It’s been a minute since I posted!

I have some very good excuses.

My youngest graduated high school and gave the opening commencement speech.

The next day he competed in the New England Track & Field Championship and won the 1600m in 4:07:09 breaking the meet record as well as his high school’s record.

Look at this close finish….Incredible.

Number 1!

Then it was off to Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon to compete in the Nike Nationals, where Pierce came in 6th overall in the mile.

But, wait, there’s more.

Pierce and I flew right from Eugene to Dubrovnik to spend a few days with my daughter, Siobhán, who has been working abroad on a Fulbright grant since September.

Then we headed to Zagreb to help Siobhán as she packed up to move back to the States.

What a few weeks!

But, the reason you are here is for the food and music, so without further ado I present to you: Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you search this site, you’re gonna run into dozens of chocolate chip cookie recipes. I love them so much and am always looking for a different take on the classic.

Pan banging.

That’s what sets this recipe apart from the others. By dropping the cookie sheet in the oven a few times during the baking time, ripples form at the edge of the cookie. These bands are delectably crisp while the center of the cookie stays soft and chewy. It’s a scientific miracle. Ha!

It’s good to be back.

Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups (284g) flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into approximate ½ inch pieces. (Chocolate chips won’t work properly in this recipe)
Sea salt, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Place an oven rack in the middle position of oven and remove the other racks. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil, dull side up, or with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and water and mix on low speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chunks to the batter and mix in on low speed.

4. Form the dough into 1/4 cup sized balls. Place 4 balls an equal distance apart on prepared pans and transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. (If freezer space is an issue, chill the second baking sheet when you put the first chilled sheet in the oven and so on). Don’t skip freezing the dough balls as it helps the cookies not to spread too much as they bake. This is key to their finished texture.

5. Place the chilled baking sheet in the oven and bake 9 minutes, until the cookies are puffed slightly in the center. Lift up the baking sheet about 4 inches and let it drop down against the oven rack. This will cause the edges of the cookies to set while the centers will deflate a little.

6. After baking for 2 minutes longer, repeat lifting and dropping the pan. Repeat every 2 minutes until cookies have baked for 16 to 18 minutes total. The cookies will have spread out with golden brown edges and centers that are lighter in color.

7. Transfer cookies from the baking sheet to a wire rack, sprinkle with sea salt if using, then let cool completely.

Makes 10-12 large cookies (In order to get the edges to spread and crinkle, you need for the cookies to be big)

Recipe from The Vanilla Bean Blog

Tears were most certainly shed this month. Happy, sad, and everywhere in between.

Birmingham-based artist Sam Redmore recently released this gorgeous cover of Giorgio Moroder’s ‘Tears’. It’s so pretty it gives me goosebumps. It feels joyous, yet, you know….tears.

Check out Sam Redmore on Bandcamp where you can learn of upcoming shows in the UK and buy his music.

Cheers!