Gingerbread, gingerbread, gingerbread rock...

Oh my, she's been at it again. Yes indeedy, it's that time of the year once again: festive gingerbread time. This is my standard giveaway to my friends and family at Christmas time, and it never goes unloved. Each year I endeavour to add another cutter to my collection: this year, the snowflake is the latest cutter on the block (the stocking made "the cut" last year). Sometimes I pause to wonder if I have created a Christmas tradition which will eventually become a rod for my own back, but for now, I'm still managing to cut and ice with enthusiasm.

So, what does one need for a little festive cutting? Firstly, we need themed cutters. My original cutters come from a Fox Run Christmas box set, however you can(for pretty much the same price) put together a collection of your own: a reindeer, a bell, a Christmas tree, perhaps an angel (although, frankly, I eschew the angel as she's too difficult to decorate in a proper and identifiable style!). There is also a Fox Run set of Interchangeable Cutters, which would be quite convenient. I do like to include a candy cane, as the decoration of same is always spectacular in presentation, and a star is a simple inclusion.

I like to roll out the dough with a very simple rolling pin. The ones with the ball bearings in the ends throw me off balance when I roll, so just a basic one will do for me!

Next, you will need some really good baking sheets, and for any kind of biscuit baking, I recommend you go as rimless as possible. I always line my sheets, but that is a personal preference (although, it does make it a bit easier to queue the biscuits up, as you can keep filling sheets of paper and just loading them onto the baking sheets as needed. Buy the caterers' roll of baking paper!). The Masterclass sheets are fab. Once you have baked up, you will need to cool them all down. As I'm currently doing 72 biscuits to a batch, I need the largest cooling rack available, but there are many others from which to choose that might be more appropriate for your needs (presuming you are not in the grips of Christmas baking madness, as I am).

Finally, the decoration. I use a selection of tips (as previously blogged), and I have to hand a selection of semi-disposable piping bags (with all those colours going on, it's just too much work to be icing and changing!). I also use the Wilton colours, as they are intense, pure in colour, and just a teeny bit will give you vibrant result.

So, all that remains is to package them up. Of course, you could carefully arrange them in Maxwell & Williams jars (as previously discussed), but my baking memories are of my grandmother with the same tins all the time, used repeatedly for whatever she'd been cooking up for our visit. With that in mind, how about a festive tin, which can be reused all year 'round (please call the shop for details)? Of course, complete indulgence is possible with the Jim Shore Santa or Snowman Biscuit Jar. You'll need quite a few biscuits to fill one of these: save this idea for someone you really like!

However, the most essential item for baking is a Kitchenaid KSM150 Stand Mixer. My life would be empty, desolate and just plain hard without the kitchen-y company and dedicated work ethic of my Kitchenaid mixer. There is a colour for everyone (the online shop does not reflect all the colours available!), so there can be no possible excuse of it not matching the decor, or being too ugly to keep on the bench. If you don't have one already, put this at the top of your list. If you do, ask for one of the many attachments. You'll know if you've been really good: Santa will bring you a KSM150. Mrs Claus has a red one...of course.

PS For those of my friends, wondering why they didn't get any gingerbread in the mail this year, blame the Australia Post instigators. I could hardly risk the delicate creations with people so completely unfestive that they'd let a Christmas card arrive at New Year...

Is the Dribble Apparent?

Quite likely, as I find it impossible to pass by the Stonewall Kitchen section in the shop without getting very hungry. My mother told me she used to suck lemons in front of the Salvation Army Christmas Band to make the mouths of the horn players water (wasn't she a good girl?). No need to suck lemons here: these gorgeous comestibles will do the job, even just perched on the shelf.

All the products in our Stonewall range are mighty fine, but we have some special items aimed at Christmas entertaining. Between Christmas and New Year celebrations, one would expect cocktails to abound. In order to assist you with making the most spanking, easily-prepared cocktails, we have some gorgeous mixers: the Bellini Mixer, and and Kir Royale Mixer. The Kir Royale Mixer features the sweet liqueur flavours of French blackcurrants, replicating the Creme de Cassis which is essential in a Kir Royale. Simply combine this mixer with Champagne or dry white wine, and you have a superbly sippable beverage. The Bellini Mixer contains (among other ingredients) peach puree: add some Prosecco (or a similar sweet sparkling) for a delectable summer tipple. Could it be easier?

How about some Holiday Syrup? The name says it all, really. Combining cranberries, pears and raspberries, this festively coloured (and flavoured) syrup is perfect for slurping all over pancakes and waffles, or anything on the Christmas brunch table which would appreciate some seriously intense sweetening. And don't forget the sauces: Spiced Rum Butterscotch (warmed over puddings or icecream) and Chocolate Peppermint (perfect errr...straight from the jar!).

