Playing Card Cookies

For those of us without dates on Valentine's Day, it's a rather depressing holiday. Netflix, apparently, knows this and decided to release the entire season of "House of Cards" on Valentine's Day. Now I've seen the original British series and I wasn't a huge fan. I think Kevin Spacey is an excellent actor and definitely improves the show. But, as much as I like him and political dramas, I just can't get into the show--perhaps it's because the actors (well, just Kevin Spacey, I suppose) break the third wall or maybe I just can't see how the plot (which worked relatively well given the UK's parlimentary system) can possibly work in the US. Regardless of that, I decided that spending Valentine's Day hanging out with a bunch of my political communications classmates and watching "House of Cards" would be more fun than spending Valentine's Day alone.

Since it was a holiday, I brought some leftover mint hearts and some themed cookies. I figured since the show is called house of cards and I have adorable card suit aspic cutters that playing card-esque cookies would be fun! These are a really basic, buttery shortbread cookie similar to the one we used to make at the restaurant. It's easy to roll out thin and then, after the sheet is baked, cut out while still hot. (We used it to make pretty fluted circles at the restaurant, but this is much more fun!)

They were a hit! I think the mint might have actually gone over better from a taste standpoint (shortbread is a bit boring) but everyone loved that the cookies were themed! (And that's why pastry chefs always have friends.)

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day! (Or for those of you who are single, Happy Kevin Spacey Day!)