Pride and Prejudice: Lemon Crinkle Tea Cookies

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"Good gracious!" cried Maria, after a few minutes' silence, 
"it seems but a day or two since we first came! and yet how many things have happened!"
"A great many indeed," said her companion with a sigh.
"We have dined nine times at Rosings, besides drinking tea there twice! 
How much I shall have to tell!"
Elizabeth added privately, "And how much I shall have to conceal!" 

~ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Chapter 38

I had the most inspiring talk with a friend today.  She told me that her "word for the year" was  

AUTHENTICITY.  Authenticity, inside and out.  I don't know why this idea comes as such a revelation to me.  After all, I'd like to think that I am already an authentic person:  I say what I think (sometimes), I am a natural blond (mostly), and I wear minimal makeup (but only because I don't want to spend the time or money to wear lots of makeup).

But who am I really?  Sure, I dream of discovering that I am really a Pulitzer Prize writer with the heart of Gandhi who has the coordination of a Russian gymnast and the legs (and knee caps) of a Princess Barbie.  But that's not really me.  So, if I were being authentic to my true self, what would I do with my time?  What choices would I make?  How would I treat others?  How would I treat myself?

I'm realizing that in order to answer these questions, I am going to need a lot of heart-to-hearts with myself, God, and a really affordable therapist.

But here is one thing I do know:  I am girl who loves a beautiful tea cup. There is something about the graceful curve and melodious "clink" of a china cup that makes my heart flutter.  Maybe it's because I have three liters of English blood pumping through my veins.  Or maybe it is because I am going through "Downton Abbey" withdrawals.  Or maybe it is just because it is who I am--no explanation needed.

So in an effort to be "authentic" today, I bypassed the water bottles and the mismatched plastic tumblers in the cupboard and treated myself a drink from a blue chintz tea cup instead.  I could have sworn that while I held its delicate handle in my fingers, I was nicer, thinner, and smarter than I had been without it.

 The best part is that I paired my cup of passion fruit herbal tea with this lemon crinkle cookie.  These are a fresh, delicate, and zesty cookie that are the PERFECT accompaniment to ANY cup of tea.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup powdered sugar (in separate bowl)

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, vanilla, lemon juice and zest.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Form into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet at bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown and the top of the cookie has a matte (not glossy) finish.  When cool, dust with remaining powdered sugar (I hate to waste it) and serve with your favorite cup of tea.


So if whatever it is that your "authentic" self loves---whether it be tea parties or picnics in the orchard or feminine bedrooms --- EMBRACE IT!  As for me, I'm going to go embrace another cup of herbal tea and a Lemon Crinkle Cookie (or two).

Here's to AUTHENTICITY!

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