One of the benefits of having grown up in the Wells household is that I was given an opportunity to enjoy cookies frequently. Mom, with her homemade reversible apron safety pinned in the back, could whip out a batch of cookies from her recipe infested cupboard door in no time.
Now you may see pros and cons to this baking fetish that festered in Gaylee. I see it as a positive thing, since I now like to bake. And while it affected my body image differently than, say, Greg or Carrie, it helped shape me into who I am today: A Cookie Connoisseur.
I know (a sixth sense, really) what to look for in a good cookie; the texture, the number of chocolate chips, whether they are over or under baked. I can even name some of the ingredients of a cookie I taste for the first time.
For you "local yokels"-- here are some places to find the best cookies in Utah Valley.
If you are craving a good Raisin Oatmeal Cookie you've got only two choices:
Kneaders and Great Harvest. The texture and size is very different, but both are excellent.
What about a good Sugar Cookie? The weight and consistency of the Pink cookies found only at the Cobblestone pizzeria are by far the best. However, they are small and a whole dollar each, so it's kind of a rip off.(Sugar cookies are hard to get right. Lots of places try but they are either too cake-like or too brittle. My neighbor, Terry, once filled a cookie jar with sugar cookies and gave it to us for Christmas. They were fantastic -- I asked her for the recipe, but she must add some secret ingredient, because hers turned out much better).
Now -- the chocolate chip cookie: Mrs. Fields had good ones, except that there were too many chips. As far as in store bakeries, only Albertson's comes close. Great Harvest are good, the Provo Bakery also offers decent ones. Honestly, with Chocolate Chip, Ginger snaps, and Snicker doodles, homemade is best('course the right recipe is a must!)
Now -- a serious warning: If you come across cookies at a craft boutique, or at, say, TJ Maxx or Ross -- don't be swindled (these are not good places for good cookies). They aren't fresh and you'll be overcharged. There is almost nothing so disappointing as paying for a flavorless cookie.
All righty then, tune in later for more about this important topic. In our next discussion we'll cover some baking necessities.
4 comments:
You crack me up... there is no secret ingredient... Just keep the dough really soft and they work every time! It should so soft that you could pat it out with your hands if you wanted to... I also have a killer choc chip cookie recipe. You have to make it in a plastic bowland not use any metal bowls or untensils...its magic and mighty tasty! Want the recipe? call me! hee hee!
wondering why you only mentioned greg and carin in the "body image" list. i'm sure miek and matt are wondering too.
agreed on homemade ginger snaps and snickerdoodles. and i'd be willing to go head-to-head with freaking bobby flay in a throw-down with my ginger snaps. isn't it sad that most of the world thinks that they should be crunchy and LOADED with cloves? no wonder people think they don't like them.
Readers: If Terry is willing to share her recipe secrets, we will ALL benefit. I have not tasted anything that has come from her kitchen that hasn't been amazing.
Infact, I'm begining feel like Pavlov's Dog -- I look over at her house on a Sunday afternoon and my mouth starts watering.
OH Dear -- a note about "body images" -- Height is a factor.
I have 5 siblings. They are the most attractive and lovely bunch. Some of them were given tall genes and some --not so tall. All of us partook of the cookies, but only one of us was reminded, "You don't want to want to eat that, Steffie."
Please, I'll make it up to all of you over some cookies and milk at my house:)
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