Where did the cookie come from?

In America, a cookie is described as a thin, sweet, usually small cake. By definition, a cookie can be any of a variety of hand-held, flour-based sweet cakes, either crisp or soft. Each country has its own word for "cookie." What we know as cookies are called biscuits in England and Australia, in Spain they're galletas, Germans call them keks or Plätzchen for Christmas cookies, and in Italy there are several names to identify various forms of cookies including amaretti and biscotti, and so on. The name cookie is derived from the Dutch word koekje, meaning "small or little cake." Biscuit comes from the Latin word bis coctum, which means, “twice baked.” According to culinary historians, the first historic record of cookies was their use as test cakes. A small amount of cake batter was baked to test the oven temperature.  

Most recipes for peanut butter cookies call for the dough to be mixed with a fork, and made into balls that are then flattened with the fork. The practice just evolved from the nature of the dough, and that the easiest way to make the cookies was to roll the dough into balls and flatten the balls with the fork, leaving fork marks. The criss-cross would follow because it is a little creative and artistic. Also, consider that peanut allergies are fairly common, and the distinctive markings make peanut butter cookies easily identifiable, giving further reason for the tradition to be continued. 

How did Animal Crackers Originate?

Animal crackers were created and achieved fame many years before the advent of NBC. In the beginning they were just called "Animals." They were imported from England when "fancy" baked goods first began to be in demand here. In the latter part of the nineteenth century they were manufactured domestically by Herfield & Ducker in Brooklyn as well as Vandeveer & Holmes Biscuit Company in New York. Both firms eventually became part of the New York Biscuit Company and "Animals" were one of their staples. When "Animals" were adopted by NBC, their name was changed to "Barnum's Animals Crackers," named after P. T. Barnum, showman and circus owner who was so famous during this era. Barnum's Animals Crackers provided the nation with a new type of animal cracker, produced in a small square box resembling a circus cage with a tape at the top for easy carrying. . . Soon Animal (the “s” was dropped) Crackers became part of almost every American household. In total there have been 37 different varieties of animal crackers since 1902. The current 17 varieties of crackers are tigers, cougars, camels, rhinoceros, kangaroos, hippopotami, bison, lions, hyenas, zebras, elephants, sheep, bears, gorillas, monkeys, seals and giraffes. There are 22 crackers per box. 

What is Biscotti?

Biscotti (bee-SKAWT-tee) – In Italian, biscotti means, "twice cooked." The word biscotto is derived from bis (twice) and cotto (cooked). Biscotti is also the generic term for cookies in Italian. The dough is formed into logs and baked until golden brown. The logs are then sliced, and the individual biscotti are baked again to give them their characteristic dryness. The shelf life of biscotti is three to four months without preservatives or additives. Other countries have their version of this cookie - Dutch rusk, French biscotte and the German zwieback. According to the Arnott Biscuit Company: One of the earliest records dates biscuits back to second-century Rome. Biscuit comes from the Latin word 'bis coctum' which means, 'twice baked'. Back then, 'biscuits' were unleavened, hard, thin wafers, which had a low water content. As they contained very little moisture they were the ideal food to store, as they wouldn't become moldy quickly. Early Seaman’s biscuits, also known as hard tack, probably were the first version of biscotti. They were the perfect food for sailors who were at sea for months at a time on long ocean voyages. The biscuits were thoroughly baked to draw out the moisture, becoming a cracker-like food that that was resistant to mold. Biscotti were a favorite of Christopher Columbus who relied on them on his long sea voyage in the 15th century. Historians believe that the first Italian biscotti were first baked in 13th century Tuscany in a city called Prato.  

Traditional snickerdoodles are coated with cinnamon sugar before being baked. Cookies as we know them in America were originally brought to the United States by our English, Scottish and Dutch immigrants. Earlier names for cookies such as Snickerdoodles and Cry Babies originated with the New England states. Even with its early history, cookies did not become popular until about a hundred years ago.  In earlier American cookbooks, cookies were given no space of their own but were listed at the end of the cake chapter. They were called by such names as "jumbles," "Plunkets" and "Cry Babies." The names were extremely puzzling and whimsical. New England cooks seem to have had a penchant for giving odd names to their dishes, apparently for no other reason than the fun of saying them. Snickerdoodles comes from a tradition of this sort that includes Graham Jakes, Jolly Boys, Branble, Tangle Breeches and Kinkawoodles. 

What is a Tuile?

Tuile (TWEEl) is French for "tile."  A tuile is a thin, crisp cookie that is placed over a rounded object (like a rolling pin or a mold) while still hot from the oven. Once cooled and stiff, the cookie resembles a curved roof tile. The classic tuile is made with crushed almonds but the cookie can also be flavored with orange, lemon, vanilla or other nuts. Tuiles belong to a category of small fancy cookies, pastries, or confections called "petits fours." 

Sources: Linda Stradley, www.WhatsCookingAmerica.net; www.lisacooking.com;

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