Once upon a time, I ate cookies and called it science.
For anyone looking to read about my latest design adventures: today may disappoint, my friend. If, however, you love cookies and random taste-tests lacking any sort of actual scientific merit, today is your day! Welcome, all.
My love of cookies is no secret. Most of my friends and many acquaintances can readily inform you of my passionate belief in the healing power of a chewy, chocolate chip, oatmeal cookie – providing it has juuuuust the right amount of cinnamon. They can also tell you of my equally fervent abhorrence for raisins marauding as my beloved chocolate. Hmph. With this platform as my badge of expertise, I ventured...to. the. mall.
I hate the mall like I hate raisins, but there I was – on a Saturday, no less. What’s a girl to do?
Eat a cookie. Or, two.
Tripp (the hubs) and I decided if we were destined to be mall rats on a Saturday, we might as well embrace our new fortune and try a taste test between Great American Cookies and Mrs. Fields. We approached the first kiosk with a solid plan and a devil-may-care attitude regarding all calories. He purchased peanut butter, chocolate chip and I went for chocolate chip with pecans (No oatmeal options were available. Sigh). Onward we went to the second kiosk...repeating our purchases and attempting to hide the spoils of our first stop.
Great American vs. Mrs. Fields...who will win?
Locating the least sticky table in the food court was daunting but we prevailed...science and cookies awaited! First, aesthetics. We quickly agreed that Mrs. Field’s cookies looked more photo-ready. Next, texture. Breaking each cookie in half (ish) we could quickly identify that Great American Cookies blended all ingredients into their batter whereas Mrs. Field’s seemed to have a single batter with an “add-on” methodology.
The cookies were ready for their close-up.
Finally, the taste test. We carefully tasted edges, middles, dough-only, and toppings only...copiously swilling water between bites. So. Official. #dedication We discovered a much richer, caramel flavor from Great American Cookies and a grainer, flat taste in Mrs. Fields. Though Great American had originally seemed almost over-done, we could now appreciate that extra baking time.
In a surprising upset, Great American Cookies won our hearts and waste-lines over with their offering. In a not-so-surprising aftermath, we decided on small salads for dinner...before our pizza. Calories don’t own us! (Well, I mean...uhm...not always.)