For a lovely gift, we have boxes of Blueberry Breakfast: a Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup, a Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, a Farmhouse Pancake and Waffle Mix, and a beautiful 100% cotton tea towel (printed with blueberries, of course), all presented in a festive box.

Of course, the packaging of the Stonewall Kitchen products really speaks volumes of this quality product. Every jar, every bottle, every box is just perfectly conceived to represent the homestyle kitchen inspirations of this marvellous food. This attention to detail means that, whatever you choose to purchase, you cannot go wrong with the presentation of the gift: even the simplest cellophane wrapping will make these products shine.

This Christmas, don't hit a brunch bump: talk a stroll through the Stonewall Kitchen, and thrill your tastebuds, and guests, alike.

Psycho American Christmas Nut

This was the remark thrown at my dear friend whilst trying to arrange lights on a 10-foot tree. My friend and I are self-confessed Griswolds. We get into Christmas with the gusto of Clark: decorating trees, making gingerbread, sending out the cards too early, taking photos of the neighbours lit-up lawns, and spending more money on festive wrapping than on the presents. However, sometimes a Griswold meets a Grinch, a Grinch who cannot understand why the precise placement of the grillion lights it takes to illuminate a 10-foot tree is vitally important to the Christmas spirit (and decoration). So, if you too have a touch of the Grinch about you, turn away now. The festivities to follow will send you rushing for the green facepaint, and hurling abuse at your enthralled Griswold associates...

So, here we have the Christmas collection by Jim Shore. This range is currently filling our front window, and is attracting much attention from passersby filled with the festive spirit. The Jim Shore Christmas Collection comes in two ranges: Snowball Snowman and Holiday Traditions. The ranges include bowls, mugs, platters, cookie (biscuit) jars, votive and candle holders, trays, table centrepieces and salt & pepper sets: in all, a comprehensive selection with which to beautifully dress your Christmas table.

The pieces in the Jim Shore range are hand-painted ceramic. They are dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and very sturdily crafted. In true American style, the designs are bold and colourful, with tremendous attention to detail. The designs can be mixed together, or you could select your favourite and continue a theme throughout your festive entertaining.


While we currently have a wide range of pieces in store, this range was handpicked in the USA by the Cookshop owners, and imported exclusively for Cookshop Plus. This means you can dress your table or get-together with pieces with a bit of exclusivity, or give a gift you can be sure the recipient won't see anywhere else. But the other result is that the stock is very limited. Once the pieces are sold out, that will be it for the season.

If you, like me, are completely enchanted by Christmas, and will go to any lengths to stop the Grinchs stealing it, then this is a range for you. So turn on the twinkling lights, put Anne Murray & Kenny Rogers' Christmas Wishes on the stereo, pour the eggnog into some Holiday Traditions mugs, and serve up the fruitcake on a Snowball Snowman 3D platter (isn't that just the most marvellous piece?).

And if that hasn't outed me as the world's most fanatical festive enthusiast, you can paint me green and call me a...well, you know what.

Biscuits for Barrels (or jars)

OK, so my computer has been compliant, and I have a photo of the chocolate chocolate chip biscuits. I did warn you that they are not the most beautiful to look at (in fact, a ranger would probably fine you if one fell out of your picnic basket and onto the grass), but the taste is exquisite. Mine turned out rather crumbly, but I found a use for those as well: soften some quality vanilla icecream and stir the broken biscuits through for a very special cookies'n'cream mix (I had to relent: biscuits'n'cream just doesn't work).



Now, I can't help you with supply of the astounding Atomic machine, but I can sing the praises of the jar. This is a Maxwell & Williams Olde English storage jar, and I love love love these jars. They come in a fantastic range of sizes, even up to an enormous 7 litre jobbie. The 5 litre has been hugely popular in our commercial division (you might spot them around the Highlands' cafes, stuffed full of gingerbread men). While there are round barrels available, I prefer the square-bottom ones: you can have a hodge-podge of sizes, but the straight sides mean they all fit neatly on a shelf and look rather lovely. The set of four is alarmingly good value, and you'll find a use for every one. The only thing stopping my expanding collection is a lack of shelf space!

I must mention that these jars have a wonderful seal on them as well. Obviously, if you're storing biscuits or other morsels which need to retain their "crunch", the seal of a jar is vital. I find these jars do the job perfectly.

With the festive season rapidly approaching, I have in mind these jars full of homemade festive biscuits, tied around the neck with some gorgeous Christmas ribbon and a gift tag, as a very special, practical and impressive gift. I guarantee the jar will be used in aeternum by the receiver, and everyone appreciates the care that goes into homemade biscuits. Or, at $5.95, pick up a few of the 0.5 litre ones, buy some Christmas-themed sweets or chocolates, and have them on hand for when you get invited for a festive gathering. A simple, inexpensive and thoughtful gift. If you don't get invited anywhere, keep the jars and eat the contents. Either way, you can't go wrong.