Everyone has their favorite cookie, and everyone has their favorite Girl Scout Cookie. Whether you prefer the chocolatey Thin Mints or the crumbly Trefoils, the Girl Scouts have you covered. This season marks the 101^st year of cookie sales with no lack of challenges, however a question begs to be asked: how did these treats become so popular?

Let’s first take a look at the history behind the sweets. The first ever Girl Scout cookie sales occurred in December, 1917 by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee Oklahoma. Five years later, The Girl Scout magazine The American Girl suggested cookie sales as a possible fundraiser for the organization. At the time, their only product came in the form of a simple sugar cookie.

Despite having to deal with sugar, flour, and butter shortages during World War II, the Girl Scouts baked and sold cookies without a hitch. By the 1950s, the Girl Scouts added three more cookies to their catalogue: “Shortbreads,” “Savannahs” (Peanut Butter Sandwich), and “Thin Mints.” By 1975, the “Samoa” was added.

Girl Scouts selling cookies in 1955

By 1978, the Girl Scouts limited the number of bakers to four to lower prices and uniform, packaging, quality, and distribution. In 1979, the cookies gained more popularity by showcasing their new logo (courtesy of famed graphic designer Saul Bass). By the 1990s, the number of Girl Scout cookie bakers decreased to two: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.

In recent years, the organization decided to take a more health-conscious stance. By 2005, the Girl Scouts removed trans fat from their cookies to be healthier and put nutritional information on each box. By 2015, they added the first gluten-free cookies to their product mix: Toffee-tastic (buttery cookies with toffee bits) and Trios (peanut butter, chocolate chips, and whole grain oats).

Percentage of Girl Scout Cookies by Purchase

In economic terms, Girl Scout Cookies are seasonal goods, meaning they are only sold around February each year for around six to eight weeks. The Girl Scouts claim that this is only one facet of their yearly entrepreneurship and leadership program, and that they work on other (less notable) projects throughout each year. Their scarcity gives the cookies a higher rating over other notable cookies like Oreos or Chips Ahoy, giving consumers more of an incentive to purchase Girl Scout cookies in bulk.

Branding is also a huge factor to the Girl Scouts’ success. Since Keebler currently manufactures most of their catalogue, they are able to sell similar cookies (ex: Grasshoppers) year round. However, the average buyer will flock to a name they know rather than generics – especially when that name espouses tastier treats. The very mention of Girl Scout Cookies causes people to perk their ears up like dogs ready for fresh food.

With a dozen varieties of cookies on catalogue, the Girl Scouts show no signs of stopping. What began as a local fundraising event was later refined and standardized over generations into not only a pop culture phenomenon but a nationwide sensation.

Sources:

Gibson, Morgan. “Girl Scouts Release Three New Cookies, Including Two Gluten-Free Flavors.” People Great Ideas, Time Inc., 5 Jan. 2015, greatideas.people.com/2015/01/05/new-girl-scout-cookies-gluten-free/.

“Girl Scout Cookie Statistics.” Statistic Brain, 8 Sept. 2017, www.statisticbrain.com/girl-scout-cookie-statistics/.

Picchi, Aimee. “For the Girl Scouts, Cookies Are More Important than Ever.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 12 Jan. 2018, www.cbsnews.com/news/for-the-girl-scouts-cookies-are-more-important-than-ever/.

Trierweiler, John. “Girl Scout Cookies Just Got Sweeter in Arizona.” ABC15 Arizona, 20 Feb. 2018, www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/girl-scout-cookies-just-got-sweeter-in-arizona.

Versability. “The Economics of Girl Scout Cookies.” Thought for Your Penny, Brian Penny, 3 Dec. 2017, thoughtforyourpenny.com/money/business/economics-girl-scout-cookies/.

“Thus was born and baptized this confection, one taste of which, I really believe, would reform a cannibal into a civilized gentleman.” – Henri Charpentier, disputed creator of Crêpes Suzette

What:

Crêpes Suzette is a variation of a crêpe served with a sauce of sugar, orange juice, and liqeur (typically Grand Marnier). For the final and signature touch, chefs pour the liquer over the crêpes and light it on fire.

