Fame.

Ugghhh. I hate newspaper interviews. They always pick out the least intelligent things you said and print them.

Oh, Snap.

Ha. Pardon the title. I'm just in one of those moods right now.
So, I generally only bake when I'm stressed or bored, but I'm baking today because I promised the ladies in the costume shop I'd make them some ginger snaps. I'm there enough for Cosi fittings, I figure I might as well thank them with food.
Anyway, these are my absolute, hands-down, favorite cookies ever. They're just so stinkin' delish. Having never been a chocolate-chip girl myself, I needed to find a recipe for cookies that I liked. I found a rough one in a book, and tweaked it to my liking (roughly based on the three-ginger cookies they make at Trader Joe's, although these aren't quite as crunchy). The sugar ginger is my addition, and makes a HUGE difference. You can usually find it in the Asian section at the grocery store. Also, most recipes call for ground ginger (like, from the McCormick section), but I like to use fresh (I don't go all the way to grinding myself a ginger root, but the wet stuff that comes in a jar works well). Also, the original recipe calls for 1/2t cinnamon and 1/2t ground cloves, but I hate cloves, so I omitted them and used all cinnamon.

So, yeah, here's the recipe:

Gingersnaps

3/4 cup Shortening
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Molasses
1 egg
2t Soda
1/2t salt
2t fresh ginger (in jar, such as Spice World)
1t Cinnamon
2 1/4 cups flour
Sugar ginger, minced, to taste (I usually use about 1/8 cup)

Cream shortening, sugar, molasses, and egg. Add
remaining dry ingredients. Mix well. Roll into balls (about 1 inch),
then roll in white sugar. Place on cookie sheet
and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.

Random Fact: using an Air-Bake pan makes the tops look all crinkly and cute. Regular cookie sheets won't do that. They'll look and taste fine, though. I don't know why it makes a difference, but it does. If you have an air-bake, use it.

Breathing...

Here I go, actually blogging about Opera, for once...please try to contain your excitement:). So, I had my coOperative audition yesterday at the Chicago Lyric (I know, not intimidating at all, right?). It was a great day, despite the extreme cold (honestly. I've never been so cold in my entire life. I checked weather.com--it was -20(!) with that windchill. And I was in a dress and nylons. Gross.) It was fairly exciting, though--we had to show our ID at the stage door to get in, then head up to the 5th floor (wow, I am such a baby opera dork). I was practicing in one of the warm up rooms overlooking the river, and the sun was shining in, and it was just beautiful, and then someone came in over the speaker system saying "Falstaff rehearsal will begin in 5 minutes in room 230. Thank you." Despite the fact that I couldn't go to Falstaff rehearsal (not for lack of volition, we just weren't allowed to wander from our audition area) I had one of those moments when I just felt so lucky. Man, I love singing.


Meanwhile, back in Kalamazoo, Cosi is in full swing, and I'm having a blast. Minus the corset part.

That experience will have to grow on me. We have to wear them (along with our hoop skirts) for all our rehearsals so that we can get used to the whole shallow breathing, inability to bend over, excessive cleavage (especially when sitting--holy cow!) business... let's just say I'm glad I was not born in the Victorian era. Three hours a day in that stuff is plenty for me, thanks. Also, I like eating.

Have cupcakes, will travel.

Oh, man. I started this blog with the full intention of posting every day, but here it is, 2 days since my last post. Well, In my defense, I'm Dorabella in Così fan Tutte right now and rehearsals take up what's left of my life after homework....bah, excuses. I should stop.
Anyway, yesterday I found some extra time to make some cupcakes to bring to rehearsal for a friend and fellow cast member's birthday. I thought I should share this, because it has saved me so much time and energy. Figuring out how to transport cupcakes is the most ridiculous thing ever (and you usually end up using like 5 different tupperware containers or a box, and then the frosting gets all messed up and ugly...). This thing is a lifesaver. It holds three dozen cupcakes and they don't bump into each other. It's amazing. People generally laugh at me for owning it, but they get over it once they eat a cupcake.



Last night at rehearsal, a friend said to me "Man, Renee, you're gonna be the best mom." To which I responded, "Or...the best opera singer. With a passion for cupcakes."
Either would be fine with me. Hopefully both.