Sunday Special: ’Tis the Season for Cookies

Welcome everyone to the Sunday Special, I'm Gilbert Cruz. The holidays are upon us, and that means so many people are doing a lot of cooking and baking and hosting parties, all of that fun stuff. Here at the New York Times, it's Cookie Week. We all love cookies. Cookies are great, cookies are wonderful. I personally can only eat gluten-free ones, which is probably why I just never realized what a big deal Cookie Week was around here, or frankly even what it was. My guests today are two people who think a lot about cookies, of course, but also about a lot of baking and cooking and entertaining, because it's their job to do so. Melissa Clark and Vaughn Vrelin. Melissa Clark has been writing about food for the times for almost 20 years. She is a weekly column. She writes one of our cooking newsletters, and is it true I read this here by all? Have you written 45 cookbooks? That is true. 45. Yeah, you know, cookbooks are a volume business. Okay. Yeah. Maybe we'll get it to that. I didn't know that was possible. Welcome, Melissa. Thank you so great to be here. And Vaughn Vrelin writes the big time newsletter. He is also the editor of a new cookbook just out this fall titled Simply Cookies. Cookies. Vaughn, welcome. Thank you. I'm so excited to be here. I'm very excited for what we're going to do here, which is talk about cookie week and also to eat some cookies. So let's start with the basics. Tell us about cookie week. Cookie week. Okay. So in 2020, we were kind of figuring out ways of bringing people together. And we were kind of thinking, you know, holidays, people might feel very isolated. How are we going to ultimately try to have something where people feel very engaged online? And we decided to host a virtual cookie exchange. It was at first a small kind of handheld operation where everybody was just filming themselves in their apartments or their homes, making cookies that meant a lot to them. And then the next year, we invited people back to our studio for year two. And then it just kind of snowballed, pardon the awful pun, but into this thing that was just bigger than itself. Yeah, well, I mean, cookies have always been part of our holiday coverage because you can't do the holidays without doing cookies. We've done cookie boxes. We've done cookie swaps. We have done reader cookies. But then in 2020, we decided to really codify it and make it a thing and a celebratory thing. And it's taken off. And it's just so fun because it's something that people look forward to every year. What are the New York Times cookies going to be for cookie week? And while we celebrate all the cookies that we have in our database, we also have seven specific cookies. One that we highlight every single day. And you, Vaughn, are like the, are you the organizer, the MC of this all? Like, what is that? Yeah, I would say now I'm more so the MC of kind of the, what are the responsibilities as MC? Well, we have some live events that we do. Apart from that, kind of the planning phases, trying to figure out, you know, is there a theme this year? Like, who do we want to be involved in this? It's a lot of, I feel like I'm the MC. I see in Cabaret where I'm just like, I'm behind the scenes pulling the strings. But you have your own number. That's true. You do have your own number. And I'm causing chaos. Of course. But yeah. So I think that that's kind of, that's my job is just to like, you know, be a, be a, be a purveyor of a fun. That's what baking is. That's what cookies are. They're fun. The Cabaret MC is very creepy. I'm not getting creepy vibes from you. Well, it depends on your thing. That is true. That is true. So was there a theme for the cookies this year? Yes, this year our theme was, but make it a cookie. So we, the last two years have been just kind of trying to like identify themes that have really jumped out at us for what cookies are popular with people. Uh-huh. It seems like a lot of times we have these flavor profiles that people might not necessarily associate with the cookie, right? Like, a drink turned into a cookie. Yeah. And you've done a lot of that. Yeah. So we, we, I think not to, to my own horn or anything like that, but I think that those cookies a lot of times people, they're like, oh, I didn't realize that we could have a gingerbread latte, but as a cookie. So this year we kind of ran with that theme a lot. Yeah. And it's a good way. It's also a good way to get people. I mean, you know, we're using the same flavors, you know, there's only a limited number of flavors you can really use in a cookie, but we're spinning it a little different. And that makes it more fun, I think, because it's like a gingerbread latte cookie. So it's adding a little bit of coffee to a gingerbread, right? So that's a fun twist, and then calling it latte makes it really fun and just takes it up a notch. Well, speaking of, I mean, you're cookie this year really, I, I was like so pleasantly surprised what I tasted that cookie. Well, it's not even really a cookie. Oh, wait, it was a big, but we have a debate here. This is a big debate in the cookie world. Is it, okay, here's a question. Should we, should we put it to Gilbert? Is a brownie a cookie? I mean, is this like a hot dog sandwich? Exactly. Exactly. Question. Well, when I saw your recipe, I, my first question was, oh, we're brownies or cookies now. I have not come to a conclusion