The Tale of Two Cookies: Circa 1964

Yesterday, while visiting with family and friends in Fenelon Falls, my son passed around a plateful of ice box cookies.

"Oh, I haven't had cookies this good for a long time," someone said.

Other comments followed.

They were the best I'd had in 45 years so I contributed the following to the cookie commentary:

"When I worked at a Red and White grocery store in my hometown (Norwich) as a teen, I was often asked to pick up fresh baked goods at my boss's long-standing bakery that stood 50 meters from his new store. It was at his bakery I was introduced to ice box cookies."

"No one said anything when I sampled one, which I can only describe as heaven in the shape of a white, fruit-filled square. But the shopkeeper looked at me so sternly when I reached for a second I left it untouched.

"However, on another trip to the bakery I lifted 3 or 4 others and hid them in the upper-pocket of my store apron. No one noticed and in the weeks that followed I gained two pounds. And, with the help of my quick fingers, discovered something else that tasted even better when fresh out of the oven.

"Date turnovers."

A few comments and nods of approval followed.

Since 1964, I've not tasted any cookie that could knock Art Maedel's date turnovers off their number one ranking in the long cookie category locked away inside my cranium.

Art, his bakery and Red and White store are long gone from Stover Street, Norwich.

But fond and firm memories of his date turnovers remain.

***

1964 was a good year for me until I was questioned about eating into the bakery's profits.

Yup, I confessed, and worked 4 - 5 more years without incident.

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