21 Nov 2007
Granny Franny's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies!
For Agents Information Only
Back in the mid to late 50's when my dad was in the army and stationed at Fort Dix, in NJ and later on Irwin, PA his mother, who we affectionately called Granny Franny, started a tradition that my wife continues to this day (in fact today's the day!). Granny Franny would ship a care package to the barracks for my dad and among the goodies were always packs and packs of her Chocolate Chip Cookies. Get this........she shipped 12 dozen (144) cookies at a time and he would only get two for himself while the other GI's made off with the rest.
In our family the holidays just aren't complete without them! Ever since I can remember, as a kid, they were always there. It's these little things, these memories that make the holidays so special, even more so when you can enjoy them with and pass them on to the next generation.
She even developed a special way of packaging them which she continued until she passed away. She'd wrap a row of about 8 cookies in a paper towel and then wrap that in aluminum foil. So you'd get a bunch of these aluminum tubes of cookies! You knew exactly what the were when you saw them!
She claimed she got the recipe off the back of a toll house box somewhere but we still hold it as a highly guarded family secret. My wife has the laminated, hand-written copy in our cupboard and today is one of the 2 days a year that she'll take it out and start making those treasured treats! The kids will "help" her or should I say they will taste the batter out of the mixing bowl and make a mess out of the flour. Everyone in my family always asks to make sure we're bringing them.
I remember the time when my wife, Lisa, was on the phone in our home upstate, NY with Granny Franny who was in in Clearwater, FL. It must have been back in the early 90's. Lisa told her she was baking the cookies and she had a couple questions. With that Granny Franny overheard the mixer in the background and said "what's that?" Lisa said "it's the mixer." Well she got an earful about using a mixer instead doing it by hand with a metal spoon!
Now, I've tried mixing that batter by hand with a spoon and let me tell you it ain't east. Granny Franny had some power in those old arms! She also had her own ideas about how things should be done!
I'll be leaving early today and when I get home I know what I will smell when I walk through the front door!
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Thanks again for your business and your support.
Todd Concklin
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