[Travel] [Itinerary] [SE Asia] Chiang Mai, Thailand - Where to Stay

As winter gears up on the East Coast, many of us start dreaming of escaping to warmer and greener pastures.  If Southeast Asia is not on your radar yet, you should really reconsider—while airfare to this part of the world (namely, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, etc.) can seem expensive, here are two things to consider: 

(1) If you're willing to fly economy, round-trip tickets from New York can range from $650–$1000 (note that this figure won't include any flights you want to take within Southeast Asia); and 
(2) Hotel, tour, and food expenses are all what we would consider very affordable in Southeast Asia.  I know some travel bloggers receive sponsored stays at the best and fanciest hotels, even in Southeast Asia (I'll point you to a few of those, too, even if I haven't stayed at them), and other travel bloggers are really into backpacking and hostels, but you can think of me as Goldilocks with dark black hair and a floppy sunhat—I'm not particularly interested in roughing it but also don't want to blow my entire budget on a hotel—although I may reconsider if I'm at a resort, especially if all-inclusive or if you're paying for other amenities or a lovely private beach.

Winter in Thailand lasts from November to February—but don't worry, winter in Thailand is relatively comfortable—temperatures range from 30–35°C, or 86–95°F, and humidity drops as well.  While we were there, it was definitely still humid, so I can only imagine what it's like during summer.  Winter is also just after the rainy season, which typically lasts from July to October.  We were in Thailand for about 6 days the second week of November and had just one burst of rain, which lasted about an hour while the sun was still shining and honestly was kind of welcome—it cooled things down.

I would be surprised if there are any direct flights from anywhere in the U.S. to Chiang Mai.  You most likely have to do a layover somewhere else in Asia.  We flew EVA Air (a Taiwanese airline, which I'll review and post a link to in the future) from JFK in New York City to Taipei and then EVA Air again from Taipei to Bangkok.  We spent the night at Amari Don Muang Airport Hotel in Bangkok (review to come), which is conveniently located right across the street (literally, you take a skywalk) from the international airport, before boarding an early-morning flight to Chiang Mai, which is in the north of Thailand.

There are so many hotels in Chiang Mai.  We stayed in two while we were there—one, a very nice but economical (by U.S. standards) hotel and the other, a very nice hotel that nonetheless didn't break the bank.  Stand-alone review posts are in the works, but suffice it to say that we thoroughly enjoyed both and would recommend that you check them out as well.

I like to stay, if possible, in hotels that don't feel sterile and American, and luckily there are a ton of hotels in Chiang Mai that fit this bill.  Below are just a few suggestions; note that booking will vary based on when you book, what kind of room you book, and through which service—I've tried to provide a representative range):

Expensive
137 Pillars House ($750–$900)
Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai ($500–$850)

We didn't stay at Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai, but we made the trip out there to explore their hotel grounds and have some afternoon tea: 

These are the main hotel grounds.

Just me in a random doorway on the Dhara Dhevi hotel grounds.

 





Duck salad, spicy Thai sausage croissants, and green tea at the Dhara Dhevi.

 

Mid-range
Ping Nakara Boutique Hotel and Spa ($175–$225)
Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa ($110–$200)
Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel ($140–$220)

We stayed at the Puripunn (review to come), which was amazingly lovely, both day and night.

Puripunn courtyard in the daylight.

 

Puripunn pool in the moonlight.

Budget
Rustic River Boutique Hotel ($35–$45)
Thannatee Boutique Hotel ($40–$60)

We stayed at Thannattee (review to come), which was very good value for the price and had a distinctly Thai (and non-sterile or American) feel about it.

 
I like courtyards.  Can you tell?

[Recipe] "Rise Up" Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls

There's nothing quite like a fresh pastry for breakfast—but, I confess—it can be daunting to wake up that early just to indulge in the luxury.  Enter, bakeries.  But on those days you're craving homemade, I have just the recipe for you, requiring a bit of prep work the night before (to cut down on your wait time in the morning).

