World Peace Cookies

 "But Bailey," I hear you cry, "Why on Earth are there only two cookies in these pictures?" Well, friends, it's because these cookies were gobbled down in the blink of an eye. I was in the shower when Piper came home, found these in the cookie jar, and ate one. I was able to hear her un-printable exclamation over the sound of the shower. They're that good. Dorie Greenspan, who I'm starting to imagine (in a totally non-creepy way) as my fairy baking godmother, jokes that these cookies are called World Peace Cookies because if everyone in the world had one war would be a thing of the past. She may have been joking, but I think she's on to something.

Sicilian Fig Bars

When I told Peter that I was thinking of making Fig Newtons, he sounded less than enthusiastic. Fig Newtons were a cookie his mom used to eat when he was little. They were not, perhaps, the coolest cookie around. I've always had a fondness for them, though, and when I saw that Nick Malgieri's recipe for them was called "Sicilian Fig Bars," that just about did the trick. "Sicilian Fig Bars" made me think of lounging around on the patio of a villa outside Siena, munching on a cookie, reading a good book and watching the cypress trees sway in the distance. Who couldn't fall in love with that?

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Cake

This is definitely one of the most unusual (in a fantastic way) confections I've ever come across. It's hard, really, to pinpoint exactly where in the baking realm it falls (pie? cake?) but what is certain is that this is a beautiful way to showcase the standout fruit of early summer, namely rhubarb and strawberries. A light, cloudlike cake gives some structure to the dessert, topped with fruit and finished with a brown sugar crumb. The original name for this was "snacking cake" and it's easy to see why. When this is sitting out on the counter it sort of beckons you over every time you walk by.

Summer Cherry Pie

Is there anything more summery than cherry pie? Maybe, but things such as sunlight, sand, and soft green grass aren't as edible (or at least as tasty). Now that I'm back in Portland and she has decided to temporarily bestow warm, sunny days on all of us I've had summer on my mind pretty much nonstop. Peter's had to break out the fan for the room, and I'm cranking my way through Agatha Christie books like no one's business. And, of course, I'm baking pie.

Chai Caramel Sandwich Cookies

This is a continuation of Hallie's and my happy little foray into tea-infused sugar cookies. I suggested that we try chai and Hallie threw in the caramel idea. And hoo boy, you have no idea how beautifully these turned out. Not too sweet, with a shortbread-like texture and an exciting, comforting zing of chai spices. These are perfect for filling your cookie jar, for an afternoon snack or, heck, for filling up with caramel and snarfing down like there's no tomorrow.

Lemon-Lavender Tea Cookies

I come from a long line of tea drinkers. More specifically, I come from a line of Red Rose tea drinkers. As early as I can remember, as soon as it hit about 7pm my parents would begin their daily ritual of making tea, forgetting it on the counter, then chipperly setting about making more. We Cains rarely vary in our tea tastes. My sister Piper has shirked tradition somewhat by embracing the more radical realm of PG Tips, but I remain steadfast in my loyalty to Red Rose. In fact, it's gotten to the point where one of my boyfriend's favorite jokes is:

Peter: What are you up to?
Me: Drinking tea.
Peter: Oh yeah? What kind?
(proceeds to chuckle heartily to himself for a minute and a half)

Get it? Because I only drink one kind of tea.

But the glorious thing about even the most devoted one-tea people is that we nevertheless embrace all sorts of accoutrements to go along with our daily cup--the odd scone, piece of toast, crumpet, you name it. And when it comes to tea cookies...well, guys, I don't think tea cookies get much more perfect than this.

Road to the Superbowl, Day One

For me, the Superbowl is less about the hormonally imbalanced man-boys working out their childhood aggression. Nope, hard as it is to believe, it's all about the food. Normally if I'm within range of a television on the big day there'll at least be some ceremonial chunky salsa munching. But if there's a full-on game day party with my UT cohort? That's an excuse to go a little crazy. This year, crazy is taking the shape of Nick Malgieri's "Intensely Moist" Chocolate Cupcakes and a big batch of Pok Pok wings. Wings are tomorrow. Today is all about the cupcake.

Because it's Friday...

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF MINI-CUPCAKES.

Which are basically the cutest things in the world.

Java Gingerbread

I'm still tinkering around a bit with food photography and lighting and all that, so please bear with me as I perfect my technique *sniffs snootily and samples a soupcon of snuff*. As usually happens, last night I got a bit antsy and started looking around for something to bake. My sister chose this recipe. I'm really rather glad that she did. Any baked goods I tend to make nowadays generally get sent either into a) our cookie jar or b) the hungry mouths of Piper's starving, sleep deprived architecture cohort. "It's a lot like giving to the needy," observed my good friend Ben Kruger-Robbins after dropping off the leftovers from our end-of-semester party at her architecture studio. The half-empty bags of Doritos were being set upon like wounded baby zebras by a pack of wild dogs.