October 26 @ 10:26 pmRecently, I was asked to participate in a cross-country rivalry to select the One True Cookie. Both Leesa and Marianna maintained that their cookie was best. Not content to live and let live, they opted to draft fellow bloggers to sample their wares and choose a winner. I have completed my testing of the cookies from Montana and Texas, and one cookie came out on top.
On the left, the candidates from Montana. On the right, their competition from Texas. You’ll note that both Leesa and Marianna included two types of cookies. An interesting strategy that ultimately backfired for both participants in our first round… Quantity. You see, this was billed as a competition of Chocolate Chip Cookies. After examining the cookies, the officials decided to eliminate examples that failed the purity test. A motion was made to penalize the Texas competitor additional points for including raisins in some of her cookies, but cooler heads prevailed.
In addition, one otherwise qualified cookie from Montana suffered structural failure during shipping and was also eliminated. Cookies that survived the first cut were awarded one point each.
Quantity Round
Montana Cookies 4 points
Texas Cookies: 5 points
In pre-game smack talk between the two competitors, the subject of Size came up multiple times. Finally having both cookies side-by-side for a comparison we concluded that while the Texas cookie was thicker, the Montana cookie had a slightly larger diameter. No advantage for either cookie.
Size Round
Montana Cookies 5 points
Texas Cookies 5 points
Our next test required the assistance of laboratory technicians to conduct forensic examination of the cookies. A randomly selected cookie from each competitor underwent destructive testing to determine composition and Chip Count.
On the left, Montana and on the right, Texas. On the face of things the Montana cookie left the Texas cookie in the dust with 76 chips to 24 chips. However, after significant deliberation the judges elected to penalize the Montana cookie and award only 1/3 of the possible points due to the relative size ratio between the two chips.
Chip Count Round
Montana Cookies 25.3 points
Texas Cookies 24 points
Finally, we come to the all important subject of Taste. After all, a cookie’s sole purpose is to be eaten. Would either cookie crumble under pressure?
The cookies from Texas and Montana were clearly different. The mini chips from Montana were spread throughout the cookie and were softer. Each bite contained a smooth hit of chocolate. The cookies from Texas with their Texas-sized chips had a different texture with chewy cookie and crunchier chips. Still, very pleasing. Ultimately the judges liked both cookies and awarded maximum points in the final round.
Taste Round
Montana Cookies 10 points
Texas Cookies 10 points
In the end however, there can be only One True Cookie. After tallying up the points and double and triple checking them it became clear that the cookie from the Big Sky State of Montana had eked out a win over it’s rival from Texas. For Leesa, the gamble to use mini-chips paid off with a victory in this age old battle for cookie supremacy.
Point Totals
Montana Cookies 44.3 points
Texas Cookies 44 points
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October 26 @ 10:38 pm
Wow, Mike. I’m very impressed with how you judged these cookies! You’re great
Thanks!
October 26 @ 10:43 pm
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing…
October 27 @ 3:53 am
She cheated!
And you eliminated my oatmeal/raisin ones?! LOL
Hey ~ did ya notice the $100 in the box? I must have accidentally dropped it in there. Oops.
Great. Now she’s gonna have a big head about it. Thanks, Michael. You’re the reason she’s gonna float around all stinkin day.
M~
October 27 @ 4:23 am
Wow! I am SO impressed with all the tests you put those cookies thru.
I would’ve just scarfed ‘em down…YUM!
October 27 @ 5:19 am
Dude! That was freakin’ AWESOME. I had my hand on my screen so that I wouldn’t scroll too far and see the winner.
I think it’s time for a name change…
The Honorable Michael and his Bike, because… regardless of the result… your expert judging (and the pictures were a such a great touch) skillz are spot on!
I would have ditched the Oatmeal Raisins… I have a thing against raisins…
Other Tests that I would suggest:
Integrity factor: Drop from 3ft and see how intact the cookie remains
Milk Retention Factor: Soak for 30 sec and see how well the cookie remains together.
October 27 @ 7:21 am
Awesome! A great start to my morning.
//hungry
October 27 @ 7:25 am
Michael…a very, VERY professional and scientific job of judging. I am in awe and bow low, scraping my boot with my hat (if I had one) in respect and deference to your prowess. Too bad I sent my cookies so long ago. ;0]
♥Pam
October 27 @ 7:31 am
Another thing you could have done for chip content was weigh them as opposed to count and subsequently subtract. Yeah, I am a nerd and I like it.
♥Pam
October 27 @ 7:45 am
OK, this was GREAT! Very professional! But I’m with Stacy, I don’t think I could have gotten through all the tests before eating them! Of course, that may have been why you eliminated the other cookies first… YOU ATE THEM WHILE TESTING THE OTHERS!! Right??
October 27 @ 8:01 am
Awesome job!
Now if I can just get the slobber off of the screen…..
October 27 @ 8:06 am
Ok, Dude, you have way too much time on your hands. I don’t think the judges at the Olympics were this tough. You take this very seriously, and I like that in a cookie judge.
October 27 @ 10:44 am
I LOVE IT!!!
Excellent job Michael!
No wonder you were the “chosen one”….
I, like so many other fellow bloggers would have just eaten them all….
Loved the pictures!!! Loved the whole experience!
October 27 @ 11:36 am
Mike, you crack me up!
A gallant and fair judging, considering neither of the cookies contained the superior combination of oatmeal *and* chips (the tiny kind). lol
~S
October 27 @ 5:19 pm
Michael…a coworker made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies today…..O M G
S’all I have to say.
♥Pam
October 27 @ 7:54 pm
Holy cow you put these through the test!!! A fine job, m’dear! They both look pretty darn good…and I really want some and an ice cold glass of milk to wash them down. MMmmmm.
~L.
October 27 @ 8:13 pm
I had no idea the depth to cookie judging. I just thought it was taste and judge. I’ve obviously lived a deprived life, lol. Thanks for sharing the process.
October 29 @ 8:36 pm
Sheesh Micheal, way to go….make the other judges look bad!
LOL, just kidding,…I was very impressed with the way you handled this…I have no patience to crumble perfectly good cookies to count the chips mind you, but I was impressed nonetheless. I love that you did Pics along the way too…awsome touch! I can’t believe I didn’t take pix…I just wasn’t thinking clearly at all!!
I know who to ask to judge should I end up on the competing side of the fence LOL Great job!
Stacie
October 30 @ 11:34 am
Great story!
I can almost taste the cookies through the screen. You’re a lucky guy getting to eat (I mean judge) those yummy cookies.