"Rise Up" Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls
A recipe inspired by Deliciously Sprinkled and Sally's Baking Addiction

I'm bad at Snapchat (my handle is, predictably, tammiest).  Or, rather, perhaps I'm not bad at it, but I don't have someone following me around or living with me who can take my Snapchat videos for me (life is hard).  This I found out the hard way as I attempted to Snapchat this recipe, complete with an all-too-appropriate soundtrack (read: complete with lots of puns) blaring in the background.  But you've only got one shot, or rather, one chance to make a shot—for example, once you've poured that icing sugar on top of the just-baked cinnamon rolls, you can't unpour it—and we all know it has to be poured to the iconic line, "Pour some sugar on me."

I amuse myself.

Soundtrack, Track #1 - My Shot
I am not throwing away my shot!
Rise up!
When you're living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up

Soundtrack, Track #2 - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Pour some sugar on me
Ooh, in the name of love
Pour some sugar on me
Ooh, in the name of love

Ingredients
Dough:
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 envelopes of Fleischmann's® RapidRise™ Yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup butter
2 large eggs

Raspberry Cinnamon Filling:
1 (24 oz.) bag frozen raspberries, not thawed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk)
Splash of vanilla

Directions
1.  Combine 1-1/2 cups of flour, granulated sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2.  Microwave milk, water, and 1/3 cup butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes or until warm; butter does not need to melt.
3.  Add butter mixture to flour mixture.  Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
4.  Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour.  Beat for 2 minutes on high speed.
5.  Stir in remaining 2-1/2 cups flour until batter forms.  Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

6.  Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
7.  Remove dough from refrigerator and let it warm up for about 15 minutes.  Punch down dough.  Place dough onto a lightly greased surface; divide in half.  Roll dough into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle.

8.  Sprinkle evenly with ground cinnamon, then top with frozen raspberries.

9.  Roll dough up tightly.  Using a sharp knife, cut roll into 13 equal pieces.  Place cinnamon rolls into prepared pan.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place until cinnamon rolls double in size.
Pro Tip:  Both Deliciously Sprinkled and Sally's Baking Addiction suggest preheating your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning the oven off before placing the covered cinnamon rolls into the oven for 30 minutes to rise and double in size.
10.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake the cinnamon rolls for 22 minutes, covering them with foil to prevent the tops of the rolls from getting too brown.
11.  While your rolls are cooling, make the glaze.  In a small bowl, whisk the confectioner's sugar and heavy cream until smooth.  Add more sugar or cream, depending how thick you want the glaze.  Pour glaze over the rolls and serve warm.  Cover the rolls and store at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.  Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months and warmed up to enjoy at a later date.  Glaze them right before serving.

[Recipe] "Game On" Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip (Muhummara)

As you've probably already surmised if you follow this blog, I love to entertain at home.  In addition to Sunday Supper, then, you're probably not going to be surprised that I also host TV watching parties and, as my boss terms them, "Nerdy Game Nights."

The Game Night group has been more or less the same (at least at its core) for years.  We've branched out a bit in terms of the games we play—see above for King of Tokyo—but I think my group's ultimate favorite is Ultimate Werewolf.  It's a game with very few rules, but you can think of it as a sophisticated, fast-paced mafia that works best among friends—good friends and long-time couples who will get a kick out of trying to figure out who's lying and who's telling the truth.

Game nights and TV watching parties require snack food rather than full-on dishes.  I make a pretty mean guacamole and 7-layer taco dip, but today I've chosen to highlight something you may not have had before but should definitely try:

"Game On" Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip (Muhummara)
a recipe by Aarti Sequeira

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
1-1/2 cups raw walnuts, halves and pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2-1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (which can be found in the international aisle of specialty supermarkets and at Middle Eastern markets)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.  Roast the red peppers.  Place each bell pepper over the open flame of a gas burner or grill, cooking until the skin blackens and blisters.  Rotate the peppers and blacken all the way around, about 15 minutes.  Alternatively, you can roast the peppers in the oven by placing the bell peppers on a baking sheet and placing under the broiler, turning frequently, until the peppers are blackened and blistered all over.  Put the blackened peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to steam
3.  Toast the walnuts.  Spread the walnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Pop into the oven until light golden brown and aromatic, 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

4.  Peel the red peppers using a paring knife.  Discard the peels, stem, and seeds.  Throw the roasted red peppers, walnuts, garlic, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and olive oil into a food processor with a teaspoon of salt, and run until the dip is smooth.  Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.  Cool and serve.

