Summer in January

I am very fortunate to say that I live in San Diego - for many reasons, of course, but the weather is undeniably the biggest perk for a weakling like me. Our year runs the spectrum from a blustery 50 degrees to a scorching 85, and seems to disregard typical ideas of "seasons" (whatever those are). I'm writing this wearing a tank top, with a scarf thrown on for a little seasonal flair. 


There are some desserts that just work with certain weather. I can't handle super heavy chocolate or gingerbread-y things in the middle of summer, and a light cake seems inappropriate when you're bundled in front of the TV trying to maintain feeling in your hands. Luckily for me, the weather cooperated with me on this recipe and delivered an amazing 80 degree week in the middle of January so I could enjoy the following light, tender, sugary cookies! 

The main flavors here are buttermilk and lemon, which are nicely refreshing and tangy. Buttermilk, shockingly, contains no butter but is in fact the slightly sour residual milk that remains after butter is churned. If you don't churn your own butter,  commercially produced "cultured buttermilk" is made from fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria. In baked goods,  it tenderizes and adds a little tang from that fermentation process.

NOTE: Buttermilk substitute is easy to make! Just add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar to 1 C of whole milk and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Voila! Cultured.


Buttermilk Cookies
From Gourmet magazine (2008) by way of Ezra Pound Cake
Makes about 5 dozen cookies


3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 C buttermilk (or milk and lemon juice)

Glaze
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
3 Tbsp buttermilk (or milk and lemon juice)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together flour, lemon zest, baking soda and salt and set aside. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Mix in flour and buttermilk in alternating additions - starting and ending with flour.

Drop tablespoons of dough on the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between the cookies (they spread!). Bake until cookies are puffed and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Whisk together all glaze ingredients and pour over cookies while they are still warm. Let cool completely.