I look forward to when Cookie Saturday rolls around. Jenya doesn’t make cookies every Saturday because she gets busy working on her translation class or sewing penguins, but when she does make them, it’s amazing.

The Aroma

The first thing I’ll notice is the sound of the mixer whirring through the dough. A little while later, the house will fill up with the scent of fresh-baked cookies. It’s that calming smell of home, comfort, and warmth. Goodness is in the oven, and it’ll be ready soon.

The Adventure

One of the things that I like most is that Jenya is fearless when making cookies. She’ll use any candy bar broken into bits to make chocolate chunks. We had left over pumpkin in the freezer, and she made cookies from those, which tasted like cookies from a gourmet shop. She’ll put in dried cranberries or whatever strikes her fancy. They all come out great, probably because she uses real butter and other natural ingredients.

The Texture

Jenya’s cookies always turn out the right texture. They are just the right amount of soft and firm. They don’t crumble away into nothing or shatter when you bite into them, like some store-bought cookies. And when they come right out of the oven, the chocolate pieces are melty and wonderful. It’s a pleasure for the mouth and stomach meant to be savored.

Cookie Saturday

Our friend Checkers Penguin started Cookie Saturday, as far as we know. It’s been nice to have something to look forward to while dealing with everything that 2020 has sent our way. There are a couple of us on Instagram who share our Cookie Saturday creations. If you want a cookie making friend, you can get one of our handmade penguins to help you out — though I’m told, they mostly like to eat the cookies. Cinnamon Penguin likes cinnamon rolls as well as cookies.