[Travel] [Fashion] [Wine Country] Jacuzzi Family Vineyards (Sonoma, California) + Auguste the Label

For those of you not on your mobile devices, you can probably tell I've just overhauled my blog.  (For those of you who are on your mobile devices, pretty please scroll to the bottom of the page and choose to view in web format just for a second to check it out?)

To celebrate this much-needed update (which I definitely have to thank BlissfulBoldDesign on Etsy for—I'm certainly not above admitting that I need the help), I wanted to post about one of the loveliest places I've been to recently—and one of the loveliest and most comfortable dresses I own.

No visit to Northern California is complete without at least a day trip into wine country.  Even for the non-drinkers (let's be friends and perhaps I can interest you in being a Designated Driver), it's just a gorgeous part of California.  The weather is always slightly hotter in Napa and Sonoma than it is in San Francisco, and the grounds of each vineyard are unique but all amazingly Instagrammable.  There's a reason so many weddings take place here—there are so many photo ops, whether natural or contrived.

If you're not going to spend a night (or more) out in either Napa or Sonoma and if you don't have a Designated Driver, then I highly recommend taking a wine tour.  There's no shortage of them—you can even take a helicopter if you're feeling extra fancy or if you want to pretend you're on The Bachelor—but I most recently took one with The Great Pacific Tour Company that I'd highly recommend.  They pick you and any others taking the same tour up from wherever you're staying within San Francisco in a large bus, then drive to three wineries, with lunch included in between: the Cline Cellars, the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, and, lastly, Domaine Chandon, the Napa Valley sister of Moët & Chandon in Champagne, France.

This post focuses in particular on the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
24724 Arnold Dr.,
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 931-7575

These vineyards were started by the Jacuzzi family—yes, the same family that created the jacuzzi tub.  The grounds are crazy gorgeous, perfect for a wedding or just a normal afternoon.  And they have a huge variety of wines, enough that my friend and I wound up tasting entirely different wines (and sharing all of them, naturally).  The vineyards started out with Zinfandel, Carignane and Mourvedre but now include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Pinot Grigio, among others.  They also grow olives, and you can taste and purchase their olive oils while you're at the vineyards.

I'm not too embarrassed to admit that I bought a dress specifically for visiting wine country.  This dress by Auguste the Label is the dress of my vino dreams, so soft and flowy and elegant and easy.  They're almost sold out of this particular print, but the Boheme Goddess is one of Auguste's most popular styles, and they seem to always be remaking it in new prints.  Check the Interwebs for this and other easy styles here.

I don't know if I can think of a better frame for this dress.

And even my accessories look happy to be in the sun.  The laser-cut tote bag from Avon is large and roomy (but be warned, there's no plastic lining the sides, so those are true cut-outs, which can make it alarmingly easy for tiny, loose items, like pens, to slip out the sides.  And I've always gotten lots of compliments on my DIY sunhat, the base of which is a simple sunhat by American Apparel in pale pink, dressed up with ribbon and fake flowers, all attached with the help of a simple glue gun.

[Travel] [Restaurant Review] [Recipe] Early Morning Muir Woods + Breakfast and Millionaire's Bacon

I admit—too often, my first thought for travel is that it's expensive and far away and I'll need to make sure my passport is up to date.  But that's definitely not true—I'm lucky enough to live in the U.S., and there are amazingly beautiful things to see (and delicious things to eat) right here, in every state in the union.

