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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Dulce de leche bars win Statesman Cookie Swap
Anne-Charlotte Patterson, left, won the Statesman Cookie Swap at Stubb’s on Thursday, with her Chocolate Dulce de Leche Bars with Sea-Salt Caramel. Joan Brook, right, tries one of them. Photo by Jay Janner for the Austin American-Statesman.
UPDATE: Here’s a fun photo gallery of the Cookie Swap party from the Austin360 A-List.
Flashy isn’t always better, but at last night’s Statesman Cookie Swap party, Anne-Charlotte Patterson’s Chocolate Dulce de Leche Bars with Sea-Salt Caramel wowed the judges enough to win the holiday contest.
Patterson’s recipe was by far the most complicated and intricate, but the results were impressive: a savory bar topped with chocolate dulce de leche and a sprinkle of salt.
Judges Mark Chapman, Rebecca Rather, Rebecca Wallace Ford, Russell Williams and Anna Ginsberg had some very astute observations about each of the finalists and they each lobbied for their favorite, but when it came down to points on their scorecards, the dulce de leche bars beat out the Coconut Caramel Chews, the Best Gingersnaps You Will Ever Make, Uber Yummy Oatmeal Holiday Cookie and Brown Butter and Pecan Shortbread.
The finalists each got a holiday platter from Cafe Monet with their recipe drawn on it, as well as cookbooks. Patterson won a gift certificate to Central Market and her bar will be on the holiday menu at Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe in Fredericksburg.
It was so much fun to get to meet the finalists and their friends, families and kids while they nibbled on Kevin’s Cookies. Stubb’s inside stage was a cozy setting for the party, which featured a hot boozy drink called the Monte Cristo that kept guests entertained until the judging started.
Thanks to everyone who came to the event and to everyone who participated in the swap! Lots of people were asking if we’re going to revive the swap next year, and after the success of this year’s contest, I can’t see how we won’t.
So, unless you’re as cookie-out as I am, get to work on next year’s entries!
Two more cookie-related items and then I’m done with cookies for the year, I promise:
A highlight for me last night was meeting Randy Rosens, who is with the Austin nonprofit Keep Austin Fed, which distributes leftover food from events to people in need through the Easter Seals of Central Texas.
At the end of the swap party, when where were still a few dozen perfectly good cookies left over, Rosens, a friend of judge Chapman, loaded them up to share with others.
I’m glad to know that there are people like Rosens helping cut down on the amount of food wasted at the hundreds of events like this one that happen every year in Austin.
And lastly, a while back, I promised a random prize to someone who commented on the Cookie Swap recipes in the Austin360 database. If lindagotx would please e-mail me at abroyles@statesman.com, we can arrange pick-up of your prize, a set of some of the year’s best cookbooks.
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