New cookie varieties have been popping up for the last decade in diverse flavors, textures, and sizes. Increasing preferences for all things gourmet have opened up new doors for cookie manufacturers to get creative, and cottage products are being stocked in grocery stores around the country. With new varieties abound in unusual flavors and combinations, like jalepeno and key lime, research says that America's favorite is still the chocolate chip cookie. How can it be that amid so much selection, we continue to crave the basics?

To be fair, the chocolate chip cookie, while very basic in its premise, is by no means static or boring. Among chocolate chip cookies there are dozens of varieties--semi sweet, bittersweet, dark or milk chocolate; pecans, walnuts, almonds, or maybe no nuts at all; soft or crunchy or somewhere in the middle--in reality the chocolate chip cookie is like a category within a category.

Its appeal could be the subtle hint of brown sugar that gives the cookie that perfect sweetness, the contrast of the chocolate against that pale cookie core, or maybe its is simply because is was probably the first cookie you ever baked. While we have experimented with countless flavors, and developed dozens of recipes that we thought were quite good, one of our favorites is still the chocolate chip as well. We wouldn't offer it if it weren't.

There is something about a classic that is timeless and versatile and comforting. It is a taste we grew up with and fed Santa with. It is the flavor we made for bake sales, slumber parties, and to welcome new neighbors. When all is said and done, we like our new age tastes and flavor pairings just fine, but we love our classics. So whether you are enjoying our reinvention of the classics, or just digging into a cold Toll House fridge pack, take a moment to treat yourself. It feels good. And if you don't overdo it, and balance it with some healthy exercise, no one will ever know.

For more food for thought, visit our blog at www.bakerslady.blogspot.com.

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