Real Scottish Shortbread

On New Year's Eve we went outside at the stroke of midnight to bang pans, hoot and holler, and wish the entire neighborhood a happy new year. It's the one time of the year where making noise at midnight is generally accepted.

Our neighbors, Mike and Elaine, happened to be outside too drinking 12 year old Dom Perignon - of which I got a sip. Yum - my. Mike is from Scotland. Elaine is from the south somewhere. She asked if we were having black eyed peas on new years day. We usually do but when I looked at Safeway I couldn't find any. I wasn't too upset because they taste like dirt. I figured there must be another traditional "good luck" food. And I found it from Mike. In Scotland, they make shortbread for good luck. Now we're talking. Yummy buttery shortbread. That's more like it.

I have never seen or tasted shortbread like this. I HAVE to get the recipe. Of course it doesn't exactly work with my "lose 10 pounds" goal. But I don't care. I need this recipe. They gave us two huge wedges which we have been stealing little bits from ever since.

I'm in heaven.