TWD: Poop Sandwiches and Natural Light

My father always calls milkshakes "Chocolate Malteds" and it drives me crazy. But when I saw that Rachel of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart chose Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops, I envisioned a really cute set with the old school 50's milkshake glass and I would cast Archie, Veronica (or, as I like to lovingly call her, Ronnie), and Betty look-a-likes to share the chocolate malted milkshake at Pop Tate's Chock'lit Shoppe whilst eating these chocolate malted whopper drops. But then I thought, who am I kidding? Where am I going to find a bubbly blonde girl, a beautiful, stylish raven-haired vixen and a lovable, redheaded guy with freckles?

But most importantly, where do you find those old school milkshake glasses?

My dreams were crushed.

My sweet, little old Italian grandmother requested that I make cookies for her birthday. I didn't want to let her down. I baked the cookies. I tasted the cookies. These cookies got a big, fat POOP SANDWICH from me! Too much chocolate!!! Could it be? That too much chocolate has ended my weakness for chocolate?

It is life's greatest paradox.

But then these cookies disappeared. My sweet, Italian grandmother loved them. My mom loved them. My dad scrunched his nose at them (he is very supportive). Soft and chewy, they declared! Please make a second batch! A second batch? Please, God, NO! But I did. And I heeded my mom's advice (she is quite a cook/baker, although she never does either anymore).

"Cook them for a minute or two less so the chocolate flavor is not so strong."

ZING! She was right. I hurried and took these pictures outside on a beautiful sunny day before my second round of cookies disappeared (it took two days for two batches of cookies to disappear).

Can I just say that natural light makes all of the difference? All. Of. The. Difference. The cookies don't look yellow and sweaty! That is how they actually look! Unfortunately (but fortunately in all other senses?), I have a huge tree in front of my window of my apartment so, even on the balcony, I have no sunlight. And in NYC, where the sun does not shine, I will never have sunlight. It's true.

I guess when I get back to NY, I'll have to bake all of my TWD challenges at my parent's house on Long Island.

And then they can do my laundry, too.

Check out TWD for more Whopper Drops!

No natural light.

Oh Yeah.

(On a side note, if you couldn't tell, I am a very nostalgic person. Why does modern... well, everything ruin my childhood memories? The new Betty and Veronica? DOUBLE POOP SANDWICH!)

Comments

[Melissa]

I'm glad your second batch came out so much better. I'm going to have to take your advice on the natural light... my indoor pictures always look a little weird... I always thought I needed a fancy camera, but maybe I just need better light!

[Cathy]

I have a confession to make. When I saw "Natural Light" in your post heading, I thought you would be talking about the beer, aka Natty Light. Sometimes I am still 19 at heart. I thought, "now THIS should be an interesting post!" And it was an interesting post, even though you meant light light, not light beer. Your cookies look amazing -- is it any wonder that your family loved them??

[Anne]

So funny. I wasn't a big fan but everyone else snapped them up. The natural light looks great. Nice job!

[April B]

I love the natural light, I always have to hurry to take my pictures during the daytime to get those good shots. I've been trying to take my cookies (all cookies) out of the oven just a minute or two sooner and it does make a big difference in the taste and the texture. And I agree, new Betty & Veronica are thumbs down.

[Lori]

POOP SANDWICH, that is too hilarious for these brown cookies. :) Your mom is so right about the slight undercooking. I did that too, so so good.

[Carmen]

hahaha - funny post. :) your cookies look great! and yes, i also always try to take my pictures in natural lighting. if i don't end up catching the natural lighting, i rarely end up posting that particular food (usually dinner). great job!

[Madam Chow]

Your family sounds wonderful, and your cookies look good, too!

[Madam Chow]

Your family sounds wonderful, and your cookies look good, too!

[Stephanie Clark]

You're cookies look scrumptious, don't you love the motherly advice. My mom is my go-to gal for advice :)

[Michelle]

I so agree with the natural light thing. I took a picture out on my deck of the cookies and they looked much better! Im glad your Grandma and mom liked the cookies.
I Hate the new modern version of Betty and Veronica,that's the first time I've seen that..I agree DOUBLE POOP SANDWICH on that one!

[Nancy]

Gotta love the old school B&V! Good light does make all the difference in photos, but even indirect natural light will make your food look really good. Also, your camera probably has a setting to adjust for indoor lighting. If you make that adjustment and shoot without a flash you can get some decent indoor photos. But your food always looks great! And I'm glad the second batch surpassed the first.

[LyB]

OK, first of all, "Poop Sandwich"? lol!!! You are too funny. Second, your cookies look delicious, and I agree with your mom, always underbake these cookies! And third, I love the old Archies! :)

[Natashya]

Wait a minute! There are new Archies? Why oh why?
I have still not gotten over the disneyfication of Winnie the Pooh.
When will the madness stop!?!
ps, nice cookies - I agree, natural light is good - stay tuned for all my winter cookies in snowbanks.
Cheers.

[Sandy S]

I am totally with you on the new Betty and Veronica. Creepy!

I take all my pictures in natural light, either on the window sill (mine's really wide - have to shove the cat off first, though) or outside on the deck. Come winter, who knows? I may invest in a "natural light flash" (I'm sure it has a more technical name), which isn't really a "flash" but mimics natural light so there's no glare.

My cookies weren't actually all that chocolatey. I used plain malt powder and PB Whoppers, so maybe that's why.

I love your family story!!

[Lillian]

It's amazing the difference good light makes, isn't it? I had to shoot indoors at night this week, and the colors are just so wrong -- even after color correction.

[Jules]

Glad everyone else liked the cookies. Is there such a thing as too much chocolate?

[Carla]

I didn't know slightly undercooking them would cut back on the chocolateness. I'll keep that in mind because I love chocolate but it was a little too much.

[CB]

I can't believe I am saying that these cookies were "too" chocolate-y too. I didn't know there was such a thing! haha. Amazing what a difference that natural lighting makes. Just crazy! I curse my kitchen/apt. No natural lighting at all. Ugh. But I am too lazy to go outside. LOL. I'll just live vicariously through other natural lighters like you.
Clara @ iheartfood4thought

[Caitlin]

Hehe - I love the title, and the comparison pics at the bottom. It's so hard to find natural light in my apartment though... I'm glad your grandmother and mother liked these!

[Kayte]

You are so right about the natural light...next week I am going with natural light. I was laughing so hard at reading your little scenario...you create quite the picture with your words. And, yes, they are clamouring for a second batch around here, too...they are eating them by the handfuls! Yours look great, much puffier than mine.