When:

1895

Where:

Monte Carlo’s Café de Paris, Monaco

Who:

A fourteen year-old assistant waiter named Henri Charpentier (1880-1961).

How:

Most people tend to lose their nerve when they hear that they are in the presence of a celebrity. This was the cause with novice assistant waiter Henri Charpentier when he learned that he would be serving Prince Edward of Wales (the future English king Edward VII), his beautiful French mistress, Suzette, and a coterie filled with members of high society.

Desperation was high, time was tight, and Charpentier was frenzied. While preparing the food, Charpentier eventually set fire to the crêpes right after he poured liqeur over it. Historicity varies over Charpentier’s method: some claim that he burnt it accidentally by the chafing dish, others say that he purposefully flambéed the crêpes in front of the prince himself. Regardless, the young waiter mustered enough courage to serve the dish as it was.

Once Charpentier brought over the dish, the prince delightfully and promptly cleaned his plate of every last morsel. When asked for the name of the dish, Charpentier told him to call the creation “Crêpes Princesse” in honor of the prince. Charpentier was unable to title it “Crêpes Prince” since “Crêpes” in French is a feminine noun which controls the gender of the adjective(s) associated with it. Prince Edward shot the idea down and instead suggested the name be “Crêpes Suzette” in honor of his paramour.

The following day, Henri Charpentier received three gifts from the prince: a cane, a panama hat, and a jeweled ring. Within a few years, his concoction became a staple of French cuisine.

Sources:

Ramakrishnan, Rohan. “7 Great Foods (That Were Created Thanks to Dick Moves).”Cracked, 19 Sept. 2010, www.cracked.com/article_18744_7-great-foods-that-were-created-thanks-to-dick-moves.html.

Stradley, Linda. “Crepes Suzette History and Recipe, Whats Cooking America.”What’s Cooking America, 25 Sept. 2017, whatscookingamerica.net/History/CrepesSuzetteHistory.htm.

Trapella, Filippo – philosokitchen.com. “CREPES SUZETTE RECIPE & HISTORY – All You Need to Know!” Philosokitchen, 9 May 2017, philosokitchen.com/crepes-suzette-recipe-history/.

For the most part, we tend to associate certain foods based off of their colors: when we think of something green, we might think of broccoli; when we think of something orange, we might think of an orange; when we think of something red, we might think of raspberries.

What about purple foods? I’m not talking about standard foods that have the royal color as their default shade (eggplants, grapes, blackberries); I’d like to shine a light on foods that have their own separate purple version. For example, did you know that you could find purple artichokes, carrots, potatoes, asparagus, peppers, tomatoes, and cauliflower? Unlike food coloring, this natural shading offers multiple health benefits. According to the Pantone Color Institute – the global authority on color trends – an ultraviolet hue in foods indicates nutrient density and antioxidants (Schueller).

Purple cauliflower – only slightly less boring than regular cauliflower.

The shade of purple within foods comes from anthocyanins – disease-fighting antioxidants. Anthocyanins are responsible for producing colors in red, blue, and violet foods, depending on the count of anthocyanins there are. For example, a black raspberry has nearly five times as many anthocyanins than a cherry. Artistically, this makes sense since blue and red combination of black raspberries outweigh the singular red hue of cherries.

So what do anthocyanins do? Because it boasts antioxidants, it prevents the creation of free radicals which would normally damage cells. In short, the more purple foods you eat, the less likely you will gain cancer. As a result, the American Cancer Society recommends eating as many anthocyanin-containing foods as possible (AFP).

So if you’re looking to spruce up your diet and colorize your dishes, look no further than anthocyanin-based fruits and vegetables. For a list of violet alternatives of your staple foods, take a look at our compilation below (Cole). Remember: expanding your purple palette can be just as delicious as it is life-saving!