on it, but I'd love to hear what the debate was about your, well, tell us about your quote, cookie. I'm going with it. It is, I think brownies are absolutely, well, first of all, cookies, I feel like we need a nice broad definition, especially around the holidays. When you're making a cookie box, you want as many options as possible. So brownies are in, blondies are in, and the cookie that I did this year is a Vietnamese coffee brownie. So it has the flavors of Vietnamese coffee, so it's got that espresso, you know, like you want like a bitter espresso, and then you want the contrast of sweetened condensed milk. And it's both of those things in a brownie. And it's said to, I mean, if you think about those flavors, they work really well together. And then putting in a brownie form with that chew and a little, you know, crunchy edges, it's so good. Okay. Can I, I feel like you're slightly avoiding the cookie as a brownie? The true question here. Is it, okay, brownie cookie, yes, okay, well, so what is a, define a cookie? Webster has to find a cookie as, no, Gilbert, if Melissa says it's so, it is so, you know, that's the real answer. That's the real answer. There we go. Definitions change. Definitions change. Dictionary. Definitions change. But don't you think a cookie is a sweet little thing that you pick up that you can, you know, it's like a little small bite of something that is sweet and delicious. You were the one to convince me. I mean, I would follow you blindly. Obviously with pretty much everything, but yeah, I mean, I think if we can call any sort of bar cookie, like if a blondie is a cookie, then why can't a brownie be a cookie? I don't know. Or a lemon bar. Is a lemon bar a cookie? Blonds can't have all the fun. I also love the idea. Maybe we'll talk about cookie tins as like an item, but opening up one of these things and seeing a brownie or a bar or something in there that sort of mixes up just like the, visuals of it. If you're going to call, if you want to have cookie week and you want to include brownies, it's going to make more people happy. Therefore, it is a cookie. That is just a good definition right there. Let me ask you, Vaughn, about your cookie, which when I first saw the title of it as someone who loves movies, I said, oh, this is interesting. And then I saw all the ingredients and I was like, I don't know about this, but then I saw the video of you making it and I was like, I would like to make that. Thank you. My cookie this year is a popcorn bucket cookie because one of my favorite things about, well, just life in general, but also the holidays is watching movies with people that I love. The popcorn bucket cookie has all of your favorite movie theater candy in it. It's brushed and butter, rolled and crushed popcorn, baked, topped with a little flaky sea salt. It is kind of like my, I would say childhood dream, but also my like 32 year old dream of just like getting a handful of popcorn, raisinets, sour patch kids, Kit Katz, all of them. So you can customize this cookie with whatever candy you want, what candy would you put in there? I would put heath bars in there. Junior Mints. Junior Mints. Oh, that would be good. Just because, you know, Junior Mints, like that's my favorite movie candy. Oh, yeah. That would actually be really good. You know, the only one that I'm not rocking with, I think, is maybe a milk dud. Milk dud? Milk, yeah, they are so, they're too much. I think they're going to get it. And I think that they would bake. Yeah, they would bake up weird snow caps were like a little, what do we think about whoppers? Oh, I love a whopper. You got to chop it up. Yeah. Whopper would be good. I actually did put whoppers in one of my tests. It was fantastic. Tell us about a fail. Tell us about two flavors you tried to put together. Oh, I mean, gummy bears and raisinets. Well, that's specific to this cookie, but I also learned the hard way that you could not put gummy bears in the oven. Yes. It's nonsense. I mean, it was a molten mess. It was like the. Imagine what that looks like, Melissa. It was the tenth circle of hell in my oven. I opened it up and it was smoky because it had somehow crept over the edge of my rimmed baking sheet. Oh, my God. It was alive. Yeah, it was alive. The gummy bears were revolting in the oven. They were trying to escape. And so what are some of the other cookies that we have as part of cookie week this year? So we've got a mortadella cookie, which is actually really interesting. It's kind of. It's made to look like the salume, but it's got free-stried strawberries and almond paste in it. And it has the pistachios that you would find in mortadella, but then also macadamia nuts, which is kind of like harkins. that little pocket of fat. - The little, the little white family. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those are fantastic. - Those are great. - They also look a lot like Mordedela, which is like kind of creepy. - Yeah, I think it has freaked some people out. Like I don't want my cookies to look like meat, but again, I watched the video and I was sold. I feel like for me actually seeing the way that these things come together make me more likely to want to try something. - You get to see the people having fun, you know? We have a lot of fun when we do this. - Oh, they're great. And people also, I mean, it makes it easier for people to really understand the process. I mean, a Mordedela cookie. Like, what is that? Even if you see the picture, you're not exactly sure and then to watch Claire make them. Like, all of a sudden it all clicks. - So there's the Mordedela cookie. There's a coconut. - The coconut cake snowballs, which are really fun. The developer who made them Samantha Senneveratna wanted to kind of play with the idea of those hostess snowballs that you get, but also-- - I remember the spotlight. - But also like a beautiful coconut cake. So they don't have that chocolate center like you would get in the hostess version, but it's just like this gorgeous tender coconut cake ball that's made into a cookie. - It's like a miniature coconut cake. It's so good. It's like bite size. I mean, so then is that a cookie? Of course it's a cookie. - Yeah, absolutely. It's like a rectangle or a square, right? Like, I think it's all kind of, to me, what you said. If you have fun with it, then that's a cookie. - I love the, I love the payday cookies. - Oh, those are so good. - Those are delicious. Those are like salty peanut caramel crunchy. It's like the candy bar payday, which I love. - There's also, I believe Eric Kim had a chocolate mint. - This is like a, it's like a bark, right? - Yeah, it's like a bark, okay. - And that one's great because it's like this creamy mint topping on top of a cookie. And then it's got chocolate. It's like the flavors of it. You know those Andes candies? Those little Andes mints? - Yeah, the ones they leave on your in the hotel. - A little pillow, exactly. So that's the, those are the flavors. And they're just, it's creamy, it's minty, it's chocolatey. - Vaughn, you spoke at the beginning about this idea of taking a cocktail and making it into a dessert or a sweet or a cookie. And there is one on this list that falls right into that category. - Ah yes, the darkened stormy. I do love a beverage as a cookie. So your brownie, Melissa, and the darkened stormy could be two of my favorites on this list. The darkened stormy cookie is this ginger cookie that's got like chopped up crystallized ginger in it. And then it also has a rum lime glaze. And when you bite into it, it's like actually really, it's pretty rummy. Like that's what I love about recipe. When you hear the words, you want to taste the flavors. - Yes, yes you do. Oh like last year, your buttered rum cookie. - Oh yeah. - That was one of my favorite cookies of all times. Did you have that one that one? - No, what tell us about that? - Okay, so that is actually, it's a gluten free cookie. It is made with almond flour. And it is like a little macaroon almost. And it's, I mean I'm talking about your cookie. You should be talking about your cookie, but I'm gonna go on anyway, because I love it so much. And it's got sliced almonds. So almond flour, sliced almonds in a little ball. And then you just brush buttered like butter and rum right on top of that. And that makes it so delicious. - I told you I'm a maximalist at all these days. - That sounds so good. - I like to gild the lily, so that one is just, it really is one of my all time favorite cookies. - Oh what is that, thank you. - I think before we go much further, it'd be sort of perverse to do so much talking about cookies without eating some cookies. Please. - I have to admit something, I sort of nodded to this at the beginning, but I don't eat cookies much anymore because I learned, I don't know, eight, 10 years ago, I can't remember now. It feels like it's always been far in my life that I cannot eat gluten. I have a celiac condition, which changed my entire relationship to food, to bread, to pastries, to beer, to all the wonderful things, wonderful things in this world, cookies being one of them. Melissa, you were so nice, you brought in some cookies, however, that are gluten-free, that I can eat. - Oh, I'm excited for you to try them. This is a recipe that is on, it's on NYT cooking, and it's for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. - This is the kindest thing that someone has done for me in quite a while. I'm gonna open this plastic. - This beautiful plastic container. - The container here, this is good though, 'cause I haven't had breakfast. - How long? - I'm so used to not eating on like when I'm trying to talk, because we're all just gonna be sloppy together. - No, I know, this is possibly a terrible idea, 'cause we're supposed to be doing a lot of talking, and now I have a cookie in my mouth, but it's just delicious. - They're good, ooh, they're good. - I don't bake and I don't cook. Can I bake these, is it? - Yeah, they're so easy, they're so easy. - Okay. - Just like a regular chocolate chip cookie, which is a really simple thing. You cream the butter, you add your sugar, your egg, and then you add almond flour. The almond flour, really, it just makes them very tender. I feel like these are particularly tender to even fun. - Oh yeah, and this is a fantastic recipe. Do you have to let the dough sit? - You do not have to let the dough sit. - I think that that is where you would shine your work. Is doing nothing? - Well, I feel like a lot of novice bakers just want instant gratification, and especially with a chocolate chip cookie, usually a glutinous one. You have to let it sit, let the flour hydrate, let the flavors develop. But this, you can just bake right away. - Yeah, in fact, and the dough is excellent. - The dough is, that's like-- - That is very