Kismet
December 24, 1982
Arms folded across her chest Amanda leaned against the frame of the kitchen doorway, watching as Phillip and Jamie helped her mother assemble plates of cookies. The heavenly aroma of assorted spices, vanilla, butter and chocolate combined to make her mouth water in anticipation of sampling one of the sugary delights. The tradition of giving homemade presents had started years ago when there had been little money left over for gifting friends and neighbors. Both she and her mother loved to bake, so they’d decided making cookies would be perfect.
Which one should she choose? The peppermint-flavored cookie that looked like a candy cane? Molasses? A gingerbread man? Raspberry thumbprint?
She worried her lower lip. Decisions like this were hard.
“Amanda, I made you a special plate with a one cookie each. I know you have a hard time making up your mind. Besides, we need to taste all the fruits of our labor.” Her mother handed her a plate, winked and pointed to a cookie. “I suggest you start with the chocolate surprise. I made them this morning and have to say they’re one of my best creations.
“Thank you.” She set the plate down on the kitchen island and picked up the cookie her mother indicated. She bit into it and her taste buds jumped with joy. The surprise in the middle of the cookie was melted marshmallow. “Oh my gosh! This is my new favorite.”
“I knew you’d like it, dear, since everyone in the family seems to have a weakness for marshmallows. Which reminds me, we need to buy more. I used the last of them in this batch of cookies and you know how we love to put them in our hot chocolate. Boys, stop dawdling, let’s get these plates finished.”
“Okay, Grandma.” Phillip set a plate on a piece of Christmas-themed cellophane wrap, and then pulled it up around the sides to bunch at the top. Her mother placed a ribbon around the wrap and tied it tightly into a bow, fluffing out the top to make it look pretty. Then she slid the plate to Jamie who attached a sticky gift tag that said ‘Merry Christmas from Santa’ on it.
Amanda noticed the array of dirty bowls and cookies sheets on top of the counter. “I’ll get started on some of this clean up.” Turning on the faucet, she waited for the sink to fill with hot water and suds before starting on the dishes.
Before starting her task her sweet tooth decided it wanted one more sugary delight. A gingerbread man called her name. As she turned around to the kitchen island to reach for one, she saw another hand moving toward the plate.
Her mother swatted at the offending hand. “You’ve had enough.”
“But Grandma, I’m hungry.” Jamie lamented.
“Me, too.” Phillip piped up.
“I would think your stomachs were about to explode with all the sampling you two have been doing all day.”
“Please.” Her sons pouted and gave their grandmother the sad puppy dog eye look in hopes of getting their way. Amanda knew that ploy well. Sometimes she’d let them win and sometimes she wouldn’t give in. Her mother, on the other hand, always capitulated.
“Okay, here, you can have these broken ones. We’re done here anyway. You two are relieved of duty.”
“Yeah!” Phillip and Jamie each grabbed a handful of broken pieces. “Thanks, Grandma,” they chorused as they ran into the den and plopped down on the floor to watch TV.
“I swear they’re both bottomless pits.”
Amanda nodded. “Our grocery bill seems to get higher and higher each week.” She went back to the sink to wash the dishes. A few minutes later the oven timer dinged.
“I thought we were through with baking?” Amanda scrubbed a baking sheet.
“Oh,” her mother said as she opened the oven door. “This is a special batch of cookies for you.
“For me? Why?” She watched as her mother placed the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
“They’re called kismet cookies and if you sleep with them under your pillow on Christmas Eve, you’ll dream of your one true love. The man who will be your destiny.”
Amanda opened her mouth to speak and her mother held up her hand to stop her. “I know you; now hear me out before you give me any skepticism. I’m told the kismet cookie prophecy is never wrong. Several people have said that it’s foolproof, that they dreamed of their future husbands.”
“Anyone we know?” Amanda wiped her hands dry with a towel.
Her mother thought for a second, tapping her finger on her lips. “Well, no. But Edna said Judy’s second cousin’s sister and Donna’s sister-in-law’s aunt dreamed of their true loves.”
“Mother, all I’m going to end up with is a bunch of crumbs in my bed.” Amanda let out a deep sigh knowing her mother would never take no for an answer. “Okay, I’ll do it.” Besides her mother would never know if she did it or not.
“Good, sweetheart. I knew you’d see it my way. I’ll put the plate on your nightstand so you can put them under your pillow tonight.”
Amanda folded the towel she’d been using and placed it next to the sink. “I’m going to go up and change so I can deliver the cookies before dinner.”
Her mother kissed her cheek. “I’m hoping you’ll dream of Dean. He’s such a nice man, with a good job on television.”
“Mother, we’ve only gone out a few times and I haven’t been divorced very long. I’m not looking to jump into a serious relationship at the moment.”
