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There's a name for people who make cookies...they're called
'bakers.' And one thing that bakers do is that they start their day very
early in the morning. In fact at 3:00 am. I had called ahead and asked
if I could come in, tour the place, take pictures and do interviews. They
said 'sure.'
When I arrived at the Cookie Company at 5:00am (no, I didn't
have to get there at 3:00!) I was met by Wanda. She let me in through
the gate, and past a few racks full of cookies cooling in the morning
air. She was a little skeptical of what I was doing, and why I wanted
to come in and take pictures. One of the first things she told me was,
"The girls don't want their pictures taken." Uh-oh...that wouldn't
be good. A story without pictures would be like reading the magazine on
the airplane...not very exciting. So I walked into the store/bakery and
said in a loud voice, "Hey! I really want to take your pictures!"
All of them turned away, and said, "Not me...not me!"
I figured it would just take a little bit of work.
They bake about 14 different kinds of cookies each day.
Make about 80 dozen cookies per day.
They sell only to walk-in customers, no restaurants, stores, etc. Wanda
says: "This way we know where our cookies are going and that they're
fresh."
They get up in the morning and start baking at about 3:00 am, and finish
by about 7:00 am.
The store is open from 8:00am to 5:30pm (or until they run out of cookies)
I asked Wanda why they are not open on Saturdays. "Business just
wasn't that good."
Close on Thursday and Friday during the fair- so employees can take their
families to the fair and stay out late, instead of having to be at work
at 3:00 am
Wanda: "We're one big happy family." Grandmother,
Daughter, Grand-daughters, great grandson. Wanda has owned the Cookie
Company for 13 years.
I got to the Cookie Company when it was still dark, at 5:00.
In this picture, you can see that it is getting light outside, it was
about 5:45. By this time they were even willing to pose for a group shot,
which is just about the toughest thing to get a bunch of people to do.
They use about 60 dozen eggs and 45-60 pounds of butter/margarine
per day.
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Cookie Tester: Steve
They make cookies the way
they should be made. When I go back to Ohio, people always
ask me, "Did you bring any cookies?"
Ed Note: That's odd,
I went back to Ohio, but my city was gone- been replaced by shopping
malls (and Mrs. Fields)..
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Do it neatly!
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Cookie Tester: Bert
That was a damn fine cookie., I'd
say it was superb, very moist and tasty, just like my Dad's cookies
(my Mom can't cook).
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The last step is putting them on display for customers to buy.
Black Forest cookies on the left, Rocky Road on the right.
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The Cookie Company's
'once a week' cookies. |
| Monday |
M & M Cookies
Mexican Wedding Cakes/Snowballs |
| Tuesday |
Black & Whites
Coconut Crisps |
| Wednesday |
DaWorks (all kinds of stuff thrown in)
Frosted Sugar
Black Forest and Rocky Road
Brownies |
| Thusday |
Milk Chocolate Butterscotch
Almond Tea Cakes
Milk Chocolate Coconut Spice
Brownies |
| Friday |
White Chocolate with Almond
Molasses
Diana Sugar |
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Cookie Tester: Ann
They are probably way too fattening; I
don't like to think about it. I just exercise more on cookie days.
Eat one with milk on the outside patio
and be glad you are alive.
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These ladies are working hard, and working fast. Notice the mural on the
wall...
Every country has its
favorite kind of cookie. In the U.K. it is shortbread, in France it is
sables and macaroons, (stupid French...what the hell is a 'sable'?)
and in Italy biscotti. And the favorite cookie in America and Canada is
the Chocolate Chip Cookie. In fact at least half of the
cookies baked in American homes are chocolate chip.
It's family time at the Cookie Company. The girl on the left was in charge
of 'entertainment'. She left when the CD they were listening to ended...and
she didn't even put a new one in!
They used to sell gifts up in the 'Gift Mezzanine.' The
'gifts mezzanine' was empty, and I asked her about it. "oh we got
rid of the gifts, most people come in for the cookies anyway. We do have
some cookie jars over in the back, and people do buy those." They
had about 10 different cookie jars on sale.
"Coming to work early, and being off during the day is nice. But
getting up isn't easy"
This is Wanda, the owner of the Cookie Company. She was a little concerned
that I was trying to get some of her secret recipes. She wouldn't let
me know some
of the ingredients....what will I tell Mr. Slugworth?
The Keebler Elves have Nothin' on these chicks.
If you think you're ready for more food porn, click the picture above.
Don't be afraid...unless you're on a diet.
No pictures please- we're shy!
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Favorite Cookies
(here are the ladies in the picture,
from left to right)
- Wanda: Chocolate Chip with Walnuts
- Diane - Diana Sugar "about 2 cookies per week"
- Megan - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip ("I don't eat cookies
every day")
- Michelle - Diana Sugar
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 The
first cookies were created by accident. The very first cookies were just
an oven temperature test. Early bakers used very small amounts of cake
batter to test their oven temperatures before baking the final cake. These
little test cakes were called "koekje", which means "little cake" in Dutch.
By accident, the first "cookies" came into being.
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George Washington Carver,
the man known as "The Inventor of the Peanut" had a list
of "105 Ways of Preparing the Peanut for Human Consumption."
