Okay, so a couple weeks ago I told you about my favorite choco, or chocolate cookies. At some point in my ramblings about those I mentioned my other favorite cookies: Ginger. I never shortened it to gin cookies — for obvious reasons. Too many people already assume I'm an alcoholic. I'm not.

These ginger cookies are almost as good as the choco ones. Actually they're just as good. If you like ginger you'll love these cookies.

I usually make these around the holidays. Ginger just goes with Christmas, and I've been known to give these as Christmas gifts, wrapped up in pretty cellophane bags with Christmas-y ribbons tied on them. People love them, and it makes me look good when someone surprises me with an unexpected gift and I return the favor with a bag of these little beauties, pretending I had made, and wrapped them, especially for them. 0:-)

Once you take one bite of one of these you'll want to eat the whole bag. Seriously. I told you the best thing about the chocolate cookies was that they're so chocolate-y? Well the best thing about these ginger cookies is that they're so ginger-y.

And if you throw a big spoonful of some vanilla or Shain's of Maine ginger ice cream between two of them? OMG!

I’ve mentioned Shain's ice cream several times. That's because it's the best ice cream made in Maine. Maybe the world. (Not to editorialize haha.) The company is in Sanford, where I grew up, and the owner, Jeff Shain, is the son of the man who started it. Coach Shain was the basketball coach when I was in high school. My high school boyfriend was the captain of the team. Blah blah blah.

My father used to take us to the small Shain's stand in South Sanford. I always had a coffee ice cream cone with chocolate jimmies.

Unfortunately Shain’s ice cream is not readily available, except in smaller, privately owned markets. I always pick some up from the Broad Cove Market (formerly Fales) when I'm in Cushing.

So where were we? Oh yeah ginger cookies.

My friend Judie Webster, from Camden, told me she has two copies of this recipe. Judie is a great cook, and she loves these ginger cookies.

Again, blah blah blah.

Okay, ready? Ginger cookies: ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks), 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup molasses, 1 egg (beaten), 2 cups flour, ¼ tsp. soda, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. cloves, 1 1/2 tsp. ginger. Sift, (or at least mix with a fork) the dry ingredients. Cut the butter in, then throw all the other stuff in and blend (obviously – duh). Roll into smallish balls. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

There was something on the news a few days ago that was a little unsettling. The newscaster looked directly at me and said, “This is the least you're going to weigh for the next six months.” I didn't stick around to hear why, or how she knew that, but presumably it's because we're headed for the holidays. That means lots of parties with fattening foods and drinks.

I used to love Christmas but not so much anymore. We won't get into that now. It's depressing enough knowing my waist isn't going to get any smaller for the next six months.

So I might as well eat all the choco and ginger cookies I want to because apparently there's absolutely nothing I can do about it.

And you might as well do the same. That newscaster wasn't directing that comment at only me.

(Oh and FYI the reason these are so perfectly round is because I made them before cocktail hour.)

 See ya next week.

Disclaimer: I’m not a chef. I lay no claim to being an authority on food or cooking. I’m a good cook, and a lover of good food. And I know how to spell and put a sentence together. This column is simply meant to be fun, and hopefully inspiring. So to anyone reading this whose hackles are raised because you know more about the subject of food than I, relax. I believe you. Email me at suzithayer@boothbayregister.com.