It happens every year. Sometimes it sneaks up on us and the flurry, the mayhem, sweeps through and traumatizes us. We’re overwhelmed with everything to do, the lists, the rigid organization, all the people to remember and reach out to, and, of course, the booths, the blasted booths.
Naturally, I’m talking about Girl Scout Cookie Season.
Now that it is basically all but passed, I can talk about it. I can breathe again. It no longer occupies my every waking thought. There’s a whole ten months until Cookie Season returns. By then the memories will have faded… I’ll be able to do it again. (It’s important to note that I have TWO Girl Scouts in my house. That’s double trouble, folks, and a whole lot of boxes.)
Doubtless you’ve seen the latest fad- wine pairings with Girl Scout cookies. *Snorts* Please, amateurs. Johnny-come-lately’s to the party. Come on, looking at some of the parings online- I can’t control the giggles… really? A Brunello with Thin Mints? I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. An Amarone with Tagalogs? Um, hell to the NOOOO.
I drink a little wine (regular audience members, you STOP that snickering!) and I’ve been known to indulge in a cookie or ten in my day. (That day being as recently as yesterday.) Based on purely personal experiences, I feel I need to weigh in on this topic. Now, I’m not hitting all the flavors, because there are twelve and my daughters’ troops don’t sell them all. Fun fact, depending on your region of the US, you can only get certain cookie types. True story.
Hang on to your petticoats, folks, wine might not always be the answer. No, you read that right. I’ll say it again. Wine might not always be the answer. You heard it here first. Alright, let’s get this rodeo started. I’m skewing toward affordable here because, let’s face it, the cookies are kind of pricey.
Let’s begin with an easy one. Over the years, a favorite cookie of mine is the Trefoil. It’s a shortbread cookie. Little known fact, it’s also one of the cookies that is the worst for you. Some think it’s the Thin Mint, nope. Trefoils- they’re almost all butter. Yum. I like them with my morning tea, Earl Grey- hot as Picard would have it. However, they are also fabulous with a nice high acid Sauvignon Blanc. Don’t break the bank, just grab a good Kenwood or Clos du Bois and call it a day.
Next up, the Samoa. Now, I am not a huge fan of processed coconut. I prefer the fresh stuff. That said, if you add enough carmelization and dark chocolate, I can forgive even the most egregious of sins.This is an easy one, too. I like a good fruit forward zinfindel with these bad boys. Try a Seven Deadly Zins or a nice Bianchi Zinfindel. The dark chocolate and that almost burnt nutty taste pair so perfectly with a big zin.
The online guides are telling people to pair the peanut butter sandwich cookies with California zinfindels (read fruit forward zinfindels) in order to create a peanut butter and jelly experience. Now, bearing in mind that wine is completely arbitrary and totally up to individual taste, I could not disagree more. No, for me a lighter red is in order. I’m thinking Gamay Beaujolais or a Rioja.
This next one is a bit tricky, even controversial. I tried Tagalongs with the suggested pairing, an Amarone. The theory was go big or go home. Bleech! No likey! So, still believing in the Internet I tried them with a big Cabernet- ugh! A fruity Malbec? No. No. And definitely no. Then I saw something in one of the blogs that peaked my interest- try these milk chocolate with peanut butter cookies with beer. So I had them with a Lagunitas IPA and I’ll be damned if it didn’t work. And quite nicely, too, thank you very much.
This next cookie pictured above is called a Savannah Smile. It’s a challenge to pair as it’s confectioner’s sugar over a dense lemon cookie. Reading the suggestions, the most common was a Sancerre. This is a white wine, but not really all that common in California, not sure about the rest of the United States. I did stumble upon a much more common, and I think very fun, solution. Pair this cookie with champagne, any not too dry sparkling wine will do. Or tea, they’re a bit like a tiny scone, so tea is good. Domaine Chandon out of Napa makes some perfectly yummy sparkling wines for under $20 a bottle- just the ticket to bubbly, sugary fun.
Myles in the movie Sideways would kill me, but when it comes to the Rah-Rah Raisin cookie I have to say, go Merlot. Not a watered down commercial Merlot like we were drowning in during the 1990’s. No, something with a bit more structure and character, again without breaking the bank, like a Sonoma County Blackstone.
The Toffeetastic cookies actually could go a couple of ways depending on your personal preference. (Okay, everything could go a million ways depending on personal preference, but I digress.) For me? I like them with a well balanced Pinot Noir. However, I have no trouble with the idea of them paired with a rose, something slightly dry like a White Cabernet.
This brings us to the big enchilada, the grandmother of them, the Thin Mint. Do not pair these with a Brunello- whose idea was that??? What do these need? I suggest a white. Go with… milk!!!
Why am I bringing this up as Cookie Season draws to a close? Because I know some of you have a bunch on your shelves, in your freezer, and I know a few troops out there (naming no names) are still desperately trying to get rid of those last boxes…. so maybe this will inspire you to try some things out.
After all… it’s for a great cause.
This post was written by Erika Gardner. She’s a native Californian, lifelong lover of fantastical adventures, and a dedicated Whovian. If you enjoyed it, please sign up to receive updates on www.erikagardner.com Or you can follow Erika on Twitter @Erika_Gardner, “Like” her Facebook page Erika Gardner- Writer and Storyteller.Or check out her contributions to the BBB Blog.