Monday, September 27, 2010

Final Goodbye to Summer Cookies

It's been insanely hot down here in North Cakalacky - this weekend the high was close to 100.  I almost melted at the Peanut Festival (but that's the next post!).  So it might as well still be summer.  The perfect time to finish up the summer treats.

Flathau's Fine Foods has more flavors of gourmet shortbread cookies.  Here is lemon:



Again, maybe a tad overcooked - see the darker brown at the base?  I so want to like these, but I find them a little bit dry and not that flavorful.  Sorry guys!  I really, really liked the folks from Flathau's so I hate to not love these. 

Another flavor is Key Lime:


The verdict is the same - just not that great.  I want them to be a little less dry - maybe undercooked?  And to have a little more sweetness and flavor.  I like the candy bits, but overall - these just don't do it for me.

I keep trying to like Dancing Deer cookies.  The packaging is cute, they use all natural ingredients.  They get a little too kumbayah with all their mindfulness (They say on the label "we think it's better to share a cookie than gobble one".  Whatever.) and community project stuff, but I do want to like them.  Unfortunately, most of the time, I'm disappointed.

These are adorable Lemon Daisy cookies:

And while not horrible, they sure aren't anything special.  Cute, but completely boring.

If you want a lemon flavor and a great shortbread - this is the cookie for you!  Walkers pure butter Shortbread Lemon Thins:

Nice design, buttery delicious taste, and a hint of lemon.  Walker's recommends serving with a tart lemon mousse and fresh cream. (They don't say anything about sharing or homelessness.)  I think they might work great with a raspberry something.  Or a blueberry something.  Or just handfuls out of the box.  Gobble, gobble.

Not to be left out, Harry and David is in the mix!  With their Tangy Citrus Shortbread:



There's lemon, orange and lime - all three in one box!  And let me tell you - you gotta love citrus to love these.  The flavor to me was overpowering - way too lemony, way too limey and even way too orangey.  More like a Starburst than a cookie.  The worst of the lot!  Harry and David - what the hell?

But, there's hope!  Check out these babies!!


Creme filled (and you can see - they aren't kidding around - look at all that filling!) shortbread in lemon, lime, orange and strawberry.  These are all good - the cookies are great - buttery and delish and the filling is - well, can you really go wrong with frosting?  Strawberry was by far my favorite - orange had a funky aftertaste.  Lemon and lime were both good.  But in all honesty, I like the fruit filling of the galettes better.  Those things are just so damn good!

And look at these - are they not the most adorable cookies evah??  (Snagged them on sale!  Of course, since the Halloween cookies are out now):



They are simple frosted sugar cookies, but I love the sugar cookie!  These are great, not rock hard - just perfect!  And the perfect size.  What a perfect end to summer.  Here's to fall!!!!  And the Peanut Festival!

8 comments:

Ben Z said...

Dang girl!...Those citrus Creme filled cookies look DANG good! I bet they're AWESOME in milk. I will take my comment off the air.

Denise Ryan said...

Ben - I bet you're right - YUM! do you have a Harry and David near you? Those summer cookies are all on sale now - it's a great time to try them if they have any left!!! Woohoo!!

Ben Z said...

Hmmm...for some reason, none in Chicago. Bummer!

Denise Ryan said...

What? In Chitown??? That's insane!! They have some of the best stuff!! But, I guess you have plenty of other cool places that we don't have down here in the sticks! : ) But H & D has these amazing peanut butter caramel candy coated Halloween balls I'm going to review - OMG!!!

Kris, in New England said...

I may have trouble typing this from all the drool all over my keyboard.

Oh dear. I'm hungry now and not for the healthy salad or bowl of soup waiting for me in the corporate cafeteria.

sigh

Denise Ryan said...

If only someone would invent that damn eat anything you want but don't gain weight to put more pressure on your bad hip pill!!!

Cecelia Dowdy said...

I love Walker's Lemon Shortbread thins! They make them in raspberry, too - well, they used to. Not sure if they still do.

Have not tried Harry and David's cookies. I've only had their fruits.

Denise Ryan said...

Cecelia - give Harry and David's a try! But Walker's is a fav or mine too! Aren't cookies great? :-)