THE GINGERBREAD MAN: NEW CLASSIC SONG IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS BY JACK TEMPCHIN

A new classic song in time for the holidays by the songwriter Jack Tempchin, who has written many hit songs, including the Eagles hits, “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Already Gone”.

His new song, The Gingerbread Man, released by Mailboat Records, has a heartwarming animated video, HERE, and an illustrated children’s book, HERE, available on Amazon; both with art by Savannah Philyaw.

 The Gingerbread Man is inspired by an old family recipe.

“Our family is close and we love holiday music. I got inspired sitting by our tree which my wife, Sheryl, had hung with her own baked decorations. Together we came up with this song and a new twist. The Gingerbread stories we knew all bothered us because the little man got eaten. Ours gets away!”

Every year the Tempchin family and friends gather in California to enjoy Sheryl Tempchin’s fine cooking including her Gingerbread Cookies, based on a 19th century recipe passed down from her great grandmother, Anna Olson.

“I make Ginger Snap Cookies from my Great Grandmother Olson recipe. To use it for Gingerbread Men I modify it. The dough puffed up too much. So we have two recipes, one for Ginger Snap Cookies by Great Grandma and one for the Gingerbread Men.” Says Jack’s wife, Sheryl Tempchin

Gingerbread Men (or Women, we make both:)

1⁄2 cup butter
1 cup sugar (white or brown) 1 egg
1⁄4 cup molasses

2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg, add molasses and sifted dry ingredients. Form into two balls and flatten them to about an inch thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Put them in the refrigerator for an hour. Take out one at a time and use a rolling pin to roll it out between sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch or a little less. Remove the top layer of parchment paper and use a cookie cutter to cut the shapes. I find that the easiest way is to leave them on the parchment paper and remove the dough around them. Then lift the parchment paper onto the cookie sheet and bake.

Ginger Snaps

• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cloves

• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 2 cups sifted flour

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg, add molasses and sifted dry ingredients. Roll into 1 inch balls. Dip tops in sugar. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees 15 to 18 minutes.

Make sure to check out this new holiday classic!