Seven cookies week

Traditional Swedish etiquette said that when you had visitors over for coffee and cakes ("kafferep" in Swedish), you should treat them to seven different kinds of cookies. Noone really does this anymore, it is a thing of the past. My grandmother on dads side (born in the 1920s) always used to have seven types of cookies (apart from stuff like cinnamon buns, sponge cake and a layered cake with whipped cream and such) for birthdays and other celebrations. One of the most sold cookbooks in Sweden is called "seven types of cookies" and contains recipes for the old classics that almost have been lost among the humongous American-type muffins and chocolate chip cookies that are sold everwhere now.

When reading through the archives at the wonderful Nook and Pantry blog, I found an event called "12 days of cookies" when the blog hostess each day for 12 days leading up to Christmas (like in the 12 days of Christmas, you know) made a different type of cookie. Now, that's definitely a project I can get behind, but Christmas was almost a month ago, so I'm running a tad bit late. But why let the calendar stop me? I declare this week the seven cookies week! Each day of this week, I will make a different type of cookie, so the next time I get visitors (if they come after Sunday that is) I will be able to follow the old Swedish tradition and offer them seven different kinds of cookies. Not that anyone really wants to eat seven cookies at once, but it sounds nice in theory, doesn't it?! However, I will give myself two limitations for this project. First, I will only make cookies I have never done before. There are som many wonderful recipes out there, so why not get started on trying them, huh? Second, the cookies must be able to go in the freezer. I am not going to have loads of different types of cookies laying around like 10 feet from where I work (I work at home. Not as in housewife, even though this blog may give some people that idea, but as in freelancing). So, with those in mind, let's start baking!