Merry Christmas cookie ready for the 'bouquet'.

I was recently invited to an early Christmas tea party. It wasn't just any old tea party with sandwiches, scones and cakes. Oh no, there was an entire table laid out with 'bouquets' of Christmas-themed cookies and various others decorated as reindeer, stockings, bells, holly, candy canes, stars, Christmas trees and their balls! The colours were so alive and vivid that it was hard to believe one could actually eat them. Apparently, I was wrong, for it was indeed quite a feat to stop some guests from digging in before I had a chance to take photographs!

I was still a little sceptical about how good these sugary delights decorated with fondant and royal icing would taste. I mean, I've worked with these fiddly treats before. At culinary school, the the process was painstaking. I tasted them afterwards and thought to myself, "a lot of labour for things that are so horrendously sweet. I might as well open a pack of sugar and pour it down my throat!" Needless to say, I became a chef and not a baker!

Gourmet Cookies

Rachel's Gourmet Cookies were a far cry from my past feeble attempts. They really are quite delicious. And, teamed with a cup of coffee, hot cocoa or Earl Grey tea, you hardly need to prepare anything else for your guests. They sort of crumble and melt in your mouth at the same time, and the pleasure you get from dipping them into milk is not lost on adults!

Ms. Henriques has been baking cookies from 'when she was a child'. Just over two years ago, she decided to explore her passion and within weeks she had calls coming in from all over Kingston for personal orders. In fact, last Christmas she had to turn down social gatherings to keep up with the demand!

Although Henriques continues to make and sell her regular gourmet cookies, like double chocolate chip, oatmeal, toffee, biscuit and potato 'shortbread' (the latter are wheat free), her artistic flair has moved her on to decorative ones which include shoes, handbags, fruits, baby rattles, and basically anything a customer desires.

Ardent businesswoman

When I asked her why she decided to do the 'bouquets', she replied, "I think they're fun. It's a pleasure to create them. I enjoy the process of putting them together and seeing the final product. It's the perfect gift for the person who has everything, or the person who doesn't know what to get for Mother's Day, a work colleague, clients, or a friend. I even do some specially for men; utilising golf, football or cricket themes."

An ardent businesswoman always on the lookout for trendy new concepts, Henriques came across the idea of 'bouquet' cookies while living in Florida. She felt, at the time, that it was a wonderfu to an actual bouquet of flowers, and has finally realised this creative dream.

With Christmas fast approaching, a 'vase' full of bright red poinsettia cookies is the unique gift in a world of the same-old presents; chocolates, candles, picture frames, kitchen gadgets, figurines, books and potted plants (how many poinsettia have you given in your lifetime?).

Leave the flowers in the garden folks. If you must give someone a bouquet, make it a 'bouquet' of cookies instead.

Rachael's Cookie Bouquets are made to order, and cost an average of $1800Telephone: 997-6895, 924 4345

Email: rachaelsgourmetcookies@hotmail.com