“I know, dear. But if you dream of him, you’ll know he’s your true love. I’m putting some under my pillow tonight, too.”
*****
Later that evening, while lounging in bed, Amanda flipped through a magazine. After finishing the article she’d been reading, she yawned and tossed it on to her nightstand next to the plate of cookies her mother had left for her. While she’d read she couldn’t resist and had sampled a couple. She found them tasty with a combination of oats, dried cranberries, shredded coconut, and toasted chopped macadamia nuts.
There were three left. Should she put them under her pillow, she wondered, biting her lower lip. It’s not like she believed the story her mother had told her. But still, when her mother asked in the morning if she’d done as requested, she could honestly tell her yes. One of the things she hated most was lying; she tried to avoid at it all costs.
Picking up her pillow, she placed the cookies under it. Tomorrow she’d change her sheets, already knowing that when she woke up she’d find nothing but crumbs in her bed.
*****
On Christmas morning, when Amanda awoke, she lifted her pillow. Tiny pieces of cookies were scattered all over. Sighing, she rose from the bed and put on her robe. She could hear her sons running down the hallway yelling ‘Merry Christmas,’ excited about opening their gifts.
Later that morning Amanda curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee to watch her sons play with their new toys. With the opening of presents, preparing breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen, Amanda thought her mother had forgotten about the cookies. That was until she sat down next to her.
“I dreamed of a man last night. One who flew up into the sky.”
“You dreamed about Superman?”
Her mother’s forehead crinkled in concentration. “No, he wasn’t wearing a Superman suit or a cape. He told me to get onto his back, and when I did, he spread his wings and we soared through the clouds.”
Amanda laughed. “You’re true love is a bird.”
“I’ve already had my one true love.” Amanda saw a lone tear fall from the corner of her mother’s eye, before she hastily wiped it away and smiled. “Though I would love to be able to fly. Maybe one day I’ll take flying lessons.”
“First you need to learn to drive.”
“Wait and see, one day I’ll have my license and then who knows where I’ll go from there.” Her mother drew a deep breath. “Well? I’m waiting young lady. Did you dream of your true love last night?”
“I did have a dream.” Amanda admitted as she took a sip of her coffee. “A dream filled with fragments of strange scenes.”
“About Dean?”
“No. Not Dean.”
“Who?”
“A scarecrow. It didn’t make sense. He kept losing his straw and I kept pushing it back inside him. Oh, and he wore a cowboy hat.” Amanda tapped her finger on her lips. “I think they call it a Stetson. Flying monkeys were chasing us, then we were chasing them and they were shooting at us with hair dryers blowing flour into our faces. Then we were riding in a silver chariot along a yellow brick road, and whenever we stopped, he’d tell me to wait in the car while he went into the woods chasing the wicked witch.”
“The scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz is your true love?”
“I don’t think so. In my case, Mother, I think I had this dream because before I went to sleep, I read an article in a magazine about the movie versus the book and it must’ve influenced my subconscious.”
“Oh well, I’m going upstairs to change the sheets on my bed. You were right, there are crumbs everywhere. I’ll change yours too.”
Amanda kissed her mother’s cheek. “Thank you. Maybe we didn’t dream of our destinies.”
“You’re right.” Her mother shook her head. “Me and a birdman and you and a scarecrow, crazy indeed.”
“The only scarecrows I ever see are on Halloween or in a garden to scare away the birds.”
“That’s it!” Her mother exclaimed with a glint in her eyes. “You’re going to meet your true love when he’s in costume. See the Kismet cookies may have been right. We’ll know in ten months.” She began to hum ‘Over the Rainbow’ as she left the room.
Somehow, Amanda thought she wouldn’t be finding her destiny in the arms of the Scarecrow or any other fantasy character. Her feet were firmly planted in reality. Although, there’d been that one hot scene she hadn’t told her mother about, the one where she and the Scarecrow were lying in a field of poppies, kissing passionately. The memory of it made her heart beat faster and her toes curl.
The End
Kismet Cookie – Lori Wilde
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 cups rolled oats
¾ cup shredded coconut
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts toasted (optional)
Directions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. *
*Yes, it’s painstaking but don’t skip this step!
Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in rolled oats, coconut, dried cranberries and macadamia nuts, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.
Sleep with them under your pillow on Christmas Eve and dream of your one true love.
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Thanks: First, I’d like to thank Lori Wilde who wrote a book, “The First Love Cookie Club,” which gave me the idea for this story. Second, I’d like to thank the best beta in the world, Jan. Third, the recipe for the Kismet cookie can be found at the end of this story.
Thanks: First, I’d like to thank Lori Wilde who wrote a book, “The First Love Cookie Club,” which gave me the idea for this story. Second, I’d like to thank the best beta in the world, Jan. Third, the recipe for the Kismet cookie can be found at the end of this story.