WHERE HAVE ALL THE COOKIES GONE?
I want to add a new cookie post. Really, I do!
But I’ve got nothing. NOTHING! And it ain’t for lack of trying. Seriously.
In the past two weeks I’ve eaten a LOT of mediocre (at best) and regrettable (at worst) cookies. Nothing, that is to say, worthy of telling you about.
A partial list of my efforts:
• a dry, hollow honey vanilla macaron from Salt and Straw Ice Cream (I think the cookie was from Two Tarts.)
• another dry, hollow and shitty macaron from another place. It was so forgettable that I can’t even remember where I bought it.
• a fig oatmeal raisin cookie from Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle that was not necessarily terrible, but nowhere NEAR the the level of awesomeness of when I first tasted it last spring. It seemed day-old – not moist or chewy at ALL. Dry and lifeless. And I totally drove out of my way for it – in shitty weather. Sad.
• a double chocolate cookie – also from Bakery Nouveau. I asked whether it was crispy or chewy. The girl told me “both. It’s really great.” It was all crispy – and not chewy. And not really great. I ate one bite and gave the rest to my little cousins.
• several mediocre almond paste and/or marzipan-filled cookies from Larsen’s Danish Bakery in Ballard (Seattle). Again, not terrible, but not worthy of a special trip. I adore marzipan and had such high hopes, so this was especially disappointing.
• a chocolate chip cookie from Hiroki, which had received props in Seattle Met’s chocolate chip cookie taste test a few months ago. Completely ordinary – not awesome. Disappointing, in fact.
Are we in a cookie slump? Are all the bakers phoning it in, exhausted from last month’s high cookie season madness?
I have grown weary from repeated cookie disappointment. I must find a good one, soon – before I lose faith.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. Anyone got a hot cookie tip? Something I need to try? Lay it on me, please. I am ready for it.
I can’t remember if I already mentioned (have I ever even posted a comment? I don’t know) this place, but you should check out the cookies at the Clearing Cafe in NW Portland (28th and Thurman). Kelly, the owner/baker, makes deeee-licious cookies and other baked goods. I am very fond of the shortbread cookies with icing.
Keep the faith!
Hi Mariko,
No, I don’t think you’ve commented before, but thanks so much for doing it now. I’ve been to the Clearing Cafe just once – and inexplicably ate a muffin instead of a cookie. (Well, not so inexplicable; I do love a good muffin.) It’s not exactly my neck of the woods, but I’m over there often enough, so thanks for the tip. I will definitely put them on my Cookies On Deck list.
Joanna
PS: I like your Super Eggplant blog – just read your post on the white trash cookie party. I make that same saltine toffee – but with matzoh instead of toffee. But I guess it would be hard to categorize matzoh as white trash. Either way, ridiculously delicious and f-ing addictive!