker,however, I think these cookies sound easy and delicious😋 Can’t wait for another book by you. When can we expect to buy it?
Turkish pistachios are magnificent. I loved them years ago in Turkey. Try Heart of the Desert pistachios, grown on their farm-ranch in New Mexico.
Thanks for that. Googling Heart of the Desert now!
So excited to read you are working on another book! So miss your writing.
I had the experince of eating at L'Esperance and staying on the property. I was infatuated with the food, the chef and his wife. They could not have been more hospitable and charming, especially when answering all the questions like an American "wannabe" in the know while gleaming the knowledge of master chefs! I came home with a book (in French), notecards, any remembrance of time spent in that lovely setting! How fortunate am I to have that memory!
Ruth, you’re the best! Thanks for being you, all your enthusiasm, knowledge, good will, humor! I still miss Gourmet under you but at least your voice is here…and even better.
How wonderful! That looks like an incredible meal, and brilliant you still have the menu. Sad I never got the pleasure of eating at L'Esperance, but in 2016 I loved exploring the little village of Saint Père, where we found a clog maker. They couldn't find a French sabotier to work there, so they invited a clog-maker from Holland to keep it going. Just googled and
sadly it's now closed. :-( Still, it's a beautiful area to explore. The view from the abbey at Vézelay is jaw-dropping.
Hi Ruth! Thanks for the as-ever entertaining read. Suggestion for your "Gifts" section: have you met Canada's new Ciselier Company (www.ciselier.com) and their heritage, handcrafted international scissor maker partners? If interested, we're happy to send some to try in your kitchen - the reviews have been all raves to-date. We'd love your thoughts! Thanks and let us know, cheers Susan@thesirengroup.com
I would love to make Hermine's oatmeal cookies. But I cannot have dairy. Do you think the recipe will work with olive oil? Or Miyoko's oatmeal milk butter?
I don't think olive oil will work. Not sure about oatmeal milk butter, but with a recipe this simple substitutions get tricky.
Very true. Thank you for your response. I was able to find a substitution index for various ingredients. I will give it a try!
wikipedia says Fernand Fleuret used FANFAN LA TULIPE as an alias! I would gladly eat a meal dedicated to FANFAN LA TULIPE! but he is listed as writing one of the forwards to the book (along with Guillaume Apollinaire), so that's maybe why? I guess between 8,777 € and $68, I'd take the latter!