Hello, goodbye and a sheet of cookies

I never meant to be away so long. I've had so much to say, so much to write about! A tea tasting and rum chocolates and lotus root beignets - need I say more? And yet I just couldn't seem to find my way to the computer and as each day passed I found myself more and more hesitant to get back here.

I write all this as an introduction to another goodbye, this one somewhat more formal. Tomorrow, I'm off to Peru. PERU! I know. Awesome.

I never intended to go on another trip this spring. But here I am, just hours before my flight leaves for Lima, sitting among an empty suitcase, three different kinds of sunblock and a bottle of insect repellant intended for "backforest sportsman."

Overkill? Maybe. But it kind of makes me feel better about the unanswered questions I have swirling in my head.

How will my react to the sudden elevation in altitude? What are the chances that I get home next week without cuts and bruises from the surfing and whitewater rafting expeditions we have planned? Just how big do bugs get down there?

And maybe most importantly, will I have the guts to eat a deep-fried guinea pig?

I'll have answers to these and other questions in a week, but in the meantime I feel I should post a goodbye treat.

It's a belated Cinco de Mayo recipe of sorts, perhaps inappropriate on the eve of my trip to, umm, not Mexico. But they're pretty, delicious and sure to make anyone forget this image.

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Polvorones, aka Mexican Wedding Cakes

Bon Appetit, May 2003

Despite they're name, these are really just cookies. But, as you'll see, not just cookies. Mexican Wedding Cakes remind me of Russian tea biscuits, which I absolutely adore, and they're very flexible in terms of ingredients. I made them with what I had, and didn't have, on hand one happy Sunday afternoon (no vanilla, no pecans, lots of almonds) with wonderful results. For those who go the almond route, may I suggest adding a dash of cardamom in place of the cinnamon. It is absolutely transportative, reminiscent of Middle Eastern pastry. Here is the original recipe, which yeilds about four dozen "cakes," but feel free to get creative with flavors and batch size.

(And the cinnamon sugar is oh. my. god. delicious. I dare you to not "accidentally" get it all over your fingers, leaving no choice but to lick it off.)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup pecans (or other nut), toasted, coarsely ground
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and cinnamon in pie dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.

Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls.

Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. (Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature; reserve remaining cinnamon sugar.)

Sift remaining cinnamon sugar over cookies and serve.