good dough, yes. We ate a lot of the dough, my kid and I. We enjoyed the dough, and enjoyed the cookies. - Those were delicious, thank you very much. - Oh, I am so glad you enjoyed them. - All right, we're going to take a quick break, and when we come back, we'll answer some greater questions about cookies, holiday, entertaining, and more. We might even have a cocktail question in there. Ooh, we'll be right back. - Okay, so a few weeks ago, we asked New York Times readers to send us questions about holiday baking, cooking, and entertaining, and we got a ton. Thank you so much to everyone who sent in a question. Since we only have so much time, we've picked questions that, in most cases, many people wrote us about, and we're going to take on cookie questions first. - Kathleen in Dallas, Texas wants to know, if there are three cookie varieties that, quote, "use the same base dough," unquote, and can save our time by just mixing up what the final additions to that dough might be. - Yeah, so I love that question, because that's exactly how I bake a lot of my Christmas cookies. The way to think about it is when you take your base dough, let's just say it's a shortbread dough. You make a double or triple batch, you have a lot of it, and then you put it in, you divide it up, and after you divide it up, that's when you can start personalizing it, and what you want to do, you want to do two things, you want to add flavor, and then you want to change the shape. So visually, your cookies need to look different, and then they need to taste different. So what I would do is I would add spices, or I would make a sandwich cookie out of them. You could put jam in the middle, or you could put buttercream in the middle, you could dip them in chocolate, you could put nuts on top of them. - Oh my god. - You can roll them into balls, and then you can roll them in coconut, you could roll them out with a rolling pin, and you can cut them into shapes. So you have so many options. The thing about shortbreads, I find that they are the most versatile because you can do so many things with them. You know, like chocolate chip cookies are always gonna have that chewy texture, and then you add different add-ins, right? Brownies are always gonna have that brownie texture. So, but something like a gingerbread, or a shortbread, are gonna give you the most options because you can change the shape. - Another reader, Sam in Boston, says that, quote, "For decades at holiday time, specifically on Christmas Eve, "my family and I would bring treats to our local fire department. "Last year, a close friend who was a firefighter "reported that his fire department gets inundated "with cookies at holiday time," unquote. This is good to know. - Sam from Boston wants to know if there are savory items that they could be making instead. - Oh, yeah, I mean, I'm from North Carolina, so my mom makes cheese straws all the time. You know, there's like, it actually kind of-- - Oh, those are good. - So I think cheese straws would be a really fun bake to go with, and then you pair that with pimento cheese. - Oh. - That's gilding the lily. I think that cheese on cheese. - Cheese on cheese, why not? Give it a little, add a little cayenne into the cheese straws because that little bit of spice that comes on the back end keeps them going back for more. - Oh, God. - Love that. - Love, love. - Listeners, we're recording this in 10 of the morning, this is, I'm so hungry right now. Do you have any suggestions, Melissa, for savory options? - Spice knots, just like delicious spicy knots. - That's very simple. - Yeah, very simple, but they're really good at, we also have a couple of recipes for sweet and spicy knots that you do with a little bit of egg white, and you can make them on the sweeter side, on the spicier side, I personally love them with rosemary, lemon zest, and then they just get real and salt, of course, good salt, and they just, they're just like the perfect thing to just snack on, and very satisfying in the crunch. - Firefighters, notoriously hungry people. - Hungry people. - Vandy in Oakland, California asks, quote, "Why do some cookies taste as good or better in days three, four, and beyond, while others are only truly good the day they are baked? How do I pick recipes or pack cookies to last?" - You know, I think that there's a variety of different factors of how cookies can keep, obviously, what you're storing them in, Melissa brought the cookies in today in an airtight container, always suggests that. If you're storing them in like a zip top bag, for example, there is room for a lot of air to kind of get in there and steal your cookies out, But ultimately, it kind of just depends on the-- ratios of fat in the recipe a lot of the time. Or if there's oats, for example, in a recipe, those are going to draw a lot of moisture out of your cookie. I love a snickerdoodle cookie because the traditional snickerdoodle has cream of tartar in it. Cream of tartar is this kind of acidic thing that honestly makes the cookies better and softer on day two or day three a lot of the time. So I think that those types of cookies do keep really well. You're like softer, chewier cookies, but also a shortbread if it's very snappy and tender. I think is a good cookie that will keep for a long time. I have this brownie cookie recipe that also I think tastes better on day two or day three. If you're storing them correctly, they're not going to stale as much. I think that the only ones that really are the best on the day that they're made are the chocolate chips. Chocolate chip cookies are just amazing on day one. Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, however last a lot longer. I'm glad I got them on day two here. No, they're, but gluten free is actually, it is actually a different chemical. No, they're very good. But no, chocolate chip cookies really because you want them soft, right? You want them, and you want them a little warm. I mean, that's the real joy of it is within a few hours so that they keep that texture. But otherwise, I think most cookies keep pretty well. And cookies with spices and cookies that have chocolate in them get better because they're flavor settle. And so if you're looking for cookies that get better after day two, day three, find like a spice cookie, like a stick or doodle, for example, that would have, you know, some nutmeg in it. Or gingerbread, of course, keeps, gingerbread keeps like a month. It really does because there's so many spices in there. So you put them in as long as you store them properly airtight, they're going to last one more question on this theme. This is from a Polly in Stafford, Virginia. She says that she and a friend they have this tradition of baking all their holiday cookies together over the course of, you know, a long weekend. She says, quote, it's a chance for us to visit. We go home with dozens and dozens of cookies. What is the best way to wrap cookies to store in the freezer for later? That you really want an airtight container with layers of parchment in between the cookies. So you get, I actually have a few of these. I have these big airtight containers. You do one layer of cookies. You make sure that they are not overlapping. You want them flat in the container. And then you take some parchment paper, lay it on top and then do another layer. You really need a lot of freezer space because the containers are big, but they freeze perfectly. They really do the cookies that freeze well, if you freeze them like that. I think most cookies really do freeze pretty well. I mean, not morangs, morangs don't freeze well. But, you know, your average cookies are going to freeze perfectly. I do them that way. And they'll last at least a month if not more. You know, I learned this trick. It might have been from you. I can't remember if it was from you or not Melissa, but if you crumple up the parchment paper, it kind of fills in the pockets of the space in your airtight container. So it almost acts more like a tissue paper that is food safe. And that also keeps the cookies a little bit more protected, a little bit more insulated. Also a good way to ship cookies too. If you want to ship cookies to your friends, again, pick those cookies that are going to be better on kind of day two or day three, obviously. But yeah. So it's real. These are real projects right here. Really, I forgot about to say that that is such an important nuance there. Okay. We are going to move on now from cookies and into more general holiday entertaining questions. We, we had a few people asking about signature cocktails for a party. This question is from Alicia in Hopewell, Junction, New York. She says, quote, with fewer people drinking alcohol these days. Side note, not me. I'd love some recipes for a sophisticated holiday punch or drink base. No sprite or sherbet. That is delicious. Both with or without liquor. Do you want to take that? I feel like, well, first of all, I have to preface this by saying Melissa, is the person who got me into batch cocktails? But you will also be hearing from my lawyer because the first time that I ever made a batch of Manhattan's was last year at Thanksgiving. And I learned the hard way that if you're making a batch of Manhattan's, you need to kitty proof all of the corners in your home because I tripped and fell and split my head up. Oh god. So first of all, drink responsibly. Sorry. I don't know if I should be blamed for that. No, no, no, no, I'm just kidding. But, but I think, you know, I love at the holidays a cider, any any type of like apple cider that you can add lots of warming spices to citrus to you can steep those ingredients in the cider. And then, you know, you just have people spike it. Some people like rum, some people like bourbon, some people want vodka. And there's, you know, I think that that's a fun way of kind of creating something that pleases all sorts of drinkers. And what I like to do also is I like to do a simple syrup that's infused with something some really intense aromatics. Like, I love rosemary and lemon. That's a flavor profile that work really well with a bunch of different alcohols. But it's also you can turn it into lemonade, right? With a sophisticated edge. So you make a simple syrup really easy equal parts sugar and water. And then you take some fresh rosemary and some lemon zest, let it simmer for a few minutes, strain it. And you have this lovely herbie, lemony, aromatic syrup. And then that is what you can use as the base for all kinds of punches. And mix it with seltzer. It's really good. It just makes this instant delicious soda that is so much better than Sprite, but you know, a crowd pleaser. Should I be embarrassed to admit that I buy simple syrup? Yes. It is so easy, Gilbert. Oh my God. You don't even appreciate your honesty. Just take sugar and