Our Christmas Cookbook - 6. Sweet Men

Sweet Men

By Aditus

Nathan and Drew had just cleared away the dishes from dinner when Nathan pulled out a mixing bowl, a mug, and flour.

“What are you doing? Weren’t we going to watch that new show on Netflix?” Drew frowned.

“I’m making a sweet man.” Nathan poured some milk in the mug until it was half full and put it into the microwave.

“How would you do that? They broke the mold after they made me.” Drew waggled his eyebrows.

Nathan rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes you’re one of a kind.”

“So, why are we making sweet men? And how do we do that?”

“We?”

“We. Apparently, we’re not watching TV tonight. And I can see you’re a man on a mission.”

Nathan grabbed the fresh yeast out of the fridge. “When I went to our mailroom today, I found Karen sobbing into her coffee because she wanted a sweet man, but she always picks assholes. After some prodding, she told me she threw her boyfriend out yesterday.”

“Shit!”

“You wouldn’t believe what an asshole he’d been. He had a pair of socks with ’Get me a beer’ written on the soles. He’d put his feet on the coffee table and expect her to get him one.”

“You’re joking.”

“That’s what I said, but then she showed me a pic on her phone.”

The next morning they got up an hour earlier, pulled the man-shaped yeast dough from the fridge, pressed two raisins into the dough for the eyes, and put it in the oven. While Nathan was in the shower, Drew made the icing. After everything had cooled down, Nathan iced it, sprinkled almond flakes on top, and slid it onto a paper plate.

At work, he waited until Karen was through the door to the next room, and he secretly put the almond-covered man on her desk.

An hour later Nathan went by the mailroom and heard the strangest conversation: “Do you want the head? I don’t like the eyes.”

“Sure. I love eyes.”

Ew...

When he peered around the corner, Karen was at her desk with one of the postmen leaning against it, drinking coffee. It looked like they were sharing the sweet man and having a nice chat.

From then on, every time Nathan went to the mailroom, Karen had a small vase with a little stuffed giraffe and a fresh flower on her desk. When he asked her about it one day, she quickly put her finger on her lips and whispered, “Don’t jinx it.”

A year later, Drew threw the mail on the kitchen counter. “Do we know anyone who would invite us to their wedding?”

“Um...” Nathan frowned. “Maybe Anya and Law?”

“Naw, never. I don’t think they’re even together anymore.”

“Erica and Taylor?”

“Hmm....”

“Just open the damn thing.”

Drew grabbed a knife out of a drawer and sliced the envelope open, then pulled out a card. After scanning it, he shrugged. “I have no idea.” He searched the envelope again and finally fished out a sheet of simple printer paper. He unfolded it, scanned it, and with a wide smile he read loudly:

“Dear Nathan,

I don’t know if you still remember me. We used to work together at Meyers & Mortimer. I hope you don’t mind that Ben gave me your new address.

You found me in the mailroom, crying my eyes out after I broke up with my asshole boyfriend. I was so miserable and told you all I wanted was a sweet man. I’m still embarrassed. :-$

The next day, you unknowingly fulfilled my dearest wish by surprising me with this delicious, freshly-baked sweet man. When Teddy saw it sitting on my desk, we got to talking and after a while, I plucked up my minuscule courage and offered him a leg. He accepted it but insisted on getting us some coffee with it. A few days later he invited me to lunch. The rest is history.

When we planned the wedding I thought back to that day and suddenly wanted you to be there. Your sweet man brought me luck. Maybe I’m superstitious, but I feel you could be my lucky charm. Come to my wedding?

Karen

PS: I would love to see you again too. J

Nathan pushed the letter and the card back into the envelope. “Wanna travel to the other side of the country to attend a fall wedding?”

~Recipe~

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sweet butter
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons real vanilla extract
• 1 grated lemon peel
• 1 packet rapid yeast 1/4 ounce
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 4 whole eggs
• 6-2/3 cups flour
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water for glazing
• Some raisins

Instructions

1. Mix yeast with warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

2. Place flour in a large bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour and pour yeast mixture into the well, cover and let rise for 20 minutes.

3. Combine milk, butter, shortening, and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently then set aside to cool.

4. Mix 4 eggs with vanilla extract and lemon peel and beat until smooth. Add to milk mixture once cooled down.

5. Add milk mixture to flour and mix all the ingredients together. Knead into a ball, dust with flour and let rise for 45 minutes

6. Roll dough and divide into 10 pieces to form into gingerbread men shaped Weckmänner. Place the Weckmänner on a large baking sheet covered with baking or wax paper, making sure to leave enough room between each shape. Let rise for a further 20 to 45 minutes.

7. Beat 1 eggs and mix with water

8. Brush Weckmänner with egg/water mixture, decorate with raisins and dried cranberries for the eyes and buttons.

Bake at 325 to 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.

Powdered Sugar Icing

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1-2 tablespoons milk

Almond flakes

Today we celebrate St. Nicholas and in our family we serve Weckmänner  (Sweet Men) for breakfast and /or coffee today.
Thank you for reading! And tomorrow...
There is a picture in the gallery.