Hello all of my Foodie Friends!

Friends. Wow, it is November already!! The holiday season is just around the corner and cookie baking time is here. Where did cookie cutters originate? The first cookie cutter was made in 1475. The first American cookie cutters were made by tinsmiths in East Berlin, Connecticut around 1720. England had banned production of tin in the colonies, which meant any tin had to be imported from England and limited the amount of tin work that could be done. Cookie cutters were made from the scraps of tin left over. After the Revolution, tin and tin cookie cutters were made in America.  By the 1800’s cookie cutters were made with welds. Cookie cutters became popular in Germany in the late 1800’s. They were highly decorative and were mainly designed to create cookies to hang on Christmas trees. Once Christmas became an American holiday, cut out cookies were used to decorate Christmas trees. In the late 1800’s, many cookie cutters were imported from Germany.  Shaped cookies became important and found their way in cookbooks with an emphasis on the shape. Cookie cutters not only changed the shape cookies were made in, it also changed their consistency and taste.  Tin was replaced for a while by aluminum in the 1920’s. Wooden handles were added in the 1930’s.  Cookie cutters continued to grow in popularity as more designs were being made. During the 1970’s and into the 1980’s more people became domestic and worked on their own crafts at home, including decorated cookies. Today you can find cookie cutters in just about any shape or size. Copper is now a popular material for cookie cutters, but plastic, tin, and aluminum are still the most commonly found.

Here are some fun cookie trivia facts:
• Americans consume over 2 billion cookies a year … about 300 cookies for each person.
• The average American eats 35,000 cookies in a lifetime.
• 95.2 percent of U.S. households consume cookies.
• Half the cookies baked in American homes each year are chocolate chip.
• Baking burns 168 – 348 calories an hour
  (according to the Livestrong Foundation and My Fitness Pal.)
• Santa Claus eats an estimated 336,150,386 cookies on Christmas.

At Compliments to the Chef located at 33 Railroad Place, we have an abundance of holiday cookie cutters and baking accessories in stock to assist with your cookie and holiday baking needs. Eating fresh, homemade baked foods warm from the oven is something everyone in the family loves.  Making them together as a family is also something your family will enjoy.  Gather the crew together for a delicious day of baking, decorating and, of course, eating. (Someone has to taste test them all, right?) Make it a day to remember with ideas for dressing up sugar cookies and creative ways to display your edible masterpieces.  Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

SAVE THE DATES:
Thursday, Nov. 15 - Soup 4 You Demo and Raffle, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. “The Soup Sisters” - Susan Garth and Nancy Holzman will be demonstrating the Mastery and Magic of Mirepoix. Learn how to use this essential component as the base for a delicious array of simple and tasty soups.
Friday, Nov. 29 - Wusthof Block Party and Demo, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. with drawings and special offers.
Thursday, Dec. 6 - Three Simple and Delicious Holiday Appetizers Demo, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. with Raffle from “Soups4You.” 
Saturday, Dec. 15 - Knife Skills with Chef Rocco Verrigni, 1 - 3 p.m.