Fruits:

• Grapes
• Figs
• Passion Fruit
• Raisins
• Plums
• Prunes
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Currants

Vegetables:

• Red Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Carrots
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Peppers
• Basil
• Broccoli
• Thyme
• Red Leaf Lettuce
• Kale
• Artichokes
• Red Onions

Sources:

Schueller, Gretel H. “Nutrition and Health Benefits of Purple Potatoes & More Purple Produce.” EatingWell, EatingWell, 21 Nov. 2013, www.eatingwell.com/article/279756/nutrition-and-health-benefits-of-purple-potatoes- more-purple-produce/.

AFP. “The Most Fashionable Foods Of 2018.” Singapore Tatler, Edipress Media Asia Limited, 20 Dec. 2017, sg.asiatatler.com/dining/fashionable-foods-2018-pantone-purple.

Cole, Holly. “35 Purple Fruits and Vegetables You Should Be Eating.” Fine Dining Lovers, 15 Nov. 2017, www.finedininglovers.com/blog/food-drinks/purple-fruits-and-vegetables/.

The Kobe Beef Conundrum

You have beef on your mind; either chicken and pork aren’t cutting it or you’ve had salad for the past five days. Regardless, you need to dig your teeth into some scrumptious steak or a bountiful burger before you turn into a walking vegetable. So, you head to the nearest restaurant, browse the menu, notice the words “Kobe” and “beef” together, make your order, and bite your teeth into it. You’re content knowing that you’ve selected some of the best beef around. However, you’re eating a lie – actual beef, but a lie nonetheless.

Most likely you’ll be eating a strain of beef called “Wagyu.” Wagyu, loosely translated, means “Japanese cattle” and can refer to any cow that is bred in Japan or the Japanese-style. The difference between Wagyu beef and regular beef comes down to selection, care, feeding, and the obsessive, extraordinary efforts of Wagyu breeders.

Wagyu beef is striking because its high degree of marbling (high amounts of intramuscular fat) adds an extraordinary depth of flavor making it one of the most tender and succulent types of beef one can find. Not only is it a gastronomic delight, but Wagyu beef offers higher counts of mono-unsaturated to saturated fat ratios and a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Regular beef (left) and Wagyu beef (right). Note the differences in fat streaks.

So what’s Kobe beef? Well, there is no official strain of beef titled “Kobe.” That beef is actually called “Tajima-Gyu” that is raised to strict standards in the prefecture of Hyogo (whose capital city is Kobe). Kobe beef is so selective that cattle must meet the following seven standards upon slaughter to meet the following requirements:

• Bullock (steer) or virgin cow
• Tajima-Gyu born within Hyogo Prefecture
• Fed on a farm within Hyogo Prefecture
• Meat processed within Hyogo Prefecture
• Marbling rating (BMS) of 6 or higher on a 12 point scale
• Meat quality rating of 4 or higher on a 5 point scale
• An overall weight not exceeding 470kg

Given these standards, only 3,000 head of cattle qualify as truly authentic Kobe cows- everything else is simply lesser. With this in mind, producers sell Kobe beef at exorbitant, reasonable prices. That doesn’t stop shady restaurants, grocery stores, and wholesalers from selling simple Wagyu – or even non-Wagyu – cuts of beef as Kobe beef. Nonetheless, you can gauge whether or not the beef is legitimately Kobe by price: if an advertised burger costs $20, it’s most likely standard Wagyu; if a burger costs $50, then it’s safe to assume that it has quality Kobe.

Overall, the relationship between Wagyu beef and Kobe beef is the same as steaks and ribeye – every piece of Kobe beef is Wagyu, but not every piece of Wagyu beef is Kobe. So keep this knowledge in mind if you happen to come across real, unfiltered Kobe beef.

Sources:

https://www.mychicagosteak.com/steak-university/2016/05/10/wagyu-kobe-beef-difference/

https://www.debragga.com/p/about-our-meats/what-is-wagyu-beef/

http://www.buedelmeatup.com/2012/12/04/the-difference-between-kobe-and-wagyu-beef/

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Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or a tea expert, you’ll most likely be consuming one such caffeinated beverage in order to get through the day (assuming you don’t start the day with soda or energy drinks). Either way, once you treat yourself to a hot beverage, you’ll be counting away the seconds to finally brave the scalding liquid. As it turns out, letting your drink cool for an extra minute or two might be a life-saving routine.

