K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Sinners

A few years back we had a friend come stay with us for the first time. While setting up the guest room I thought it would be a nice touch to put a few individually wrapped cookies and a bottle of water in the little basket on the nightstand. I decided to go with one of my more unique cookies, the White Chocolate Cherry Chunk, as they tend to make a good first impression and that was what I was going for. When the weekend was over and I was putting the room back together I couldn’t help but smile when I noticed that all of the cookies had been eaten. It wasn’t until months later that my friend confessed that while he did enjoy the cookies, he almost hadn’t eaten them. He was a cookie purist, and in his opinion, there was nothing like the delicious simplicity of a really good chocolate chip cookie.

He’s right. Who among us can resist a warm, buttery chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven? With a cold glass of milk, there may be nothing more satisfying or comforting. Which is why today, we should all give thanks to Ruth Wakefield.

Ruth Graves Wakefield, together with her husband, established the Toll House Inn in 1930. Ruth, a dietitian, prepared the recipes for the meals served to the guests at the Inn and became quite famous with the locals for her desserts. One of her favorite recipes was for Butter Drop Do cookies, a recipe that called for the use of baker’s chocolate. One day Ruth found herself without baker’s chocolate and decided to substitute a semi-sweet chocolate bar (a gift from Andrew Nestle from Nestle Chocolate Company) which she cut up into bits. However, unlike the baker’s chocolate, the chopped up chocolate bar did not melt completely, the small pieces only softened.

As the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe became popular, sales of the Nestlé’s semi-sweet chocolate bar increased. Andrew Nestle and Ruth Wakefield struck a deal. Nestle would print the Toll House Cookie recipe on its packaging and Ruth Wakefield would have a lifetime supply of Nestle chocolate.

Today, when customers call and ask my opinion as to what kind of cookies they should order, whether for a gift or a platter, I make it a point of suggesting some of our more unique flavors, but always advise that they include at least a dozen of our Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. That way, even the purists are happy.

How Many Free Throws Can You Bake?

December, as you can imagine, is considered “Busy Season” at Sweet Little Sin.  As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I am instantly thrown into a situation of organized panic knowing that I am pretty much going to be baking nonstop for a month (this on top of Chanukah shopping, getting out holiday cards and every other year preparing for our annual New Year’s Day blow-out open house).  I say organized panic because every year I make my poor family crazy thinking that I am never going to be able to get it all done, and yet, somehow, over the years I have figured out a system that manages to get every last cookie, cake and brownie baked, packaged and out right on time (if I could only apply that system to the rest of my life I would be golden!).

This year the panic began to creep up on me as we drove to New York City for Thanksgiving and an email came in for an order from a new corporate gift client that kept growing with every mile driven.  By the time we reached NYC (four hours later) I was in full fledged panic mode, wishing I had brought my laptop to start the organization process,  as I realized that I had already reached my limit for baking and I was going to have to cut off all orders for a few weeks. 

Needless to say, about an hour after stepping back into our house after the Thanksgiving weekend, I was already having my husband doing the ingredient math (c’mon, those who really know me know that I couldn’t possibly trust myself to do the math!) on the 120 dozen cookies, 26 dozen brownies and nine dozen S’mores Bars that had to be baked, packaged shipped and delivered by December 20.  And that was just the first batch of orders!

On December 24, while making yet another batch of S’mores, I found myself talking to a good customer who had come to pick up his order (of four dozen Lemon Drops and a dozen rugulach).  In a good natured yet marketing-savvy kind of way, he suggested I “figure out exactly how many cookies, brownies, rugulach and S’mores Bars I made and, if I lined them all up, just how long would the line be?”  (I recall relaying this suggestion to one of my oldest and dearest friends over a glass of wine a week or so later and watching her reaction of utter hysterical laughter at the thought of me wrapping my Emerson College brain around that math.)  Regardless, it was an interesting idea and I swiftly put my trusty husband and his mathematical brain to work on it.  Below is what “we” figured out:

Based on the size of each cookie, brownie and bar, and the number baked, “we” estimate that the sinfully delicious treat line would run approximately 420 feet.

In terms that most of Sweet Little Sin’s local fans can relate to:

• More than three times the Adam Vinatieri Snow Bowl field goal
• One homerun hit over The Green Monster and onto Landsdowne St.
• 30 perfectly shot Ray Allen free throws

That’s a LOT of dessert!   Thanks to all of those whose orders were a part of our most successful December yet!

Resolve to SIN more in 2011

It’s a new year and we’re hoping to make 2011 the most sinfully delicious one yet!  To start things off right, we’re giving away a tin of one dozen cookies (choose your favorite from our cookie page). It only takes two steps to enter:

1. Become a fan of our Facebook page (hey, if you’re already a fan you get to skip right to the next step!)
2. Between Monday, January 3 and Friday, January, 7 post on our Facebook wall “I resolve to SIN more in 2011.”  (One entry per person please!)

The winner will be randomly selected from all entrants on Friday, January 7 at 6pm/ET.  Cookies will either be delivered or shipped to you depending on where you live.

Good luck, and thanks for being a fan of SWEET LITTLE SIN.  Happy New Year!

Not Your Mother’s Cookie Swap

‘Tis the season for the holiday cookie swap.  For some, a small break from the stressful holiday season.  A chance to get together with friends, grab a drink, some snacks, swap holiday mall horror stories, gift ideas and, of course, cookies.  If you have never been to one, here’s the basic concept:  Each guest bakes dozens of their favorite cookie, takes them to the party where they then trade their cookies for a sampling of everyone else’s.  The result being that everyone goes home with an assortment of new cookies.  Pretty simple, right? 

