Gina Hyams - Christmas cookie contest in a box handbook

This may be a little book, but it carries within it the goodwill of a great many people. Christmas cookie bakers dont just talk about communitythey forge it at every turn, and I am grateful to the kind souls who so generously shared their cookie wisdom and supported this project.

Its been a pleasure working with my publisher, Andrews McMeel. Thanks to editor Dorothy OBrien; marketing wiz Amy Worley; designers Tad Carpenter and Julie Barnes; publicists Tammie Barker and Razonia McClellan; copy editor Libby Kessman; and the rest of the crackerjack team. My agent, Jean Sagendorph of Mansion Street Literary Management, is the only agent I know who seals publishing deals, is ber crafty with a glue gun, and bakes scrumptious cookies for her clients. And I hereby award blue ribbons of appreciation to all of the expert Christmas cookie bakers who gave me permission to publish their winning recipes.

Eternal best wishes for perfectly moist yet crisp cookies to my recipe- testing posse: Gary Bates, Lesley Ann Beck (who gets bonus sprinkles for last-minute proofreading), Kathleen Beebout, Laurie May Coyle, Sue Dickman, Nichole Dupont, Sheila Durrant, Laurily Epstein, Sarah Ruth Flynn, EllynAnne Geisel, Debra Ginsberg, Gina Hyams (the New Jersey one!), Leah Kenworthy, Gia Laverne, Sarah Olson Liberman, Ericka Lutz, Kelly Bevan McIlquham, Kari Chapin Nixon, Jean Sagendorph Pocker, Cristina Potters, Amy Rogers, Millie Rossman, DG Strong, Lysne Beckwith Tait, and Niki Winters.

Thanks as ever to my mom, Leigh Hyams, and to my husband and daughter, Dave and Annalena Barrett, for being such game companions on this cookie adventure.

Gina Hyams is an author and editor who specializes in mysterious and confounding subjects. She has published several books on family, traditions, travel, cooking, and the arts. Her cooking contest In a Box series includes kits for chili, pie, and Christmas cookies. She lives in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts with her husband, teenage daughter, and dog named Goose. Find her online at www.ginahyams.com.

BOOKS

Adimando, Stacy. The Cookiepedia: Mixing Baking, and Reinventing the Classics . Philadelphia: Quirk Books, 2010.

Chattman, Lauren. Cookie Swap! NewYork: Workman Publishing, 2010.

Grunes, Barbara, and Virginia Van Vynckt. Very Merry Cookie Party: How to Plan and Host a Christmas Cookie Exchange . San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2010.

Johnson, Kristin, and Mimi Cummins. Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories, and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts . Fountain Hills, AZ: Tyr Publishing, 2003.

Mushet, Cindy, and Sur La Table. Baking Kids Love . Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 2009.

Oleson, Jessie. CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life . Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2011.

Olson, Robin L. The Cookie Party Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Cookie Exchange . New York: St. Martins Griffin, 2010.

Pearlman, Ann, and Marybeth Bayer. The Christmas Cookie Cookbook:
All the Rules and Delicious Recipes to Start Your Own Holiday Cookie Club . New York: Atria Paperback, 2010.

Peterson, Valerie, and Janice Fryer. Cookie Craft Christmas: Dozens of Decorating Ideas for a Sweet Holiday . North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2009.

Usher, Julia M. Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year .
Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, 2009.

Wilson, Dd. A Bakers Field Guide to Christmas Cookies . Boston: The Harvard Common Press, 2003.

WEBSITES

The Food Timelinewww.foodtimeline.org