He is credited with the earliest peanut (butter) cookie recipe.
Here it is, recipe #17, his historic 'Peanut Cookies Number One'
(I haven't tried it...)
NO. 17, PEANUT COOKIES NUMBER ONE
3 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sweet milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
11/2 cups ground peanuts
Cream butter and sugar; add eggs well beaten; now add the milk
and flour; flavor to taste with vanilla; and the peanuts last; drop
one spoonful to the cooky in well greased pans; bake quickly. |
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From: nettergal - Date: 21-May-05 |
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One again, great article! Entertaining and made me want COOKIES! Alas, must wait until Monday.
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From: Lisa D. - Date: 22-May-05 |
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Damn! I'd like to get a bite of the chicks making those cookies! They're HOT!
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From: KL - Date: 23-May-05 |
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Wow that was exciting, I really miss these cookies.
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From: Steve - Date: 23-May-05 |
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One correction: 80 dozen coookies is not 'hella lots of cookies'. The correct way to say it is, "80 dozen is hella cookies".... dude.
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From: Iggy - Date: 23-May-05 |
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What kind of beverages can we get with these cookies? Is it just milk (hi- or lo-fat?), or can I dip slivers of that oatmeal chocolate chip into a dinky little espresso cup? And what's the proper way to recover a soggy chunk of cookie from the bottom of a glass of milk?
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From: Pete the Feet - Date: 24-May-05 |
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nice page, nice cookies, nice ladies!
I hope your racism ("stupid French...what the hell is a 'sable'?") is only a joke.
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From: The saddest thing of all..... - Date: 08-Jun-05 |
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I moved to New Jersey about a year ago (because I had to;o) and one of the things I miss most is the amazing Frosted Sugar Cookies baked at the Cookie Company.
I remember when they first opened their doors for business, I used to work in an office on that block. I went there every afternoon.
I will be back in Woodland for my wedding next week and I am ordering 3 dozen cookies for my bridal shower!! CAN'T WAIT!!!
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From: Pete the Feet - Date: 13-Jun-05 |
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Thanks for publishing my comment.
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From: Laura D - Date: 25-Jun-05 |
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Great article and great pictures ladies! I love this cookies! A drug rep brought them in our clinic. These cookies are big and very delicious! You bet I will be in for more soon!
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From: Rachael L. - Date: 08-Jul-05 |
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Really fun article! Always has been my favorite place to get cookies. Every year we always order a couple dozen for my son's birthday party at his school.
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From: bajita8 - Date: 07-Aug-05 |
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Cookie Co is the best-but we need molasses and coconut crisps more than omne day a week-Woodland is too far from Folsom to travel twice a week!
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From: pistol pete - Date: 21-Aug-05 |
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Megan is a hottie
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From: cHUCK kEATING - Date: 09-Dec-05 |
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wHAT ABOUT THE HAIR NETS??
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From: Lorena - Date: 23-Jan-06 |
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I now live in Texas...and boy do I miss the cookie crackles with walnuts.
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From: Bobby - Date: 13-May-06 |
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is this the same cookie company in the centerpoint mall in oxnard, CA. In the 1980's.
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From: victoria penny. - Date: 07-Jul-06 |
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I LOVE COOKIES
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From: Peggy - Date: 27-Jul-06 |
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Where in Ohio is this cookie place located?
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From: Becky - Date: 28-Jul-06 |
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cookie place is not in Ohio ~ cookie place is not in Oxnard ~ see bottom of any page on site ~ it is ~ Inside Woodland ~ Stories about Woodland California :)
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From: Katie - Date: 08-Aug-06 |
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This is one of my favorite places in Woodland. Wasn't it called Cookie Tree at one point in time and what happened to the crackle cookie (all chocolate with powdered sugar on top)? The last couple of time I've been there it wasn't out! I bought 5 dozen for my work and they were gone in minutes, believe me, it's a great way to make people happy! Keep up the great work, I may be stopping by on my way home.
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From: Amber - Date: 05-Dec-06 |
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They make the best cookies!
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From: woodland person - Date: 19-Dec-06 |
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this place sounds awesome, but you could tie this into your article on why Main St sucks--this place should be open on Saturday if not saturday AND sunday, duh!
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From: ywvnd uvaitbz - Date: 30-Jan-07 |
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From: W. Sac Person - Date: 14-Mar-07 |
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Just had the cookies for the first time....will head to Woodland more often than once a week now!
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From: Wendy - Date: 11-Jun-07 |
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I come all the way from Bakersfield for some delicious cookies (and family)! My fav. being the butterscotch!Yum!
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From: parkside dental care - Date: 13-Jun-07 |
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we love when our patient amy brings us your wonderful cookies..mmmmmmmmmmm..thanx
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From: laurel - Date: 21-Aug-07 |
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Are there nutrition facts about the cookies?
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From: Jr - Date: 23-Jun-08 |
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The owner is family an didnt even bring me a cookie!
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From: Skyler - Date: 06-Jul-08 |
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These cookies are the best!! the Crackles are the best(chocolate cookie with powdered sugar) Thank goodness I live in Woodland!! :)
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