Toll House Goodness

Who doesn't love cookies? Show me a man, woman

, or child who eschews these chewy, crunchy marvels I will show you a corpse. Ok, that's a bit harsh, but seriously, what's not to love about the humble cookie? Practically any ingredient will do, just so long as its chocolate chips -- and any flavor will do, as long as its chocolate chip. From Tollhouse to Pillsbury and everything in-between, most people will eat just about any cookie. But before we gorge ourselves on these buttery delights, we should do a bit of snooping and figure out how this purely American concoction came into being.

As with any American invention worth it's salt, the chocolate chip cookie is relatively young. In fact, it hasn't quite cleared the century mark. Indeed, it's not much younger than the automobile, the electric light, and film. Also, every great American invention has to have an inventor. In this case, the woman who has blessed us with this savory disc of joy was Ruth Wakefield. Ruth, who?

She was born in 1903 and single-handedly invented the Tollhouse Cookie. For some that is the culmination of a lifetime's work. The legend began when Ruth (and her husband) bought the Toll House Lodge in Plymouth County, Massachusetts sometime in the mid-1930s. They turned the lodge into the modern equivalent of a bed and breakfast and soon, Ruth's reputation for home-cooked meals and desserts made the lodge into a must-visit destination. As a testament to its fame, a then-Senator John F. Kennedy was a frequent guest.

So, how was it that the chocolate chip cookie came into being? The stories vary, from inspired genius to accidental spillage. By all accounts, the cookie was being served by the late 1930s. The batter, if carefully considered, is befitting an oatmeal or pecan cookie, so it must have come as a delightful surprise to experience the crispiness of such a cookie along with a chocolaty creaminess.

Among the goodies Ruth baked for her guests was her famous cookie. To satisfy the demand, she agreed to publish a recipe book in 1977 that chronicled her unique cookie recipe. She agree to have the recipe printed on the packaging for Nestle's new chocolate morsels. This recipe can still be found on the back of any bag of Nestle's Toll House chocolate chips. No other chip-makers can legally publish Ruth's one-of-a-kind recipe.

by: James Pynn

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