Little T Baker
NE 24th and Sandy – Portland (inside Providore Fine Foods) & 2600 SE Division (main bakery location)
$2
The fact that there are a mere 3-4 other peanut butter cookies on Carpe Cookie is not an accident. As I mentioned in at least one of those reviews, I find it hard to get excited about a PBC. They’re typically bland and flat-tasting, not salty enough (for the love of George Washington Carver, peanuts need salt!) and often greasy. Just not my thing.
One of the few that I have found notable (more than 6 years ago) was Little T’s version, straightforward and of solid girth, properly salted, not too greasy, and not overbaked. So it only makes sense that the latest PBC worthy of mention comes from the same source.
I was at Providore a couple of days ago to meet my friend Jenny for a glass of wine and oysters, and walking past Little T’s pastry case (impossible for anyone who isn’t a soulless monster to not notice) I spotted something called a “peanut brittle cookie.” I’m certain they aren’t the first who came up with such an obvious enhancement to the PBC, but somehow I’d never seen this before. Peanut brittle can really be dicey; there’s no shortage of crap peanut brittle out there, but when it’s good, it’s magical. (You truly need look no further than See’s. It is the first and last peanut brittle you will ever need to know about.)
Walking out of the store at closing time after our wine and the fish board (oyster plan shifted slightly), I pointed out the cookie to Jenny. In a voice I cannot claim was unintentionally loud enough for the woman behind the counter to hear as she packed up the remaining cookies, scones and cake from the day, I said: “check that out – I don’t even love peanut butter cookies but I’m kind of intrigued by this one.” Not missing a beat, the woman picked up the cookie and handed it to me. With a smile and a nod.
I felt like the goddamned mayor. So much that I ate 80% of it before remembering that I am not the mayor, but instead a cookie reporter who forgot to take a picture of her full-sized, uneaten peanut brittle cookie until it was (almost) too late. Whoops. Sorry. See size notes below. At least you can sort of see a chunk of brittle and get an idea of its ample girth. (I realize I said girth twice in this post. If you have a good synonym for girth please lay it on me.)
THE DETAILS
• Approximately 5 inches in diameter
• Thick. Perfectly so, with a rigid circumference encasing a slightly chewier yet stiff inner section. Dream cookie texture.
• Bits of peanut brittle and whole peanuts scattered throughout, but not overcrowding the situation. Ratio of cookie : add-ins = perfect.
• Having received it Saturday evening, I will assume it was baked that morning. It is now Monday afternoon and it is still great and not stale. (An added advantage to not overbaking: extended shelf life!)
Nice one, Little T!