A panel of global experts have determined that drinking coffee or tea above 149ºF may lead to increased chances of cancer of the esophagus (the eighth most prominent cancer worldwide). When drinking liquids at this temperature, coffee and tea scald down the throat and pave way for potential tumors. This discovery classifies hot drinks as the same risk-group as other exposures to cancer such as lead, gasoline, and exhaust fumes; people who consumed coffee or tea less than two minutes after pouring themselves a cup are five times more likely to develop cancers than if they waited four or more minutes. Cancers of the esophagus kill more than 500,000 people worldwide with the bulk of deaths stemming from Asia, Africa, and South America.

Luckily, it isn’t the drink that causes cancer – only the temperature. Drinks consumed at lukewarm or cold temperatures were not classified as carcinogenic. In fact, only 10-30% of cancers occur naturally in people’s bodies. This suggests that most cancers actually originate from environmental factors like secondhand tobacco smoke or UV rays from the sun. However, that’s not to say that all foods are cancer-free; specifically, processed meats, such as sausages and ham, were found to have carcinogenic nutrients.

So does this mean we should just up and quit coffee and tea consumption altogether? If anything, this research should lead drinkers to perfect the art of savoring their beverage rather than gulping it down like a frat boy on formal. If anything, we should look back at the old Goldilocks fable: not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

Sources:

Kahn, Michael. “Very Hot Tea May Cause Throat Cancer.” ABC – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, 26 Mar. 2009,             www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/03/27/2527642.htm.

Senthilingam, Meera. “Very Hot Drinks Are ‘Probably Carcinogenic’.” CNN, Cable News   Network, 15 June 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/06/15/health/coffee-tea-hot-drinks-  cancer-risk/index.html.

2017 has come and gone like monsoon season. While our eyes and ears have been focused primarily on national, world, or political news (fake or otherwise), there have been a multitude of sweeping changes across the food industry. Here are six of the biggest food trends that we’ve seen in the past year.

6. Cauliflower is Now Cool

Okay, maybe not “cool” but it certainly is popular. The blander sibling of broccoli packs a boat-load of nutrients, making it incredibly versatile in recipes. Chefs are foregoing the traditional steam or boiled versions of cauliflower and instead choose to deep-fry, roast, sautée, mash, and butter the cruciferous vegetable. Cauliflower now takes the form of steaks, rice, soups, casserole, and more. The demand for this veggie stems from carbo-adverse eaters’ desire for a healthy alternative to white rice and gluten-filled grains. This new trend may be part of a larger movement where chefs aim to make vegetables the centerpiece of meals.

5. Legalized Edibles

Considered by many to be the source of the next big economic boom, legalized marijuana has slowly creeped up across the country. Currently with eight states that now offer the legal sale and possession of marijuana, the topic of the sticky plant has never been more covered and controversial. One of the most popular methods of ingesting pot is through the form of edible, bite-sized refreshments; companies and chefs are working to improve the taste and experience of edible marijuana snacks. Don’t expect anything nutritious as most of these ganja goodies take the form of sugary confections with CBD gummies and chocolates skyrocketing in popularity.

NOTE: Classic Cooking Academy does not support the edible consumption of marijuana.

4. Dipping Sauce Pandemonium

Whether it’s French fries, onion rings, or fried zucchini sticks, you’ll most likely be dipping your finger food of choice into a certain sauce. Yet, one dipping sauce claimed the condiment crown this year as the most overhyped fast food menu item: McDonald’s Szechuan Dipping Sauce. Originally released in 1998 for Disney’s Mulan promotions, this teriyaki-flavored dipping sauce gained momentous traction after being mentioned in the immensely popular cartoon Rick and Morty. For a limited time only, Mickey-Ds brought back the sauce on October 7^th. Man-children formed lines, cops kept the peace, and riots nearly broke out as cartoon enthusiasts demanded – rather vehemently – to be served the sauce.

