While researching the latest trending words for nutrition and diet I came upon the term "savory cookies." The phrase intrigued me. What would a savory cookie taste like. Using Google I found Kelly Cooper and her cookbook "Cookies for Grown-Ups." I looked over her website and the photographs and descriptions of her cookies really stuck in my mind. I wrote Kelly and told her I was working with the Roman Meal Company developing a healthy aging website, Live2AgeWell. Peg and I were writing articles about diet and lifestyle. Kelly said, "I raised my two boys on Roman Meal." With a connection like that I knew we would get along.
We bought Kelly's book and I made a batch of cookies from one of her recipes. Actually, I made considerably more than a batch. I also made the cookies about four times the size of what they should be, but I hadn't baked cookies by myself in ages.
Somewhere in our conversations Kelly mentioned she was coming to Washington to speak in Spokane and sign books at a special event. I asked her to swing through the Tacoma area. A plan was put in motion. The first stop for Kelly and her husband, Curt was Bella Kitchen & Home in Gig Harbor. Jeff Wilbert suggested owner Terese and her fantastic shop of cooking and baking items. Peg and I could wander around and pick out things to buy for hours. Bella Kitchen even has a nice room designed for presentations and demonstrations. Jeff volunteered his company, J Wilbert Fine Homes to be a sponsor of the event. Curt and Kelly met heavy traffic in Portland, so had to wait to check into the Paradise Chateau until after the presentation, but still were able to enjoy the Monday evening sunset.
The next day we showed the Coopers the Puyallup Valley and introduced them to Dawn Mecklenburg, owner of "A Novel Idea Used Books," which is located at 301 3rd Street S.E., just across the street from Tuell-McKee Funeral Home by the Meeker Mansion. Tuell-McKee was also a sponsor of the book signing tour. Tuell-McKee just opened their Puyallup location in January, about the same time that A Novel Idea movied three blocks from Meridian. What a nice little neighborhood. Everytime we visit Dawn's bookstore, we find books we didn't know we wanted to read.
Also sponsoring the book tour was immedia, which provides "Direct Mail Marketing Opportunities and more" as well as digital printing. Better Properties helped out with marketing in Tacoma's Northend, where they specialize in homes for sale in the North Proctor area. Stop in and see them the next time you visit the Farmers Market.
It was interesting hearing Kelly speak about her process of creating her cookies and tasting them at the same time. She starts with a target of a flavor, but her sweet cookies are not over-poweringly sweet and each cookie can be paired with a beverage from tea to beer. Over the three days she was in town, we had four different cookies. Kelly's cookies were much small than mine. Her's are ideal appetizers for a party or for a simple dessert after dinner. The "Pink-A-Dot" was made with pink grapefruit and poppy seed. I carefully smelled each one before biting, just like enjoying the tantalizing aroma of a good wine. "Dark Desire" was made with bittersweet chocolate and fresh thyme. "Nosh" almost made me sit up and beg. It's peanuts, cilantro, and pepper flakes played trippingly on the tongue.
Tuesday evening Peg introduced Kelly to Sweet Pea, the owner of King's Books on St. Helens near downtown Tacoma. Since King's is so close to home, we order books there and wander through the shelves quite often.
I really enjoyed the last cookie Kelly introduced (she baked it just for the Tacoma Executives Assocation program on Wednesday. Her Antipasto is made with corn meal and contains Cheddar and Provolone cheese, kalamata olives, perperonini, salami and Italian seasoning. It went really well with the Malbec wine I had with lunch.
I was sorry to see Kelly and Curt leave for Sponkane after lunch. Besides their nice company, of course, I have to be honest, I'll mostly miss the cookies. I mean the Coopers were nice people and all, but cookies, OMG what wonderful cookies. Thankfully, we have Kelly's book, Cookie for Grown-Ups. We'll be making batches of them . . . if I ever grow up.
