My Mom (who is 81!) still sends me (well, technically my boys) the cookies we always had at Christmas growing up. They are thin, crispy delicious molasses cookies with a light glaze of icing and little candy balls sprinkled on top. They are delicious and we all love them. She has been sending them to me by mail for years and I helped make them for years when I was a kid. I have a photo somewhere of my eldest baking them with her in her kitchen. It's a sweet photo - he was about 3 - I will have to find it and post it.
This year in our neighbourhood there are a lot of baking opportunities, firstly in your own home kitchen and secondly out in the community.
Devonshire Public School is hosting its 2nd annual Gingerbread Workshop on Saturday, Dec 4th. There will be three sittings: 10 am to 11:30, noon to 1:30, and 2 pm to 3:30. The cost is $20 per house, candy, icing and best of all - clean-up. There will be a little café set up with snacks and drinks for sale as well. You do need to register in advance so please contact Kelly Serjeantson for more info kellyserjeantson@rogers.com or karlaandrich@sympatico.ca.
Canadian Mothercraft (on Evered Avenue) is hosting its 20th annual Gingerbread Event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sunday, Dec. 12th, from 11-3. Help decorate a gingerbread masterpiece that you get to take home, do crafts, have your face painted, hear the Junkyard Symphony and have a visit from Santa Claus. $20 for an adult / $10 for a child All proceeds from this event benefit Mothercraft’s work in supporting vulnerable families through the Birth and Parent Companion Program. Call Mothercraft at 613-728-1839 x500 for more information. You may register by phone or email or you may purchase tickets from any Milkface location in Ottawa (the one on Churchill is closest of course)
At the Thursday, Dec. 16th version of the Chapel Cafe playgroup there will be bridgehead coffee, hot chocolate, Cookie Decorating (!!), x-mas tunes, face painting and a special surprise. All are welcome. See other posts about this playgroup if you need more detail. It runs every Thursday from 9:30-11:30 at the All Saints Anglican church on Richmond Rd. between Churchill and Roosevelt.
The Cooking School at Superstore is holding Gingerbread House decorating classes on Sunday, Dec. 12th (1 pm) and 19th (1 and 3:30) and on Friday the 17th (6:30) and Wednesday the 22nd (6:30); $18 per person and the class has a max of 16 people. Ages 3-5 must be accompanied by an adult. Register online at http://www.pccookingschool.ca/ or drop by the Richmond Rd. store. The site is not allergy free.
It is also hosting a "Sweet Treats for Christmas" class on Friday, Dec. 3rd from 6:00 - 8:00. They describe it as a "feast of festive treats, featuring rich Rocky Road Fudge; beautiful Stained Glass Window Cookies; White Chocolate & Raspberry Cookies; fruity, nutty Tropical Snow Drops; and yummy Hot Chocolate". $12 per person and register online (as above). The site is not allergy free.
If you don't make any of these I'm guessing the Harvest Loaf on Wellington might be able to help out! = )