One of the many stunning things you can see in California are the redwoods forests.  There are so many parks at which you can do so, including the Redwood National and State Parks (consisting of four parks), the Big Basin Redwoods State Park, and the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, but perhaps the easiest one to get to is the Muir Woods National Monument.  The Muir Woods are just a little over 16 miles outside San Francisco proper (though it will likely take you 45 minutes or so to get there by car) and feature easy boardwalk loops as well as proper hiking trails.  You'll want to arrive early in the morning, if possible, to beat the crowds—there isn't a lot of parking available—although the Internet lets me know that eventually the Muir Woods will move toward a reservation system—keep an eye on that over the next couple of years, as you'll need to plan ahead a bit more than we had to in the near future.

These steps lead to adventure and stunning views and photo ops.

Under the canopy of the redwoods, you feel so small.  Can you even spot me in this shot?  I think if you could zoom in, you'd see I wasn't even looking at the camera here—was just looking up in awe.

I didn't get a chance to take a proper hike this trip (my friend and I were squeezing this visit in the morning of my flight back to the East Coast), but there was plenty of beauty just along the boardwalk.  Don't underestimate, though, just how cold it can be in the middle of the forest—walking will warm you up, but you'll definitely need long sleeves, and a sweater or a light jacket are probably smart.

We took a healthy number of photos and read our fair share of informational placards.  It took a little over an hour for a pair of New Yorkers (meaning only that we walk quickly) to do the longest boardwalk loop—the park, I think, recommends you take 2 hours to do that same loop.

Before (or after) your morning hike, drive a little over a mile to Kitchen Sunnyside for a delicious, hearty breakfast.

Kitchen Sunnyside
31 Sunnyside Ave., Suite 1
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 326-5159

They've got tons of delicious options both sweet and savory (plus lots of vegetarian dishes if that's your jam), and all the portions are huge.  Pictured below are the Morning Tacos with chipotle aioli, avocado, scrambled eggs, chicken apple sausage, bacon, tomato, cilantro, mild cheddar, and parmesan, and topped with roasted salsa and pico de gallo and sour cream.  Served with your choice of potato medley (my choice), home fries, hash brown or salad.

I made sure to order a side of millionaire's bacon-- don't forget yours.  Millionaire's bacon appears to have been invented (or at least made popular) by San Francisco's Sweet Maple restaurant.  I've actually made this bacon myself before at home—with regular bacon—but it really is best made thick.  Try for yourself using the recipe below—but also definitely order it when you're next in San Francisco.

Millionaire's Bacon
an original recipe by tammiest (The Passionfruit Fashionista) 

Ingredients
1 pound of thick-cut bacon
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Line a baking pan with foil.  Combine all of the spices and the brown sugar together in a bowl and mix thoroughly—if you like things spicy, increase the amount of spice to taste.  Handcoat each strip of bacon with the mixture.
3.  Bake for 25-35 minutes until the bacon is crisp.  Cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying.

[Travel] [Bar Review] [Fashion] Bourbon and Romance - Dirty Water (San Francisco, California)

I was recently in San Francisco for my friends' wedding (to each other—the best kind of friends' wedding, in my opinion).  For that awkward chunk of time between the ceremony and the reception (necessary—the wedding party needs to take pictures, after all), my friends and I looked for a watering hole in which we could chill.

We found Dirty Water, a warm, inviting bar of amber, browns and leather surprisingly located on the ground floor of the Twitter building in SoMa: 

Dirty Water
1355 Market St. (between Fell St. and 9th Street in SoMa)
San Francisco, CA 94103

The bar is fairly well stocked and offers various classic craft cocktails like the Calcutta Cup (botanist gin, Pimm's and Golden Gate) and the Touchy Feely (Fernet—so earthy if  you've never had this, gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, and grapefruit bitters) as well as a variety of wines and bubbles.

There's a restaurant behind the bar and lounge area—not open between lunch and dinner—but you can still order cheese and charcuterie to nom on during the day—which is exactly what we did.  After all, there is never a wrong time for cheese.