water hot water. You can boil a kettle, put it on the sugar while it's sit there and boom. No, I mean, yes, yes. Conceptually, I understand what you're saying. I make mine into microwave. Oh, even better. You can, you can literally just put equal parts sugar and water in a microwave, Gilbert. And in about two minutes, you've got it. Okay, we'll stop shaving him. If it's easier to buy it, buy it. No, no, no. I, you know, if it works for people, it works for me. Exactly. So Gilbert, what is your, what is your kind of go to holiday? There is one that I made a couple years ago that I feel like I only break out around the holidays because they were way too many ingredients involved, but it's sort of like a cranberry orange Manhattan. Definitely is too sweet because after two, your sugar is just, is way too high. But it's, you know, rye or bourbon cranberry juice, you know, get some orange bitters in there or some orange juice. Maybe you top it off with a little ginger beer to give it a little kick. And you can batch it. That sounds great. I think that's it. Yeah. I like, I like the idea of what Melissa says though of adding like your aromatics. I think whatever kind of base you're going with, adding those, adding rosemary, adding citrus, adding ginger root, those types of things are really going to kind of elevate your batch cocktail and make it feel just a little bit more special. I think ginger beer is really smart too because it, you're, so you're adding that and you're giving it a kick. So in a way, ginger beer is like an infused thing that you don't have to actually make you can buy. So that's very smart. Pay attention when you're making this, do not put ginger beer in the cocktail shaker. Top it off that was. I've done it several times and I taste like, oh, I messed this up again. Our next question is about what to serve for a holiday meal. I feel like we could do a whole episode on this, but there's one question here from Lauren in Livonia, Michigan. And Lauren asks, what's a good main course meat to serve that's not a ham or turkey, but not so easy to overcook or expensive like a prime root? Oh, I say I'm, I'm a big stew person, a breeze of stew. So like lamb shanks or short ribs because you can make it ahead. It's special because you're not going to buy, you know, like a cut like that, but it's not as expensive as a prime rib. You can't over, you really can't overcook it. I mean, it's going to just fall off the bone and be delicious and you make the whole thing the day before, heat it up on, you know, for your dinner. It's festive, it's special, it's not, you know, I'm going to break the bank and it's low stress because you can do it ahead. Yeah. The idea of making something ahead, particularly when you're having people over, when you're hosting people is really underrated. It's the, it's a life. I mean, I, I don't like to cook aluminum for anybody except my husband, like literally, I do not want to make, I don't want a chance that I want to do it ahead. No, Melissa is the queen of make ahead. Any time we're at a pitch meeting, it's like, make ahead Christmas. Yes. I think that's a fantastic idea. You know, when you were saying that, the wheels got turning and I'm like, what if you did that kind of turned it into like a, a Guinness pie of sorts, like a British, like, you know, add some short-crust pastry pie dough, puff pastry on top and then bake it. You can do individual servings. You could do it as a large format thing and that kind of makes it feel a little bit more festive too. Or like mashed potatoes. Yeah. The little shepherds pie by cottage pie. I know. Yeah, my answer for that was going to be pork tenderloin, but then that is also easy to overcook. I mean, I know for myself, it's like one glass of wine later and I didn't hear the timer. Yeah. Our next question is, it's less about food and drink and more about entertaining itself, specifically about party favors. Laura in Manhattan asks, other than the standard Christmas party crackers, what could I place on each plate that would be entertaining and festive and spark conversation at the dinner table? Okay, what about horoscopes, daily horoscopes for all your guests? Find out their birthdays and cut them out. When you, I would like that. And that is really fun. - That is a great idea. - Crackers is in like the open. - Yes, the things that you pull and it makes a little snap. - Oh, got it. Okay. - First I was like, my mind was going, what to put on a sharkootary board that it's gonna get the girls talking. I was like, well, I don't know. I'm like, my mind goes to conversation starters, like what movie have you seen the most in your life? What's that one song that can make you happy no matter what? - You know, you can write that phone. You can write down your questions on like festive paper and put them at each setting. - Yeah, that's true. - Everyone is responsible at some point in the dinner for picking them up and entering that question. - That's a good idea too. - I like that too. Everyone gets a different question, right? So one person's like, okay, what's the movie you've seen the most in next person is like, okay, what song do you know by heart? - I like that. That's a, we should do that. - Okay, let's see that if it's, let's do that at our holiday party. - At the holiday party, maybe fun. - Before we move on to our game, I have one last question for the two of you, which is what