Cookies! The History of America's Favorite Baked Snack

Once upon a time, Persian bakers found that by placing a small portion of dough in their ovens, they could determine the temperature of those ovens before baking. Thus it is believed by historians that the cookie was born, or at least, something resembling a cookie. Sugar cane had only been discovered recently by Persian soldiers under the command of Alexander the Great. Within a few years, sugar had found its' way to the Mediterranean, and recipes for sweet, unrisen cakes began to proliferate.
The earliest known cookie is the pizzelle, an Italian wafer cookie that is also known as a "piazelle," "piazella," "pizzele," and "pizelle." The name is derived from the Italian "pizza," which means round and flat. Although it is an Italian cookie, the Pizzelle eventually found its' way into other areas of Europe such as Scandinavia. Here, the same recipe is known as "Lukken."

Snakes had become a serious problem in approximately 700 b.c. in the Italian village of Colcullo, and legend has it that Apollo told local shepherds that they should capture the snakes, and then drape them over his statue, domesticating them. Since that time, the Italian "Festival of the Snakes" has taken place every year. The festival is now held in the honor of the Christian Saint Domenica, and includes fireworks and a feast in which pizzelles play a central role.

There is debate as to what America's favorite cookie is, from one group who say that the sales figures of Nabisco mean that the Oreo Cookie is America's favorite, while others say that the ubiquitous chocolate chip "Tollhouse" cookie, homemade or otherwise is, in fact the favorite.