Just about my favouritest cookie in the world is the strawberry jam centred Peak Frean.
Shown here sitting on my desk at work:
Let's please pretend for a moment that it really is strawberry jam. You and I both know that it's really only red and chewy and has more than a dollop of sugar in it. But it's sure darned tasty, so I'm going to call it strawberry jam and be damned the truth for this once.
Now, as a general rule with me, just about any sort of layered cookie will never be terribly high on my list of favourite cookies. Oreos, Fudgee-Os, Whatever-eeOs are mostly second rate snacks. My simple tastes lean more towards the succulent uniformity of a delectable chocolate chip cookie; homemade is always better.
But these jam-filled Peak Freans are the exception to the rule. It took me some time to truly understand my love of them, and I share that here with you now.
I love these cookies for the same reason I always eat my vegetables at dinner first. (Even if I have to have brussel sprouts, I'll eat them first.) I love them for the same reason that I nibble around the edge of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup before gobbling the rest. I love them for the same reason I pry off the top wafer and then the bottom wafer of a Coffee Crisp chocolate bar before basking in the nougat centre.
I love the anticipation of saving, and savouring, the best for last.
It is impossible for me to eat one of these cookies in one or two bites. That would necessitate me biting through the delicious jam-filled centre. And that, my friend, is strictly verboten. It is anathema to me. One must, to the best of one's ability, chew around the cookie exterior, leaving the middle intact and stripping as much cookie as possible. Then, and only then, may you pop the remainder onto your tongue and masticate contentedly.
This cookie, I have concluded, is symbolic of a healthy work ethic and I thank Mr. Christie (or his designate) for bringing it into existence. Only after sufficient effort has been expended can the fruits of one's labours truly be appreciated. And so they should be.
Effort without reward is unsatisfying; reward without effort is not appreciated.
(Several cookies were mortally harmed in the composition of this post.)
Mmmmmmm..... whenever I visit Toronto, I get orders from the rest of the family to bring home as many boxes of these as I can carry. You can't buy them here, so they are a big treat when we can get ahold of them. The best with a cup of hot tea. And, yes...ya gotta save that chewy filling until the end.
Posted by: Tina | Monday, 12 September 2005 at 09:51 PM
A Peak Frean?!? I learn so much from you Canadians. Thank God for Canadians, the bearers of all good words and all good news. Including Peak Freans.
Send me five dozen, immediately.
Posted by: Jenn | Wednesday, 14 September 2005 at 11:42 AM
The correct name is 'The Jammy Dodger'.
You Canucks just don't know your biscuits!
Posted by: Toque | Monday, 19 September 2005 at 06:01 PM