When I was young, I loved to make cookies as holiday gifts. My mom’s recipe for winter rainbow cookies was one of my favorites. It was a little complicated for an elementary school student, involving dividing dough into thirds, rolling out mounds, chilling them briefly, dyeing each strip a vibrant color, stacking the pieces, wrapping them, and chilling them overnight. These were no instant-gratification cookies, but they were fun to produce and different from what other children made. Russian tea cake (also called Mexican wedding) cookies are another treasured treat, and I still mix them up today.
Also in my youth, I loved to create sugar cookies and devoted days to doing so. For years I relished the holiday ritual of preparing the dough, rolling it out, cutting out shapes, and decorating the baked morsels with colorful icing. I know a lot of other people love making sugar cookies for the holidays, so that’s why we’re delving into them in this issue. We introduce you to local bakers who have perfected the delectable sweets, and they’ve provided great tips and tricks.
Here are a few of many other stories we’re excited to present in this edition:
Bread Comfort
We’re thrilled about the opening of Beloved’s Bread’s retail location in Midtown Reno. And ’tis the season for special breads from it and other local bakeries, including challah, fruit Danish pastries, and even great gluten-free offerings. See our feature on local bakers and grab a loaf for one of your next parties.
Steak Matters
We dined at Old Range Steakhouse a couple years ago and were wowed by the cozy ambience, giant prime rib, and house-made cheesecake. I’m happy we’re profiling the Tahoe Vista restaurant in this issue.
Holiday Recipe Tips
Latkes (potato pancakes) seem simple to make — they contain just potatoes, eggs, onions, and oil — but perfecting them is tricky. We offer some techniques to ensure a delightful, fresh, crisp bite every time. In addition, we provide suggestions for turkey preparation, clam chowder, and candied orange peels to add to dishes and drinks.
There’s so much more that you’ll want to get cozy with a warm blanket and beverage and immerse yourself in these pages. In the meantime, enjoy the season and, when shopping, support local businesses.
Happy holidays!
About the Cover
Ciarra Melvin, owner of C’s Mad Batter Cakery in Sparks, poses with one of her sugar cookies. Photo by Donna Victor
