Minimum order is 24 cookies.
No less than 12 of a image.
These are the rules I try to stick to when I take cookie orders. Most of the time I’m pretty obedient.
But, every now and again, someone calls with a cookie project that’s so challenging that I’m glad I keep my big mouth shut before I make a fool out of myself.
This is the exact scenario when David Leite called one day in October.
“I’m throwing a dinner party to celebrate The One’s birthday and I have this idea for cookie favors that celebrate important places and moments that we’ve shared since we’ve been together.”
Deep sigh from me. ”What did you have in mind?”
“Well”, said David, “I’m thinking maybe Big Ben, because we love London, an Eiffel Tower because we love Paris, maybe a guy in a beret carrying a baguette, a cookie that looks like the chocolate tart from Gérard Mulot, but with a bite taken out of it…”
My stomach knotted up and all I could think of was what a fraud I really am. People like David come to me all the time with the expectation that I really know how to draw stuff like this on a cookie! What am I going to do??? How do I get out of this one? It’s too advanced, too much work, I can’t do this!!!!
Feeling the sweat trickle down my spine, I was frantically trying to come up with some kind of mildy plausible reason why these couldn’t be done. A kaleidoscopic picture of hundreds of used 2 oz squeeze bottles spilling out of stacks of bowls plastered with dried royal icing, raced though the front of my brain. That is, until I heard David say ‘Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain’ and ‘adirondack chair’. THE GUGGENHEIM IN BILBAO! Then I heard ‘onion domes of Moscow’ and I was a goner. Like an out of body experience, I heard the phrase ‘Yes, let’s do it’ being spoken into my phone’s mouthpiece.
So, with that, I signed on to do 15 cookies, including the aforementioned cookies that hooked me, an interstate route sign, yellow roses, a magazine’s logo, and the couples’ cats, among others.
It’s no secret that I lunge at every chance I get to make a quirky cookie. And, not because it’s easy for me. Quite the opposite, really. Oh, it’s easy to think up the ideas…it’s the execution that’s difficult for me. It’s the old metaphorical pushing-though-what scares-you-the-most that motivates me. That’s why I try so hard to convince my clients to go beyond the birthday cake cookie with ”Happy Birthday Joe” written on it, when something with just a little more thought can take the cookie from ‘that’s nice’ to ‘it’s too pretty to eat.’
Adirondack chair: check
Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao: check. Onion domes: double check
Thanks to this game-changer of a post from Callye, I was able to do justice to this pretty kitty.
David will be posting about how he and The One celebrated, so check here later on today.
In the meantime, I’ve got some rules to rewrite.
those are so cool, as all of your cookies are! but i wonder…i see how you sometimes use some shape to make whatever you are designing, but what about the adirondack chair? and the museum? what cutter shape are those??
Shannon, thank you so much. I fashioned the cutters for those myself.
They are all beautifully done!
My goodness, Gail. You never cease to amaze me. And I guess, when David calls, you rewrote your rules a little
You, my friend, are an inspiration. Brava!
Gosh, you are one talented lady! Just amazing, well done!
LOVE your no-challenge-too-big spirit! You really are “one tough cookie”, big knots in your stomach and sweat trickling down your spine now and then, and all! Your go-get-it spirit in the kitchen inspires me, not so much in the kitchen, but in my mosaic glass art–I find myself responding to client requests with more “I’ll give it a try” and less “Don’t think I can do that design.” You’re amazing!!
Holy cow! They look amazing!
Oh, Gail!!! You are truly an artist! I love each and every one of your cookies…and can totally relate to that “How do I get out of this one?” thought. I’m so happy you DIDN’T get out of it!
You’re awesome.
You don’t have to kill yourself for it- but man do we love you for the things that you do.
XX
such a gifted artist Gail, with a HUGE, HUGE HEART!! more tears today . . . i really need to switch to waterproof mascara . . .
I just read David’s story and saw all the cookies. It did my heart so good! What a treasure you are to have helped him to bring this beautiful expression of his love for The One to life and especially for having the courage to have stepped out of your comfort zone to do it. You are a special, special lady.
Gail, I think your cookies couldn’t have come at a better time. The One and I live just a few towns away from Newton, where all that horror took place. Your art lifted our hearts. Thank you. I think they lift everyone’s heart.
Your work is pure art… and you are such an artist, my dear Gail! I am happy you fail at sticking to rules as it gives us the pleasure of admiring your too pretty to eat COOKIES. xo
When David calls, we all figure out a way to do what he asks! But what a romantic and fabulous idea he had and a stunning gift of love. And who better than you to turn this idea, this dream into a collection of amazing cookies? You are truly the Queen of Cookies! Each one is just perfect! As I sat and read his beautiful post and ogled each cookie, I wondered how in the world I would ever be able to make a list of images that represent my relationship with the man I love that could be turned into cookies. Dunno. But I am so glad you broke the rules for David. (I love you both but that is pretty much beside the point….)
These are fantastic!
ps:I finally watched some of your video and are amazing.