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Let them cool — if you can wait that long — and dig in. These cookies were a family favorite and difficult to reproduce. And as they would find out a er her death, the lack of specifics in her recipes resulted in much frustration when they tried to re-create the exact taste. "My mom, my sister and I tried over and over to replicate her cookies, but we just couldn't get them right," Lane says. Worried that they may have lost an important memory, the family was devastated. "My grandma died unexpectedly in 2014. It was heartbreaking. Three years later, my co-worker brought in an assortment of homemade cookies to share with the staff. I reached down to grab one without any thought and within one bite I instantly recognized the cookie. As luck would have it, the baker was from very close to where my grandma had grown up and learned to bake," Lane says. Ecstatic, Lane took the rest of the cookie home. Upon tasting it, everyone in the family "had the same reaction. We all embraced each other and sobbed over these beautiful cookies. It was like we had Grandma back for a few moments." Founts of wisdom and kindness, grandmothers are a key to the past and one of our greatest resources. If you're lucky, you get one like Mary Grace Baker, who "was filled with seemingly-boundless love for everyone she came in contact with and had a way of making everyone feel like they were the most special person in the room." Not only did she pass on her love and reverence of food and family, she le behind pieces of her heart — to remind her family to always lick the spoon. AMISH SUGAR CAKES Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 4 cups flour 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder 1 cup shortening or butter 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar (reserve 1/2 cup for topping cookies, or use white sugar) 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar) 1 cup milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together and sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. In a larger, separate bowl or a mixer, beat shortening or butter and light brown sugar together on high until fluffy. Add in eggs and mix well, then add vanilla and mix well. Place cream of tartar (or lemon juice or vinegar) in a small container, then pour in milk. Wait about 3 minutes for the milk to sour. Then, stir in baking soda. Alternate adding flour and the milk mixture to the large bowl and beat on medium speed after each addition, being careful not to overwork the dough. Drop on a cookie sheet with a spoon or cookie scoop about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cookie has risen and spread. Immediately after removing cookies from the oven, sprinkle with remaining brown sugar or white sugar. Cool and enjoy! JUNE/JULY 2021 | maconmagazine.com 75