The cherries are finished. Efforts to pull down just a few more are futile as insects and birds descend to claim the last of the fruit. This is not the end of the road. I may be shit out of luck as far as the cherries are concerned but there are other things to forage here. Lavender and rosemary grow like mad. Thick bunches of purple flowers hug the side of the house- the sweet smell wafting into the facing windows. Out front, the rosemary is forever threatening to take over our walkway. My skin takes on their combined scent during the summer months since I cant help but graze the plants with my fingertips as I walk by. Its hardly conscious, my hands seek the plants on their own volition.

A stellar shortbread is a great base in which to feature these herbs and others. Mint, sage etc…Ive made cookies with them all. However, rosemary shortbread is a personal favorite. Simple to make and so elegant- a little more uppity than your usual cookie. This is a recipe that I scribbled down awhile back. I use it as is and also to create my own variations by swapping out the rosemary for other flavors. They truly are fantastic- rich and buttery with a pleasant sweetness that doesn’t overwhelm. Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 1.5 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened 2 Tbsp honey 1/2 cup confectioners sugar 2 Tbsp granulated sugar small rosemary sprigs for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Whisk- flour, salt, baking powder and chopped rosemary in bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix- butter, honey and confectioners sugar. Next, add the flour mixture and mix until dough looks grainy. Gather the dough into a ball and place onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough just a little until it comes together. Cut the dough in half.
4. Place both chunks on a sheet of parchment paper. Flatten them out until each is about 9 inches across. Shape the dough however you like…some folks use cookie cutters and what not. I shape my dough into a rectangle which I then cut into 8 little squares. Now, arrange the rosemary sprig garnish decoratively on top of the cookies- just press the sprigs gently to adhere. To finish them off, sprinkle the dough with granulated sugar.
5. Slide the parchment paper with the cookies on to a cookie sheet and place them on the middle rack in your oven. Bake them until golden- 20 to 25 minutes. When they come out of the oven- slide the shortbread on parchment off the cookie sheet onto a rack and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before eating.