for the love of all things chocolate

what a pedestrian cookie ... the ubiquitous chocolate chip. when i think of baking chocolate chip cookies i tend to remember this or even just buying these. it was so easy, why bother with "real" homemade cookies?

but i was in the mood tonight, and boy was mr. mimi happy!!

that's because chocolate chip cookies are his favorite :)

oh! and i bought a new gadget toy at cook's companion. i know it seems like nothing, but when you're starting at the bottom, every new toy is a treat. and yes, i know what you're snarkily thinking, don't regular old tablespoons work just as fine? yeah, maybe just as fine, but certainly not as much fun!

and although i hate to sound like a food bitch, i do believe that good in means good out, and vice versa. and while there are many different reasons to buy organic (environmental, health, and animal welfare) i also buy organic because i think it makes a better tasting product. of course, sometimes there is no palpable taste difference in organic vs. non-organic. or sometimes the taste of locally grown produce, while not organic, can be fresher tasting. an organic onion vs. a sweet vidalia? organic spinach vs. locally harvested spinach? in both cases, i'll probably choose the latter. but have you ever tasted organic carrots compared to non? there's a sweetness there that can't be matched.

so for the love of taste, there are four things which i think are worth spending the money on, whether it be for organic, small local farms, or specialty: eggs, sugar, dairy, and butter.

sugar might seem like a food bitch item. i mean, who the heck spends nearly three hard earned bucks on just one little bag of sugar? but i especially implore you to try organic brown sugar, and really particularly the dark brown. there is a richness, moistness, scent, and depth in the organic variety. with both the butterscotch cookies and these chocolate chip lovelies, the superior taste of this organic brand really made quite the difference.

but don't take my word for it. do a taste test. i bet you'll never go back to that white and yellow box!!

for some reason mr. mimi liked this photo, and well, since these cookies were for him ...