…with a pinch of flavor and a dash of goodness…

I have written some of cultural distinctions, things that I find new and interesting here in Chile, things that are similar to what I was accustomed to, and things that are different. I’m constantly finding new pieces of the puzzle when it comes to culture: what’s common, what’s not, what’s something that I grew up with that I thought was normal, and what’s just personal preference. Today we will be focusing on one fascinating widget in this giant machine of a topic: cookies.

Well, let’s get a little more broad — baked goods, in general.

I like baking. I have been known in the past for my apron-wearing, cake-baking ways. It’s fun and creative, it’s relaxing and familiar, it’s delicious and it’s not common here!

Now don’t get me wrong — the Chileans love their cookies, cakes and various sweets. They don’t generally make them at home, though. There are tons of options to buy sweets and they’re generally inexpensive and delicious. Home-baked goods, as I’m beginning to learn, are an anomaly and kind of a big deal.

And so we begin our story just a few months ago when I arrived at my Home Group with a ziploc of recently baked chocolate chip cookies. It was with a bit of trepidation that I put them out on the table for public consumption, but within moments my fears subsided as the mouths of all in the room were singing my praises. Sugar cookies came the next week, followed by strawberry bread, banana bread, lemon bars, and… the list goes on.

I am here, of course, to embrace the culture into which I have come. I also recognize, though, that I have a unique and fun opportunity here to introduce parts of my own culture. It’s a lovely way to contribute, to do something that I enjoy, and to offer a few new flavor sensations to hungry Home Group tummies. I mean, do you remember your first bite of a Snickerdoodle? Potentially life changing, this stuff… ok, maybe not exactly, but it’s fun. I will say, too, that it’s no small boost to my ego to walk in each week with the eyes of everyone in the room lighting up in anticipation of my next homemade treat; let’s hope it doesn’t all go to my head.

This week’s delight? Chewy Coconut Cookies. They’re REALLY good and easy! Check out the recipe here (I love how allrecipes.com has a metric conversion option, too! Tablespoons >> grams of butter in no time flat. Although I have my own measuring cups and spoons, the butter measurements are always a bit tricky. Three cheers for smart websites!)