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Gia-Gina Across the Pond

So I've decided to follow my husband to his native Italy. Follow our adventures as we eat, drink, travel, adapt to and explore this remarkable country. Part food blog, part photo blog but mostly my rants and raves. After our two years in Italy, we relocated across the Atlantic "pond" and are back in the States.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Roskette

Once in while I get strange cravings. Last night, I woke up at 2 a.m. with a great thirst. My throat was absolutely parched. Some nice cold orange juice sounded fantastic so I headed for the refrigerator. After hopping back into bed, I began to get thirsty again. Twice last night I woke up for a drink, this time I had a tall glass of 2% milk. After going back to bed a second time, I began to dream about the one thing in the world that could bring on a thirst as powerful one I had just experienced. My mind drifted back to my childhood and mouthful of crisp, dry, Roskette cookies. How the image and taste of these cookies invaded my unconsciousness, I have no idea. It had been almost four years since I last tasted them.

These cookies are a specialty of Guam. Roskette (Row-Sket-Tay) are a bit like English and Scottish shortbreads and they are a bit like good crisp sugar cookies. Roskette however are a bit more delicate, this is mostly due to their pretzel shape. The mom and pop stores on Guam always carried these cookies, as well as guyoria, which are coconut fritters/candies that are as hard as jawbreakers. I love the dry, crumbly texture and the wonderfully light, sweet flavor. These cookies are plain, with no overwhelming flavors. What I enjoy is how they pair perfectly with ice cold milk.

Here the recipe I tweaked after searching the internet and my Guamanian cookbook.

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Roskette
Makes 2-3 dozen
½ C. bakers sugar, sifted
½ C. butter
1 egg
1 C. flour
1 C. cornstarch
1 t. vanilla
¼.C. milk
½ t. baking powder
Pinch of salt

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, flour, cornstarch, baking powder and vanilla. When well blended slowly add milk.
2. Make small balls about 1 inch in diameter, dust hands with a bit of flour to prevent sticking. Work fast or the dough will soften too much or you could put ½ of the dough in the refrigerator while you are working.
3. Roll the dough balls into long ropes about 7-9 inches long. Twist them into a pretzel shape and place on a parchment lined baking sheet dusted with flour.
4. Bake in a 350 F, preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden but not dark brown.
5. Slide the parchment off the cookie sheet to cool.
6. Enjoy with glasses of cold milk.

11 Comments:

At 10:57 AM, Blogger Mona said...

What a fun cookie AND recipe. I learn something new every day! I love your story about waking up thirsty. I always seem to run into that problem. When I pour myself a glass of water and leave it by my bed, I don't wake up in the middle of the night. Then, of course, when I DON'T pour the water, I wake up thirsty. Go figure.

 
At 11:11 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I never wake up thirsty, I keep sleeping and DREAM that I am thirsty. In my dream I start drinking everything I can lay my hands on, can after can of cold water, whole liters of milk, everything, but it never helps and somehow it always ends with me eating cucumber (in the dream) in a desperate way to quench the thirst since I know that cucumbers are mostly water. It is horrible!

The cookies look great, we have a similar kind here but with a little sugar sprinkled on top. Very very good, and the best thing to drink to them is really cold milk!

 
At 3:26 PM, Blogger Gia said...

Is that a massive hint for roskette and guguria to be sent to you?

 
At 12:08 AM, Blogger Gia-Gina said...

No don't send me anything, the guguria are so heavy a 1.99 bag will end up costing 15.99 but the time it gets here. I will just have to come over to Guam and lug some back with me.

 
At 12:35 AM, Blogger Judith in Umbria said...

I would love my bedroom to look like a princess sleeps there, but the big ole water bottle spoils the effect. I need it. Seriously.
Yet another great idea for a food I never heard of before. You're terrific. I do not know why you and Rubbah Slippers are not the size of milk buffaloes.

 
At 2:31 AM, Blogger Gia-Gina said...

Judith, my husband says I am on my way there.

 
At 4:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks good and easy. What's baker's sugar?

Paz

 
At 12:41 AM, Blogger Gia-Gina said...

Bakers sugar is superfine granulated sugar.

 
At 12:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great recipe... What happened to the GUGURIA recipe? We'll all look out for that!!! Thank You...

 
At 3:56 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hafa Adai Gia-Gina. Thank you for sharing a great recipe. I brought the couple dozen to the office and everyone enjoyed it with their cup-o-joe. Tweaked from the traditional, the cookies are light and crumbly without being "chalky". You might be interested in submitting a recipe with the Guam PDN:

http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109130301

TNT,
Sandy

 
At 9:11 AM, Anonymous puertas metalicas said...

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