When I first started this paper I had to learn about the history and background on my writing topic.  I had to research the chocolate chip cookie and think of details that would best describe it. I did an experiment in class and took notes based on peoples reactions as well as my opinion on the different brands.I was surprised to find out what I did regarding the cookie and I enjoyed reading about it. I feel like my final paper is still in the draft mode. I'm not happy with the final piece and I should have worked harder on it. It was hard incorporating the history and meshing it with the experiment I did in class.  I felt that there was more history then my own personal experiences. The historical part however was easy for me because I love history and being able to write about new things I learned is fun for me. Therefore I liked the first paragraph best because it described historical facts. I used outside information and imagery details to develop this draft. When I first re-read my draft I realized how bad the intro was.  Not because it was poor quality, but because I didn't have one.  I read it and thought it was odd that I never actually added an introduction. I would definitely make an intro so the reader would be more drawn into the story.  I would add story telling qualities.  Like in class yesterday when we read through different options of introductions, I would revise mine so it would be as good as the examples shown.  I did however enjoy the details I added as well as the information I researched.  I also should add more examples I witnessed from the experiment in class, because there weren't many added into the paper.  Instead it was very descriptive of the cookie itself, and not the reactions of others.  Regarding my partner.  She told me that I should have a title, which I definitely should have added and that I should make the first paragraph smaller.  That was most helpful because I need to remember my title and add an intro.  She also said that it was an interesting paragraph too and that made me feel good because I don't always like my writing much.  In terms of revision I plan on editing the last couple of lines before my conclusion because I feel that they could be more detailed and in dept. The conclusion also could go for some revision because it's a little dry.  The last paragraph has the right information and could be very interesting, but I feel like I need to elaborate more on it.  So to add the detail and information I want I should go back and remember what happened during class, then write about it.  I will write the paragraph in a way that the reader wants to read and wishes they were there for the experiment.  I will describe the cookie more and tell what it means to me more in debt.  I feel that if I went back and did all of these things knowing now what I know that it will be an excellent paper.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Kelsey Wynne

           

Accidentally invented by Ruth Wakefield in 1930 the chocolate cookie is most definitely the favorite cookie amongst Americans. It was a huge surprise that these famous chocolaty wonders were invented, because it was not on purpose by any means.  Wakefield owned Toll House Inn.  In Whitman Massachusetts in 1930 and was said to be making chocolate cookies when she began running out of bakers chocolate.  Hoping that they would melt she put Nestle chocolate chips in to the batter, of course this did not work and the chocolate chip cookie was born.  She then resorted to selling her recipe to Nestle in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate chips, and now every bag of Nestle chocolate ships sold in North America has a variation of her original recipe printed on the back.  Chocolate cookies became popular during WWII when GI’s from Massachusetts shared cookies they received in care packages from back home with soldiers from other parts of the U.S.  Soon enough hundreds of GI’s began writing home asking for these cookies, thus began the nation-wide craze for chocolate chip cookies.   To honor the cookie's creation in the state, on July 9, 1997, Massachusetts designated the chocolate chip cookie as the Official State Cookie, after it was proposed by a third-grade class from Somerset, Massachusetts.

The chocolate cookie recipe usually follows the same recipe. It’s commonly made with white sugar; brown sugar; flour; a small portion of salt; eggs; a leavening agent such as baking powder; a fat, typically butter or shortening; vanilla extract; and semi-sweet chocolate pieces. Some recipes also include milk or nuts in the dough.  Not all people follow this strict recipe and sometimes experiment with different types.  Such as the following;

1.      The M&M cookie, or party cookie, replaces the chocolate chips with M&M's. This recipe originally used shortening as the fat, but has been updated to use butter. 

2.      The chocolate chocolate chip cookie uses dough that is chocolate flavored by the addition of cocoa or melted chocolate. Variations on this cookie include replacing chocolate chips with white chocolate or peanut butter chips.

3.       The macadamia chip cookie has macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. It is a signature cookie of Mrs. Fields bakeries.

4.      The chocolate chip peanut butter cookie replaces the vanilla flavored dough with a peanut butter flavored one. 

5.      Chocolate chip cookie dough baked in a baking dish instead of a cookie sheet results in a chocolate chip bar cookie.

Other variations include different sizes and shapes of chocolate chips, as well as dark or milk chocolate chips. These changes lead to differences in both flavor and texture.

While the cookie started out in Massachusetts it has made its way around the country pretty darn quick; however it soon became to much for Ruth and her husband Kenneth and in 1966 the sold the Toll House Inn, soon after it was bought by a family who turned into a dingy night club; which is a pretty sad thing to happen to such a historical place if you ask me. Fortunately it was bought again in 1970 by the Saccone family, who then turned it into its original form, and they continued to make the original recipe at a bakery down the road.  A couple years after the Toll House Inn met its demise when it burnt down, New Years Eve. 1984.  

Now I feel that this is a depressing end to such an amazing Inn that produced such delicious cookies.  Growing up I always became elated when I came home to the warm, wafting smell of cookies on cold December afternoons.  For me the chocolate chip cookie as always been my go to desert when ice cream or cheese cake wasn’t available, and it still is.  In class recently my teacher, Ms. Basko had my group eat different brands of these fanatical cookies.  We came to the conclusion that the packaged cookies just did not please us at all, and I felt that the sugar free ones smelled like raisins.  Grant thought most of them were gross and let us all know with an obnoxious “eww” after every bite.  Chips Ahoy were much crunchier then the sugar free and Wegmens brand.  They tasted better, though; they still weren’t up to par in my book. All in all no one really liked them, and we agreed that any other brand would taste better.  I for one prefer homemade because I know who made them and they aren’t processed.  I love the warm, soft texture and hot chocolate chips oozing out from the cracks.  Compared to the store bought brand which are hard and not fresh.   

I love chocolate chip cookies, and the homemade ones will always have a special place in my heart as opposed to the store bought brand.  All in all this experiment was pretty successful and it made me think more about what I was eating and how it placed in my favorites.