As someone who grew up in a household with a mother who loves to bake, the holidays just aren’t the holidays without Mom’s chocolate chip cookies or her spritz (tiny, brightly colored butter cookies in holiday shapes made with a cookie press), or, as my cousins have called it since the ’80s, Aunt Liz’s Fudge. I try to make Christmas cookies with my second family each year, and since I can’t always make it to Cincinnati in December, it is not out of the question for those holiday cookies to be made in March … or August.
Admittedly, not every family is so into cursing the malfunctioning cookie press or needing to clean up the flour prints that somehow ended up on the ceiling right before their home turns into an open house of family and friends.
For those who’d rather keep their ovens cool, local bakeries are more than happy to supply your sweets. The majority say they don’t have hard and fast deadlines for holiday orders, but they do have dates they want to receive orders by:
•Pembroke Bakery (300 E. Main St.; 247-7220). The bakery can take orders through Dec. 23, and it will have abbreviated hours on Christmas Eve. Normally open until 9 p.m., Pembroke will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.
•Vanilla Bean Unique Cookies & Cupcakes (3410 N. Anthony Blvd.; 415-4652). Holiday orders are due by Dec. 20.
•Courtney’s Bakery (10812 Coldwater Road and 5625 W. Jefferson Blvd.; 338-2688 for both). Cookie orders should be placed and paid for by Dec. 21. Though it is typically closed on Sundays, Courtney’s will be open Dec. 23.
•Waynedale Bakery (2610 Lower Huntington Road; 747-2992). The bakery asks that holiday orders are placed by Dec. 22. It will also have special hours Christmas Eve. Though it is usually closed Mondays, Waynedale Bakery will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 24.
•Richard’s Bakery (1130 N. Wells St.; 424-4012). Richard’s is asking that all holiday orders be placed by Dec. 18.
•New Haven Bakery (915 Lincoln Highway E., New Haven; 749-2161). Place orders by noon Dec. 23.
Free tasting
The Cap n’ Cork store at 10020 Lima Road is holding a free beer, wine and liquor tasting today. It will feature eight liquors, including three flavored Smirnoff vodkas; seven beers, including a variety of holiday brews; and 10 wines.
Local bartender honored
In honor of Bartender Appreciation Day, which was Friday, Smokey Bones had a Virtual Tip Jar contest on Facebook. Fans were asked to comment with the names of their favorite Smokey Bones bartender. The company paid a quarter for every “like” the post received, and the bartender named most received the tip.
Amy Bechtel, who bartends at the local Smokey Bones (1203 Apple Glen Blvd.), tied with a Florida bartender to receive a $250 tip. Companywide, Smokey Bones has 66 bartenders.
Fundraiser
The Applebee’s restaurant in Auburn (507 Ley Drive) is having a Dining to Donate fundraiser for the Auburn Cord Dusenberg Automobile Museum (1600 S. Wayne St., Auburn) from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today. Print out a certificate at automobilemuseum.org/Events/Pages/DiningtoDonate.aspx or pick one up at the museum, and 15 percent of your Applebee’s bill will be donated to the museum. Plus, you will receive a coupon for $5 off your next Applebee’s visit.