Thanksgiving weekend seems like the perfect time to explore the idea of domesticity. I am lucky enough to have many different women in my life and all of them seem to have different takes on the purpose and worth of domesticity. Some would rather go out to dinner than make something at home, some prefer a home cooked meal to almost any other kind. Some get a certain sense of satisfaction out of a clean house, others would rather have someone else do the tough scrubbing, and still others would rather just not look above that shelf. This got me thinking about the domesticity of knitting and what that really means.
While I don’t think knitting and domesticity ALWAYS go together, it is definitely often the case in my experience. The ladies at Urban Yarns definitely fit this bill. Knitting certainly isn’t the only craftacular and somewhat domestic endeavor that we undertake on a weekly basis. There are quilters, bakers, cooks, weavers, cross stitchers, needlepointers…..the list is endless and most certainly overlapping. Knitting is only one of the many domestic activities which we undertake.We are multi-faceted women with lots of hobbies and undertakings, many of which fall under the category of domesticity.
Now, that being said, is knitting always a domestic activity? I would say almost certainly not. Knitting is not only about creating clothing or accessories for ourselves and our loved ones, it’s about much more than that! Knitting can take many forms, including art, protest, fashion, and the somewhat domestic practicality. This idea got me thinking about what really makes something domestic. Is it just something that takes place in the home or regarding family? And what exactly is the line between domesticity and art? Can things be both? Is domesticity itself an art? Holidays always make me feel a little more domestic and I think I like it, no matter what that says about me.
So, get a little domestic and enjoy this delicious chocolate cookie recipe from Jan!
Nutty Double-Chocolate Cookies
2 cups flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder & salt
1 cup butter at room temperature
½ cup icing sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
½ cup coarsely chopped almonds or pecans
1 cup icing sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Lightly spray 2 baking sheets
In a small bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt.
In a large bowl beat butter with ½ cup icing sugar until creamy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture until
evenly mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Pinch off about 1 tbsp dough and roll into a ball. Place on cookie
sheets about 2 in. apart. Flatten balls slightly. Bake approximately
14 minutes, switching position of baking sheets half way through
baking.
Cool and just before serving roll in icing sugar to evenly coat.
