Old World Gourmet: Chocolate Chip
When Ruth Graves Wakefield created the chocolate-chip cookie at the Toll House Inn in the 1930s, she would have been quite confused if someone had told her that in 70 years there would be a far-superior version available in a shop guarded by an enormous plywood and fiberglass Indian. This cookie is crunchy and chewy in all the right places, dotted with gooey morsels of chocolate, and best enjoyed with a glass of ice-cold whole milk.
117 US Route 1 | Freeport | 207.865.4477 | oldworldgourmet.com
Verbena: Oatmeal, Cranberry + Apricot
Although I am generally not one for violating the matrimonial sanctity between oatmeal cookies and raisins, Verbena has opened my eyes to a thrilling new alternative lifestyle. The cranberries and apricots act like raisins on steroids, bestowing a wonderful sweet and tart zing to offset the toothsome oatmeal. Brew a pot of bold Ethiopian Gololcha coffee and sip it black to add yet another dimension of flavor.
103 Ocean St. | South Portland 207.767.2011 | verbenaonline.com
Scratch Baking Co.: Crackled Apple Spice
If a season could be considered an ingredient, then I would go so far as to suggest that these cookies benefit from two heaping tablespoons of autumn. Warm spices permeate the cookie, with a crystalized coating that imparts crackle and flecks of apple for succulence and texture. If you happen to have a vintage medieval goblet on hand, now is the time to fill it with hard cider from Normandy.
416 Preble St. | South Portland 207.799.0668 scratchbakingco.com
Rock City Cafe: Triple Chocolate
In the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the gluttonous child Augustus Gloop finds himself being swept away by a river of chocolate. This sensation is the basic idea behind the triple chocolate cookie, with each element adding its own distinctive layer of flavor. I recommend a beverage pairing that also borders on overkill. For example, you could bite the head off of a Lindt chocolate bunny and fill the body cavity with chocolate milk.
316 Main St. | Rockland | 207.594.4123 | rockcitycoffee.com
Po' Boys + Pickles: Macaroon
Very rarely do I leave Po' Boys and Pickles without one of these, no matter how much I may have consumed for lunch. Like dense, dome-shaped mounds of pure shredded-coconut joy, these macaroons are overwhelmingly sweet and luscious. In an effort to delve deeper into this fattening tropical paradise, you may consider one of their key-lime milkshakes poured into a hollowed-out pineapple and garnished with several pink umbrellas.
1124 Forest Ave. | Portland | 207.518.9735 | poboysandpickles.com
Reilly's Bakery: Raspberry Filled
You don't stay in business for more than a hundred years without knowing a thing or two about making delicious cookies—and Reilly's has been maintaining a fanatical following for generations. A standout amid an already strong lineup of pastries and cakes, this moist, chewy cookie houses a velvety oasis of sweet raspberry preserves. To wash these down, I suggest a frosty-cold Goya coconut soda slugged right out of the glass bottle it comes in.
232 Main St. | Biddeford | 207.283.3731 | Find them on Facebook