To the side of the bar were clusters of large, brown, overstuffed leather sofas.  We made ourselves at home—I thought the decor was the perfect rustic, masculine foil to my ultra-feminine Kate Spade New York Livia heels (now on sale!), which are basically an adorable riff on ballet shoes, and Kate Spade New York Emma book clutch (unfortunately, from a few seasons ago, but I highly recommend checking for this or other classic book clutches on eBay, Poshmark, or any other secondhand platform).

[Recipe] [Blue Apron] Pretzel Burgers with Hoppy Cheddar Sauce and Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

Bar food.  It doesn't have to be boring or predictable-- nor do you have to go to a bar to get it.  (And thank goodness-- sometimes, I just don't want to shout over top 40 hits to have a conversation or hear myself think.)

Today's Blue Apron recipe is a trifecta of un-boring bar food: pretzel buns, sweet potato fries, and beer cheese.  I've made beer cheese before with actual beer (I confess it was better than this quick cheat version, but it took much, much longer)-- this relies on using hops flowers themselves (refresher: hops, to the extent used, give beer a slightly bitter flavor).  Cheers!

Pretzel Burgers with Hoppy Cheddar Sauce and Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
A recipe by Blue Apron

Ingredients
10 ounces ground beef
2 pretzel buns
3/4 cup milk
1 pound sweet potatoes
1 red onion
1 bunch thyme
2 ounces cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh hops flowers
1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions
1.  Prepare the ingredients.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Wash and dry the fresh produce.  Thinly slice the sweet potatoes into rounds.  Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves.  Grate the cheese.  Roughly chop the hops flowers.  Halve the buns.  Peel the onion and thinly slice into rings.  Take about half the onion rings and further small dice them.

2.  Roast the sweet potatoes.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleaning.  Place the sweet potatoes on the sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat.  Arrange in a single, even layer, and roast, flipping halfway through, 20-25 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the thyme.

3.  Make the cheddar sauce.  While the sweet potatoes roast, in a small pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot.  Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden.  Gradually whisk in half the milk.  Simmer, whisking frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened; season with salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to low.  Gradually add the cheese and cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until smooth.  (If the sauce seems too thick, gradually add the remaining milk to achieve your desired consistency.)  Remove from heat and stir in the hops flowers; season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside in a warm place.

4.  Form and cook the burgers.  While the sweet potatoes continue to roast, place the ground beef in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper; gently mix with the small diced red onions to incorporate.  Using your hands, form the mixture into two 1/2-inch-thick burgers.  In a large pan (non-stick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot.  Add the burgers and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium, or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.  Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place, leaving any drippings in the pan.

5.  Toast the buns and plate your dish.  Heat the pan of reserved drippings on medium-high until hot.  Add the buns, cut sides down, and toast 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and warmed through.  Divide between two plates.  Spread the mustard onto the toasted bun bottoms.  Top with the cooked burgers, cheddar sauce (if the sauce seems too thick, reheat on low), and as much of the onion as you'd like.  Complete the burgers with the bun tops.  Serve with the roasted sweet potatoes on the side.

[Recipe] "Good Mornin'" Avocado Egg in a Hole Toast

Mornings are hard.  I get it.  You might oversleep, or maybe you had to work late (or maybe you partied late), and the last thing you want to do when you get up is cook.  But what if I told you I have a 5-10 minute recipe for a breakfast as good as any you might get in the depths of Brooklyn or in sunny California?
Disclaimer:  Here I am assuming you like avocado.  Because duh.

