Hobby

Sitting at the dining room table, my wife looked up from munching on a newly baked chocolate chip cookie and remarked that she thinks baking is my hobby. This came as a bit of a surprise to me, as I don't think of it that way. Baking is something that I like to do, but its not particularly relaxing -- more like satisfying. I'm pleased when a recipe comes out well; pleased when other people think so, at least in my hearing. (Though why so many of them feel the need to retreat abruptly to the water chamber immediately after tasting, where the sounds of loud hawking and harrumphing are heard, escapes me. Perhaps its a religious thing.)

So I don't think it's my hobby. Its just something that I like to do.

Like this recipe, from the excellent Holiday Cookies, which was put out by Cuisine Magazine:

CRISPY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup crisp rice cereal such as Rice Krispies
1/4 cup oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


1. Whisk the flour, cereal, oats, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a bowl, then set aside
2. Cream butter with both sugars until light and fluffy
3. Stir in the chips and flour mixture just until flour is incorporated.
4. Drop dough in 3 tablespoon mounds onto baking sheets, spacing about two inches apart.
5. Bake in 350 degree(F) oven for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set and golden around the edges.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to cooking rack.


Yields a crisp, somewhat tart chocolate chip cookie.