It’s not just a cookie… it’s an experience…

If you know me, you know that I love these cookies.These cookies are my all-time, no-matter-what, need-to-have-it, eat-them-all, never-say-no confectionary addiction.

I’m not exactly sure what it is about them but I really can’t say no to eating sugar when these little packages of perfection are around. And I know the good ones from the bad ones. I can always tell who makes them the best. I even make them myself, which is a two day process and requires much patience. I don’t make them often only because I don’t need these little bits of temptation resting on my counter and luring me into their seductive ways.

I feel an affinity to these cookies because they were made in America (like me) with an Italian heritage made by Italian immagrants (like me too). Not only is it made with Almond paste, which makes any cookie great, but it’s layed with fruit preserves, covered in chocolate and super-soft when fresh and done right. Seriously, could it get any better than that?

It’s a fancy little cookie and pretty expensive, standing out from any cookie platter with good reason. These cookies are so good that they can’t go by just one name. They have several names in fact: Tricolored Cookies, Napolean Cookies, Seven Layer Cookies, Italian Flag cookies, Venetian Cookies, Rainbow Cookies and Daniela’s Cookies. (Ok, the last one is one only my family uses, though I think it belongs in there too) But it doesn’t matter what you call them because they are the most awesome cookie ever created. Over 100 years old and no one needed to add or take away anything to make it better.

You don’t see any cookie manufacterers trying to reproduce this cookie in mass quantities either. Know why? Because this cookies’ ingredients are quality. You can’t mass-produce it effectively. I think that’s another reason why I love them. They’re hard to find, but when you do, it’s like finding treasure.

Almond paste is a nightmare to work with, doesn’t cooperate well, but some of the best things in life aren’t easy and you have to work for it. It takes time and patience but in the end you’re happy you didn’t use any substitutions. It may cost you more and be harder, but it’s worth it because you’ll stand out from the rest. To me, these cookies represent hard work, legacy, passion,patience, heritage and value. It’s really not a cookie at all, more like what a delicious life experience should be and I can’t wait for my next bite.