Says Lake Worth cookie maker
You don’t have to be the Grinch to get a little moody at Christmas. Moody feels right sometimes. Moody feels right when thoughts of loved ones lost rise up through the holiday’s larger magic. It feels right amid the sweep of commercialism.
Moody feels right because often it draws us into the kitchen for a little soul warming. I don’t believe holiday cookies were first baked by some cheery soul straight out of a Hallmark movie. No, they must have been conjured in a fog of poignant memories, with spice aromas rising like incense.
Lake Worth baker Anna Kaetterhenry, known as Anna Kae to her customers, understands the gauzy visual. She learned to bake as a young child by watching her great-grandmother in the kitchen. Her perch was a seat pulled up next to the stove, a spot that allowed her to witness the kneading of dough, the assembly of fruit pies, the multiplication of holiday cookies and the sheer magic of baking.
“We used to make these cardamom-ginger-molasses cookies. Still today when I eat them, the flavors take me back to my childhood,” says Kaetterhenry.
Today, the name of her indie busi- ness, Love Well Baking Co., is a tribute to her great-grandmother, who lived to age 96 and was eulogized as a woman who had “loved well.”
The message is Kaetterhenry’s secret ingredient, as suggested in her Facebook message to her community:
“I bake from my heart, and my only wish is that everyone would know, from the very first bite, how loved they are.”
This is especially true during the holidays, she says, when people tend to sink into their feelings.
“For me, the holidays are special. They’re about giving, and the best way I can give to anyone is through baking and food,” she says. “That’s how I can love the people around me. That’s how I can bless them and love on them.”
That’s moody for you. The holidays may begin with a little heartache, but when the memories are sweet, they do nourish the soul. And they produce some delicious cookies.
Anna Kae shares recipes for two of her favorite holiday cookies here.
Courtesy of Anna Kaetterhenry of Love Well Baking Co. She takes baking orders and questions at lovewellbakingco@gmail.com.