are each of you planning on making for your holiday meals? I think Melissa's gonna cook something ahead. - I am, I've asked exactly what I'm doing. Also, Bucco. So also Bucco, so Viel Shank. And it's just in this white wine with tomatoes. And I put some anchovy in there, let it simmer the day before. And then for serving, you do like a fresh herb grommelata with lemons, I see my favorite. All the same things, I'm talking the same things. Lemon zest, fresh herbs, garlic, right on top. And so I'm gonna do that, I think. - If you are shopping for Melissa Clark for the holidays, just get her a vet of lemon zest. - Actually, just get me seriously. Like, you know, it would be the best present for me as my husband listening. I would like, I'd like a subscription, like a citrus subscription. Like, you know, you get like a box of citrus from some warm and sunny place delivered to your house in Cold New York, I would like that. - That is a good gift. (laughing) - So, a couple years ago I made Melissa Clark's beef Wellington and my family was like, you're never making anything other than that ever again for Christmas dinner. - What an endorsement. - No, truly, I usually actually do, and I'm not just blowing smoke. I usually do pick a Melissa Clark centerpiece. Like, you do have a porquete recipe too, right? - I have a porquete. - Yeah, I've made that one before. But the beef Wellington is the thing that my whole entire family was like, yeah, that's it. It's an investment, time, financially, but it pays off. It's so, so good. And also, you can kind of make it ahead. - And make it most of it ahead. It's true, just pop it in the up. You assemble the whole thing, and then you just bake it. - And then you just bake it, yeah. - We'll be right back. And when we return as we do every week, we're going to play a little game. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Okay, as we've been discussing all episode food is a non-negotiable part of the holiday season. Once you start noticing it, you sort of realize that you can't sing a festive song or watch a holiday movie without being constantly reminded about food. So we have three rounds in this game about food and holiday culture. And you are going to buzz in to answer. - Ooh, you are going to win, buzz. - I am called, I don't know, I don't know. - Hands on buzzers if you please. (upbeat music) Round one, which we are calling, bring us some figgy pudding. I am going to describe the favorite meal of an iconic character from a holiday movie. You name the character. Ready? This character loves a large cheese pizza from Little Nero's. And if it served in the back of a limousine on the way to Duncan's toy chest, that would be even better. Vaughn. - Kevin McAllister. - Kevin McAllister from Home Alone and Home Alone 2, Colan, lost in New York. - Lost in New York, the better Home Alone. - That is correct. This character likes spaghetti with maple syrup and chocolate syrup and M&Ms and marshmallows and a chocolate fudge pop tart crumbled on top. Vaughn. Do you see the elf, what's your favorite color? - Body, the elf. - Oh my God. - From the pillow. - I have a list. I get it again. - You know what, I'm really bad at this kind of thing. - All right. - You got any 19th century literature there? - Oh boy. And we rewrite the quizzid real time. This character would like a turkey, specifically the prized turkey from the front window of the Polterers, the one that's twice the size of Tiny Tim. Vaughn. - Ebenezer Scrooge? - Ebenezer Scrooge from a Christmas car, which is literally 19th century literature. - Tiny Tim gave that one away. - I think you're right, Tiny Tim did. - Okay, this character would also like a turkey. But if the bumpest is dogs should happen to get loose, he'd settle for peeking duck, preferably headless. - Bumpest is dog, that's our clue, but I don't get it. - Okay. - I mean, I guess I'll throw a Hail Mary. Is this Ralph from a Christmas story? - The right movie wrong character. - What is his name? - This is Dad or the Old Man from a Christmas story. - Right, right, right. - This isn't embarrassing, people. - It's embarrassing. - This character would like anything but a twinky. And definitely not a thousand year old twinky found in the drawer at Nakatomi Plaza, while he's hiding from terrorists on Christmas Eve. Vaughn. - Bruce Willis is character in diehard. John something, oh, what is it? It's iconic. - John McLean. - John McLean. - John McLean, I own this. - Diehard. - She is a Christmas movie. We've been talking about this for years at this point. There should be no argument over it. Round two, here we come a wastling. Here we come a wastling. Christmas songs are full of references to food. We're gonna play you a bit of a Christmas song and you fill in the missing food. Bonus points, if you sing. - Of course. - Oh, there you go, Vaughn. - Let us begin. ♪ It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ♪ ♪ Everywhere you go ♪ ♪ Take a look in the five and ten ♪ ♪ Listening once again ♪ - What? - Vaughn. ♪ With candy canes and silver lanes a glow ♪ - Candy canes, that is the correct answer. That is Perry Como's classic version of it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. ♪ Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ♪ ♪ It doesn't show signs of stopping ♪ ♪ And I've bought some ♪ - Vaughn. - Corn for poppin. - That is, let it snow, as performed by country legend, George