cookie craze

it all started with a chocolate chip cookie at whole foods.

during my lunch break at work, i took a stroll into westwood for a treat. usually, i tend toward something i can eat with a fork or spoon, that way i can savor each bite more slowly. and to be honest, i've never been a fan of "multiples." you know, the kinda treat that you can't just have one of since they are on the smallish side, so you end up eating multiple (i.e. cookies, cupcakes, ice cream cones). but on this particular day, in a bit of a time crunch, i thought i'd give their house-baked chocolate chip a try. and, boy, was i pleasantly surprised. 

my ideal chocolate chip cookie is one with crisp edges and a soft center. it has to be generously studded with bittersweet chocolate chips, guaranteeing a melt-in-your-mouth moment with each bite. brown sugar must be incorporated into the recipe somehow, giving the cookie a full-bodied flavor. and when it comes to size, it has to be about the size of my hand. one cookie, craving satisfied.

so far, i have been blown away by the chocolate chip cookie baked at the larder in brentwood. it sings to my soul, surpassing all my expectations. i just may become a regular there.

i think what i love most about the chocolate chip cookie is its simplicity. no frostings, no elaborate shapes or designs. executed well, it can be a fantastic thing. when i think about a future as a wife and mother, i always want a sweet smell wafting through the windows. i want my husband and children to walk into a home warmed by the oven. i want there to be time allotted to enjoying a homemade treat. and if i can master a winning recipe, i want there to always be cookies.