National Cookie Day November 4

Did Congress actually pass some sort of legislation designating today as National Cookie Day? If so, why? Some National Days I sorta get. But a National Cookie Day?

I rarely consume Cookies. But there is one type Cookie that I really like, that being White Chocolate Macadamia Nut.

Years ago I knew a nurse who was known as The Fat Lady. She was a very good cook. And she made these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that were even better than White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. It's been at least 16 years since I've seen The Fat Lady. The last I heard of her she'd married a Russian Pharmacist who she'd met through one of those Find the Desperate a Mate services.

Back to the subject of National Cookie Day. History was my major in college, so let's talk about the History of the Cookie. Persia was one of the first places on earth to cultivate sugar. Way back in the 7th Century those future Iranians started baking the world's first Cookies. I don't know what type Cookies the Persians made. I suspect dates were involved.

An appalling Cookie statistic is Americans eat over 2 billion Cookies a year. That averages out to 300 Cookies per American per year. I had a big Cookie last summer when I was up in Tacoma. I think that's the only Cookie I've had this year. I know a person or two who makes up for my lack of Cookie eating, helping, greatly, to add to the national total.

The word "Cookie" comes from my ancestral homeland. That being Holland. Cookie comes from the Dutch word "koekje" pronounced "Cook-yuh." Dutch Cookies are real good too. I forgot I liked them in addition to the Cookies already mentioned. Dutch Cookies use a lot of butter.

The most popular Cookie in the United States is the Chocolate Chip Cookie. It was invented in 1937 by Ruth Graves Wakefield in Whitman, Massachusetts. Ms. Wakefield ran the Toll House Restaurant, hence the name of a famous Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, as in Toll House Cookies.

Peanut Butter was not used as a Cookie ingredient until the 1930s. I don't know who made the first Peanut Butter Cookie.

So, there you go. That is all the Cookie History I know. Now go out and support National Cookie Day by forcing yourself to eat one.

P.S. Here's a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Recipe...

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together until smooth:
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat and add:
2 eggs

Mix together and add gradually:
2 1/4 c. unsifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Stir in:
1 pkg. white chocolate chips
1 jar chopped Macadamia nuts

Drop batter by well-rounded teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in moderate oven (375 degrees). Be careful not to over bake!

Now get cooking to celebrate National Cookie Day.