Soundtrack - Good Mornin'
Good mornin'
Good mornin'
It's great to stay up late
(Sunbeams will soon shine through)
Good mornin'
Good mornin' to you

Side Note:  How amazing is Singin' in the Rain?  As a little girl, I crushed on Gene Kelly and Gregory Peck while my friends swooned over Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

"Good Mornin'" Avocado Egg in a Hole Toast
an original recipe by tammiest (The Passionfruit Fashionista)

Ingredients
1 slice whole-grain bread
1 avocado
1 large egg
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Hot sauce (optional)

Directions
1.  Mash the avocado in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add a dash of hot sauce for kick—also to taste.
2.  Using a small round cookie cutter or other mold, cut a small circle (or heart or whatever other shape you desire) from the middle of your slice of toast.  Heat a small non-stick skillet with a small amount of oil in it over low heat.  Place the slice of bread in the skillet and heat for about 30 seconds, then flip.
3.  Crack an egg into the hole in the center of your toast.  Season with salt and pepper.  Wait until the egg whites begin to firm up and turn opaque, then flip the entire piece of toast with the egg in the center.  Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, then either remove from heat or turn off the heat, keeping the skillet over the burner.
4.  Spread the avocado mixture on the toast around the egg.

5.  If you don't want to cut a hole in your toast, of course you don't need to.  The avocado spread will work on toast alone, or you can separately cook your eggs however you want (sunny side-up, scrambled, etc.) and top.  Note also that one avocado will definitely be enough for two or three of these, so if you refrigerate the rest, breakfast the next day will be even easier!

[Recipe] "Shape of My Heart" Valentine's Day Black and Pink (White) Cookies

My holiday calendar is essentially one of food.  The Christmas season is full of roasts (vegetables, beef, and whole chickens, oh my!), Chinese New Year is for dumplings (more on my upcoming Chinese New Year dinner party in a future post), and Valentine's Day is for baking (and maybe heart-shaped pizzas, the most romantic couple food ever).

This Valentine's Day, I thought it would be cute to make that classic New York dessert, black and white cookies, from scratch-- but with red and pink food coloring and, obviously, with cookies shaped like hearts.

Soundtrack - Backstreet Boys - Shape of My Heart
I'm here with my confession
Got nothing to hide no more
I don't know where to start
But to show you the shape of my heart

I'm lookin' back on the things I've done
I never wanna play the same old part
Or keep you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart

"Shape of My Heart" Valentine's Day Black and Pink (White) Cookies
a recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen
Makes 24 very large cookies or 4-5 dozen smaller ones

Cookie Base - Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2-1/2 cups cake flour
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing - Ingredients
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
3 ounces very bitter or unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Instructions
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper.
2.  In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter.  Mix by machine or hand until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, then milk and vanilla and lemon extracts, and mix until smooth.  Scrape down bowl.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir until mixed.  Add dry mixture to the wet mixture in batches, stirring well after each addition.

4.  Using a soup spoon, place heaping spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.  Bake until edges begin to brown, 18 to 20 minutes.  Cool completely.
5.  Boil a cup or so of water in a small pot.  Place confectioners' sugar in large, heat-safe mixing bowl.  Gradually stir in enough boiling water to the sugar to make a thick, spreadable mixture.  Err on the side of caution because a too-thin frosting is hard to undo.  Leave remaining boiling water on the stove.

6.  Split the frosting into two bowls, approximately 1/3 to 2/3.  In the bowl with more frosting, add red or pink food coloring and mix to your desired shade.  Spread frosting on half of the flat side of each cookie.

7.  Once all cookie halves have been frosted, place the bowl of the remaining frosting (remember, you set some aside earlier) over the hot water and bring it back to a simmer (creating a double boiler).  Stir in the bitter of unsweetened chocolate until melted, as well as the light corn syrup.  At this point, depending on the chocolate you used and your preferences, you might find the chocolate color to be a little lighter than the "black" of a black-and-white cookie.  If so, mix in a tablespoon or more of cocoa.

8.  Ice the remaining half of the cookies with the chocolate frosting.  If the frosting dries out, feel free to whisk in a small splash of water from time to time to smooth it back into a shiny frosting.

9.  Let the frosting set.  Store in an airtight container.  These cookies keep for a few days, although, because the bases are cakelike, they can get stale quickly.  Pro Tip:  You can also store your cookies with a slice of bread (white is preferable-- no other flavors transferred to the cookies) to keep them moist.