Strait. - Nice. - I tried to get my little twang in there. - Okay, I definitely heard it. - Next song. ♪ There's a happy feeling of gun in the world ♪ ♪ Can buy when they pass around the world ♪ - Vaughn. (laughing) ♪ The coffee and the pumpkin pie ♪ (laughing) - I don't know you, I'm really proud of this kind of thing. - Coffee and the pumpkin pie. - I do not even know. If you could have Chessa's mercy on the open fire, I'll get it, but that's not the only one. - That is the song "Slayride" and that version is performed by the 80s soft rock icons, air supply. - God. (laughing) - Of course. - Of course. ♪ Oh, I'm the gun, oh I'm the gun, the light of the menorah ♪ ♪ Let's have a party, we'll all dance the horror ♪ ♪ Down around the table, we'll give you a treat ♪ ♪ Cause we've got the name to play with then a ♪ ♪ Lotka's to eat and while we are playing ♪ - The candles are burning, at least I can tell you. - At least I can tell you. - I got it, I got it. - I got it, fine. - Lotka's, Lotka's, Lotka's. - That is Hanaka, Ohanaka, performed by the "Bear Naked Ladies". - Was it actually "Bear Naked Ladies"? - That was "Bear Naked Ladies". - That was so good. - "Yoros Padley as a cactus, Yoros, charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch, Yorobad." ♪ Banana with a greasy black pea ♪ - Vaughn, you are killing it. That is your main one, Mr. Grinch, performed by - Theral Ravenscroft. - Yes. - So good. - Who, in case you didn't know, was also the voice of Tony the Tiger. - Oh, is he really? - Yes, he was. ♪ For all the signs will take ♪ - Cup of something. - Melissa, you oughta buzz it. - We'll take a cup of something, kindness. - Yeah! - Was that Jennifer Hudson? - That was. - Oh, Jennifer Hudson, performing all-lengths on. - I'd recognize that vibrato anywhere. - All right, we have one more clue in this category. - No, they're doing great. - At least I got one, two, two, we got two. (dramatic music) - Melissa. - All right, here's my chestnuts. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. - Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. That is correct. That is Nat King Cole's immortal version of the Christmas song. Amazing work, you two. Amazing work. We have one more round. this is a round that we are calling milk and cookies, milk and cookies. We have to end where we started, of course, with cookies, we're going to test your cookie knowledge. I'm going to give you a word, and you have to tell me if it is a cookie, or if it's not a cookie. - Oh, I'm good. - Okay, all right. - Yeah. - Let's begin. Chin-chin. - It's a cookie. - It is a cookie. They are celebratory biscuits, popular in Nigeria and other African countries. Chin-chin. Okay, kuchi-dadi. - Bon. - Not a cookie? - They are cookies. They're Italian fig holiday cookies. So keep that in mind for next year's cookie week. - Kuchi-dadi? - Kuchi-dadi. Not kuchi-dadi. (laughing) - What did you call me? (laughing) - All right, next one. Mettigol. Melissa. - Not a cookie. - Correct. That is not a cookie. It is a German dish of chopped pork served in the shape of a hedgehog. - I make it every year. - Yeah. - All right, next one. Melomacarona. Melissa. - It is a cookie. It's a delicious cookie. - Yeah, I've had those too. - I have a recipe for those. - I do it? - Yeah, at NYT cookie. - Absolutely right. They are egg-shaped Greek Christmas cookies. Next one. Kalsari conit. Melissa. - I'm gonna say no. - That is not a cookie. It is the finished term for getting drunken home in your underwear. (laughing) What was that one again? - Kalsari conit. - All right, right. - I'm gonna put that in your pocket. - Okay. Next one. Alpha hotes. - That is a cookie. - Correct. That is a shortbread sandwich cookie, which is popular in Latin America. Next one. Sumo clubbo jack. Bon. - I'm gonna say it's not a cookie. That is correct. It is the Turkish word for slug. Translating literally to snot bug. (laughing) - Okay, whoever wrote this quiz, I love you. (laughing) - All right. Next one. Mamul. Melissa. - Mamul is a cookie. - Yes, it is a butter cookie filled with figs, dates, or nuts. And that, Bon and Melissa is our game. - Oh, wow. - Great job. Unfortunately, only one of you could win. I am being told that Bon, you are the winner of this week. It was close, but you are the winner of this quiz game. - You'd like surged in rounds two and three. - I could do the cookie thing. I can't do the movie thing. - Vaughan you won and we are giving you an actual prize. - Oh my. - Something rare. It is a cheap golden trophy with my face on it, which we call the giveaway. - Oh my gosh. - Oh my god. I, you like me, you really like me. I am going to treasure this forever. - Thank you, thank you, thank you Vaughan for being on the Sunday special to talk about cookie week. - Thank you. This was so fun. So cookie week extends beyond the confines of December 1st through 7th, you know, celebrated all year long. - It's a cookie month. - Yeah, it's a cookie month. Come on. - Melissa, thank you for being on. - Oh, thanks for having us. This was so much fun. Love it. (upbeat music) - This episode was produced by Tina Antilini with help from Kate LaPresti. Our quiz master is Alex Barron. We had production assistants from Dahlia Hadad. It was edited by Wendy Dore. The Sunday special is engineered by Rowan Nemisto, original music by Dan Powell and Diane Wong. Thanks for listening everyone. See you next week. (upbeat music)