It's been a couple of years now since circumstances led me to sell cookies. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected cookie-making to be part of my daily routine! When I was a young girl, excited to cut my teeth in the kitchen with sweet treats as the end goal, I quickly discovered (or wrongly believed, actually) that I have no patience for cookie making!
Cookie-making presented itself to me as far too time consuming! I learned quickly that turning cookie dough into a pan of bars was a much better match for my temperament. Measuring out each ball to form a consistent batch of cookies proved too time consuming and waiting for the time it took between baking batches seemed an eternity for my little girl brain. Overall, I probably made fewer than a dozen batches of cookies in my childhood, then as an adult, never felt inspired to make cookies due to what I perceived as too large a time commitment.
Despite my dislike for the cookie making process, I did learn that the chewy dense cookies that came from my favorite chocolate chip and old-fashioned molasses recipes didn't exist anywhere in the world except my kitchen! I didn't like making cookies, but I had a couple of recipes that were truly stellar and I would crave them from time to time.
Fast forward to a few years back when I landed as owner of a restaurant that had existed as a bakery prior to my taking it over (In case you don't know, I've since sold the restaurant). Part of my acquisition included a bank of baking ovens, full sized sheet pans, a Hobart mixer, and a wheeled cooling rack. If these things hadn't been in the bakery I took over, I'd NEVER have started making cookies! But, I did.
Here's what's really ironic. Because of my bad attitude about cookie making that accompanied me since childhood, I actually got mad when I discovered that cookies were a hot seller! I didn't really want to make cookies, or so I thought! Every time I ran out of cookies and had to make a new batch, I'd get all agitated and twisted up inside convinced that making cookies wasn't a good use of my time! But, you all love my cookies. You all buy my cookies, and over time, I gave into the ZEN of cookie making!
Now, instead of feeling agitated when I make cookies, I actually feel calm. I never rush through the cookie making process, but instead, take each step as it comes and appreciate the cookie road!
You might find this little tidbit surprising - consistency, size and presentation matter a lot to me and I quickly realized that the cookie portion scoops weren't easy to work with. I tried the kind with the flipper scraper inside, I tried the kind that are half circle scoops and I tried a flat paddle variety as well. Each gave me cookie trouble headaches, so I started to weigh each cookie to portion it! Talk about making a process even more laborious! Despite taking a bit more time, it gives me the quality product I prefer. The cookie scoops all went bye-bye!
Once I started to feel calm when making cookies, I also noticed that I was excited to experiment with new concepts and recipes. When I ran the restaurant, one gentleman in particular kept coming to buy my cookies and lament that I had no PEANUT BUTTER. Hopeful that I could add a peanut butter cookie to my offerings, I went into the kitchen with a variety of recipes to test, but each one was more brittle and dry than the last. I just couldn't find a recipe that worked to create that dense chewy cookie I like. Fast forward two years of ZEN cookie-ing and this last November I finally understood the problem with my peanut butter cookies! All this cookie making over the years has helped me understand a lot about chemistry, flours, and oils that work best in the process. Whodda thought I would know anything about cookies at this point in my life!
You'll notice if you visit the store that all of my cookies are in the FREEZER. After they cool, I immediately package and freeze them because I absolutely love a chewy cookie when it's cold. Of course, they are fantastic at room temperature as well. A friend of mine likes to zap them in the microwave for a few seconds to create a fresh-from-the-oven cookie experience. If you can withstand the temptation, these cookies will keep for many months in the freezer.
After three years on the cookie trail, I have fine-tuned my offerings. The list above includes the cookies that I believe are worthy of continuous space in our farm store. These are the cookies that pass all my tests - chewy, unique and/or conjure nostalgia for a cookie experience from childhood.
Periodically I will host Cookie Specials because I am still inclined to test and try new recipes. This week's Special is a Blueberry White Chocolate Cookie made with a combo of dried blueberries and frozen blueberries from our neighbors over at Rush River Produce.
Besides cookies, I've also been busy this week making soups. In the soup freezer you'll find: Tuscan Bean, Tomato Basil, Lentil, Chili Con Carne, and Green Chili Chicken.
AND, in the world of crafty little me, I've also been having a blast making weird little felted wool bowls. These babies would make a great Valentine's gift!
Our neighbor's ice sculptures are looking quite spectacular this year. They are located on County A north of Hwy 35 a couple if miles. Lake View is just up the hill a short drive. Grab some cookies and head to the ice sculptures for a viewing!
Sending you lots of love from the farm,
Sarah
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