3. The Keto Diet

In terms of diets, there has been a major shift from those who have adopted the previously popular paleo diet (involving the consumption of foods that were only available during the Paleolithic era) to the new and upcoming ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet – or “keto” for short – involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. The main idea of the keto diet is to limit the amount of glucose in the body as much as possible in order to create a fat-burning machine. With health benefits such as weight loss, controlled blood sugar, higher mental focus, increased energy, and reduced acne, the keto diet has found popularity amongst fitness nuts and Silicon Valley biohackers. Like many other diets, keto boasts a difficult one-to-two week adjustment phase known as the “keto flu.”

2. Edible Charcoal

If 2016 had rainbow-colored bagels, then 2017 had activated charcoal. Used both as a hygienic and nutritional product, activated charcoal gives off a deep, black hue to foods ranging from ice cream, breads, and even lemonade. As a potent detoxifier, activated charcoal has been used in hospitals to prevent poisons and lethal overdoses of drugs from being absorbed by the body. Though these properties make it good at adsorption (soaking up all the molecules in its path), activated charcoal is actually pretty bad at picking out what’s toxic and what isn’t. For example, if you eat activated charcoal in ice cream, the charcoal would suck up the calcium, potassium, and other vitamins, preventing your stomach lining from absorbing those nutrients and instead discarding them as waste alongside the charcoal.

1. The War on Sugar

Finally – finally – America is starting to come around on what truly causes many of our health issues. Not only is it a leading cause of obesity but according to Gary Taubes’ best-seller The Case Against Sugar, the sweet-tasting carbohydrate may also have a central role in Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and many common cancers. Even though global sugar consumption of sugar is up, US consumption has faltered, supported by companies who have dialed down the sugar content in processed foods, evidenced by major soda brands introducing sugarless sodas like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (the new substitute for Coke Zero). However, there’s always a tradeoff: the lower the sugar content, the higher the faux sweetener content which may lead to side effects such as upset stomachs, blood sugar control issues, and increased risk of some types of cancer.

In the current food industry, there is one big word that both chefs and customers throw around with a whole lot of gravitas: gluten. Since we are part of a cooking school, of course we have an obligation to say something informative. Let’s start off by copying and pasting the first paragraph from the “Gluten” page on Wikipedia:

“Gluten (from Latin gluten, ‘glue’) is a composite of storage proteins termed prolamins and glutelines found in wheat and related grains, including barley, rye, oat, and all their species and hybrids (such as spelt, khorasan, emmer, einkorn, triticale, etc.)…It gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.”

THAT is gluten. The next time you are at a cocktail party, double date, or whatever applicable event, you should try busting out the above text to the best of your ability; the impression you make on the people you talk to will be more important than just saying, “WELL, I don’t know about gluten and could care less.”

Then what’s the issue with gluten? Well, there really isn’t one – not unless you have celiac disease. People with this genetic disorder follow a strict gluten-free diet, because if not, they might suffer from one or more of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal bloating/pain
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Delayed growth/puberty
• Irritability and behavioral issues
• Vomiting
• Chronic diarrhea
• Pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool (yeah, we saved the best for last)

So there is a difference between the customers who say, “I’m a celiac. Do you happen to have any gluten-free food,” and the ones who blurt out, “I CANNOT HAVE GLUTEN AND I CANNOT GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE REASON WHY.” For the latter, their motivations aren’t too foreign – cutting down on gluten-based foods (mainly breads and pastas) does lead to increased weight-loss. However, as a cooking school, when we encounter people who order gluten-free food without knowing what they will be putting in their mouths, we tend to crack a smile.

With all that said, there is a hidden problem with gluten. If a person does not have celiac disease then they SHOULD DO NOT GO ENTIRELY GLUTEN FREE. A study in the BMJ states that going gluten-free means a person reduces their intake of whole grains (which are known to have cardiovascular-health benefits). So, if you decide to undertake a “gluten-free diet,” know that you will actually increase the risk of heart problems.

There is a silver lining to all of this (especially to the reader who has done a gluten-free diet). The BMJ study saw no noteworthy association between . In other words, if you’ve cut out gluten in your foods, you’ll feel more instances of heartburns, not heart attacks.

So go ahead, non-celiacs: eat as much (or as little) gluten to your heart’s content! We just hope that you’ll remember this little piece of trivia as you do so.