Cat Tongues

For such a delicate little cookie, you might want to refer to them by their French name: Langues de Chat. Sounds a little more elegant than cat tongues!

This recipe is submitted by Phyllis Siebert, a former Blaine House chef. She says they were a favorite at Blaine House receptions. I wonder if that is because they are so small and light that you could probably picture them as completely calorie-free!

Per usual for cookie recipes, I made a half-batch. If you make a half batch, you must still go with the full 2 large egg whites to get the right consistency of batter for your pastry bag. While we are talking large eggs, have you noticed that hens are laying smaller eggs? I always buy large eggs, and like every other product on the shelf, it seems they are shrinking. Maybe just my imagination?

The recipe calls for a pastry bag, but being as how I don't own one, a ziplock baggie with a corner snipped off works perfectly. You don't want to re-use a hot cookie pan for laying out new cookie dough, because the heat makes the dough literally melt. Pipe the dough out quickly and put in the oven five to seven minutes and these little lovelies are done. An elegant cookie (see Russian Tea Cakes) deserves an elegant dish, so I plate these on the Penelope Noritake my dad brought back from Japan.