Apparently not.  The other day, a friend of mine sent me a Time Magazine article entitled Cookie Swaps: The Elaborate Rules of  a Sweet Tradition.  In a 21st Century cookie swap, guests are being sent their invitations along with lists of what cookies are and are not allowed, being told what is and isn’t “acceptable” should you burn your cookies and not have time to bake dozens more, and are being judged by other guests on how much “love & effort” they seem to be putting into their cookies.  This doesn’t seem to be very stress-free to me – and I bake for a living.

Last year, my friend Robin was invited to a cookie swap like one described in the Time article.  If you know Robin, you know two things: 1) she would be the first to admit she is not a domestic diva, but, 2) she is usually game to try anything.  Thankfully Robin has a way with the written word and she wrote about her hilarious experience in a post entitled, Thinking Outside The Tin, as part of her Drawing In blog.

Over the years I have been invited to my share of cookie swaps.  I usually graciously turn down the invitations, not because I don’t love a good cookie, or that I don’t want to share, but usually it’s around the time I am madly baking thousands of cookie for holiday orders.  However, two years ago my friend Siobhan who writes a fantastic food blog called Foodfixe wrote to tell me she was going to try a virtual cookie swap called the The 12 Days of Christmas Cookies and asked if I would mind contributing a cookie (or holiday dessert) and a story.  Over those 12 days, I collected some great recipes from her other contributors and didn’t have to bake a thing! So when she came back to me this year and asked if I would share another of my favorite holiday desserts, I jumped at the chance.  In the six days since it started, I have printed all six recipes and I can’t wait until I have the time to bake some of them for my own enjoyment! 

Whether you choose to participate in a virtual or traditional cookie swap, enjoy your time spent in the kitchen.  Baking should be fun.  After all, you’re making dessert!

A Sweet Chanukah Tradition

The turkey leftovers are barely eaten and Chanukah is already here.  Thank goodness for internet shopping and overnight shipping because who has time for a stroll through the mall?

While latkes are the snack most commonly associated with Chanukah, this year I am also going to try frying up sufganiyot (jelly filled donuts), which is the Chanukah treat more commonly consumed in Israel. Wish me luck!

For those of you who want to serve some of these sweet treats for your Chanukah party, Martha Stewart has a good recipe. 

Happy Chanukah!

NYC On 5000 Calories A Day

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday, being that it’s all about food, family and friends – and this year was no exception. We traveled to NYC where we spent Thanksgiving morning watching the parade march right by us from the second floor apartment of our good friend Susan while munching on H&H Bagels (bagels so good my son begs our friends and family from NY to bring him a dozen each time they come visit), and smoked salmon and whitefish from Zabars. Food is so much a part of our trips to NY and though some of my friends may be surprised to hear this, not all of my favorites are fancy, foodie-type places. Two blocks from my father-in-law’s apartment is Mariella Pizza (on 8th btwn 56/57th), one of mine and my husband’s all time favorites. Although Oprah may have recently discovered it, we’ve been eating their pizza with slices so large and drippy they just beg to be folded over for over 15 years! We also introduced our kids to the “Burger Joint” inside the Parker Meridian Hotel. Hidden behind a red curtain in the lobby and noted only by a small neon sign in the shape of a burger, this tiny little spot is the definition of a “joint” and great for burgers, fries and shakes. And while NY is famous for its giant cheesecakes, my new favorite dessert addiction is the Salted Pistachio Caramel soft serve ice cream at The Milk Bar.

Of course, there are those who don’t live near Sweet Little Sin who feel the same way about getting their hands on some of our goodies. And my friend Reese was no exception. So after a quick hug, two dozen Lemon Drop cookies were immediately handed over. And while he really wanted to eat them the entire train ride back to Queens, he was kind enough to save some to share with his sister that evening, who loved them enough to write about them and Sweet Little Sin on her blog http://myjackandsalma.blogspot.com/2010/11/so-sweet.html.

If you have a favorite place to grab something specific in NYC I’d love to hear about it…we’re always looking for something great to try on our next trip!

Is this thing on?

Hello?  Is this thing on?  Testing… testing.

Welcome to the brand new Sweet Little Sin website.  It’s been a labor of love over the last few months putting this together.

I know what you’re thinking: how does this affect ME (and by ‘me,’ I mean ‘you’)?  Well, I’m glad you asked.

There are a number of reasons for you to love the new site: 
– Each product page has bigger pictures for you to drool over (apparently scratch ‘n sniff technology has yet to make it to the web).
– We will be offering regular website promotions and discounts (like 10% off catering tray orders of three dozen or more cookies).
– The homepage will always highlight the latest addition to the Sweet Little Sin product line so you know we’re not just goofing off.
– There’s a contact form now for simple questions (but ordering is still done by phone.  I would miss hearing your voice!).

Also, I’ll be writing this blog (or at least that’s what the plan is, with good intentions).  On a regular basis, I’ll be sharing stories from the Sweet Little Sin kitchen, links to relevant articles and generally keeping you informed and entertained.  In return, I expect you to keep me entertained with your comments.

Lastly, for the complete Sweet Little Sin experience, ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Of course for the REALLY complete experience, give us a call and place your order now.

I hope you enjoy the new site.  Let me know what you think!

Best,
Adina