Girl Scout Cookie Chocolate Options

You've probably seen the Girl Scouts out selling cookies this year.  Perhaps they stopped by your house, you neighbors' kids or your own even.  Perhaps you found them in grocery stores selling extra boxes -- that's where we bought two types of cookies which have chocolate.  Today I want to review them and let you know a bit about what your purchase of these cookies can do.

First thing to note is that the price in my area went up from $3 a box to $3.50 a box.  That might reflect raising prices of sugar and cocoa both that I tracked for you last year and which most expert area will keep raising.  However I'm not sure it's a wise increase given the current economy.  That's basically a 15% increase in price and when the average person may be struggling to make ends meet, they may decide not to buy the box they would have last year.

"Tagalongs" are about 1.75 inches across and have a strong, sweet peanut butter fragrance.  The chocolate is waxy on my fingers and the reason is clear on the ingredients -- only cocoa powder is listed along with a lot of additives instead of cocoa butter and liquor that great chocolate cookies, donuts, whatever would have.  Primarily this has a peanut butter flavor even though the peanut butter layer is only one of three layers including a pale crunchy cookie and the milk chocolate coating.

"Thin Mints" show up in everything these days including big name ice creams.  Again the ingredients show cocoa powder but not liquor or butter.  This, too, is about 1.75 inches across but thinner than the "Tagalongs".  It has a very strong mint scent before I take a bite.  Inside though is a solidly chocolaty cocoa cookie that crunches with each bite and requires something to drink to make up for the dryness.  The mint is a good tingling on the tongue and does not distract from the chocolate flavor.

There are several reasons to buy Girl Scout Cookies.  Some of us grew up selling them and eating them so we love them and it has become an annual rite to buy them.  Others of us may want to support the Girl Scouts and their work with empowering girls so we buy a box or two.  Others of us simply think "Oh, cookies!" and buy them.  What ever your reason, you better place a note on your 2011 calendar for early in the year because these go fast once they hit the stores and the roads.

Sisters and Brothers, may you, too, take the time to slowly appreciate what the Divine and human ingenuity have offered you in chocolate.