We’re trying to figure out some new cookie ideas for our Mother’s Day gift boxes. At the Flea, we sell sampler gift boxes with nice wraparound paper, a ribbon and a stick of cinnamon with small packages of all our products (except marshmallows). We’re planning on slightly different packaging for Mother’s Day and hope to have a special new product inside. Yesterday’s experiments didn’t turn out so great: a chai cheesecake brownie (too much going on), the macaroons (good, but really need to be baked in a professional oven with even heating so they get crispy on the outside) and a rose financier (fancy word for tea cake).

Mark decided to go back to the drawing board and made a rose & black pepper thumbprint cookie. The cookie is a shortbread with a hint of black pepper for some added spice with a rose jam filling. So far, so good. They’re suppose to cool so we can see how the jam firms up, but I snuck a piece while Mark and the girls were at the playground across the street. Hmmmm…I wonder if it needs some more black pepper…hmmm….better taste test one more to see…