Carpe Cookie

A grade-A cookie lover's account of the best – and sometimes worst – cookies around.

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Extra Chocolaty Chocolate Cookie* at Mother’s Bistro & Bar

Posted by on Feb 5, 2011 in Chocolate, Chocolate Chip | 0 comments

Mother’s Bistro & Bar
212 SW Stark St – Portland
$1.50

Not that it should be surprising that you would find a great cookie at Mother’s. I mean, this is a place that is known and loved in Portland for it’s top notch comfort food. Also,  I’m pretty sure a place that calls itself “Mother’s” is legally obliged to provide not just cookies, but super awesome, homemade-y gems like the ones goin’ on here. The thing is, Mother’s is a full-fledged, (quite lovely) sit-down restaurant –  not a bakery, per se – or a coffee shop where you might think to pop in and grab a cookie to go. But you can.  You totally CAN!

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Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin at Levain

Posted by on Oct 24, 2010 in Chocolate, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip | 2 comments

Levain Bakery
167 West 74th St. – New York City
$4*


A few times over the past few years, I’ve been asked by friends to provide a list of bakeries (i.e.,cookies) worth seeking out while visiting New York City.  Even though (with the exception of one year in the mid-nineties) I have never lived in NYC, I’ve been there a bunch of times.  And I’m sure it comes as no surprise that during these visits, cookie scouting ends up high on my priority list – above, I am simultaneously ashamed and proud to admit, The Guggenheim, MOMA, Broadway performances, shoe shopping, etc.  I will plan entire walking itineraries around strategically-located bakeries; this is how I roll. (OMG: if somebody has not already opened a bakery called “This Is How We Roll”, it needs to happen – stat! Genius.)

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Chocolate Macaroon at Alma

Posted by on Sep 27, 2010 in Chocolate, Gluten Free and/or Flourless, Macaroon/Macaron | 3 comments

Alma Chocolate
140 NE 28th Ave – Portland
$1

Alma Chocolate, a tiny shop in Northeast Portland, is known mainly for their signature (edible) gold leaf-painted molded chocolate icons,  bon bons, barks, toffees and cocoa-dusted candied nuts.  The array of unexpected confections, all  made from one deep, dark single-origin chocolate or another, is stunning. But what I want to tell you about is the shop’s  more off-the-radar (at least to me) bakery items.

I seem to forget about Alma as a bakery, per se, but the fact is that they are kickin’ out some of Portland’s better cookies, brownies and cake.  And this, natch, is what I want to tell you about – a cookie.

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Shortbread at Fresh Flours

Posted by on Aug 10, 2010 in Shortbread/Sugar Cookies | 0 comments

Fresh Flours
6015 Phinney Ave. N
Seattle

$ ? (not more than a buck apiece, possibly less)

chocolate almond shortbread & green tea shortbread

Dear Fresh Flours bakers:

Buy a bag of salt. Please. Your cookies are very pleasing to the eye, as are the rest of your wares. I have no doubt that top notch ingredients are at play here, but they are totally lost on me because I CAN BARELY TASTE THEM.  Because you don’t use any G-d blessed salt – the most fundamental of all flavor enhancers. What gives?

Regretfully,

Joanna

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