Girl Scout cookies

[pne]

Further on the theme of we_swap_snacks: can someone tell me about the availability of Girl Scout cookies?

They're an icon of American culture, and I'd be interested to try some, but am wondering whether they'd be available to my swap partner, since as I understand it, they're typically sold as part of fund-raisers, so might not be available year-round but only at selected dates.

Is that about right? Or are there places where you can get them at any time? (Or even order them off the web? Presumably not since that would not benefit a specific local unit.)

If they're only sold occasionally, about how often is this? Every couple of months, perhaps, so if the swap partner knew sufficiently far in advance that I'd like some, they could wait until the next sale? Or only once or twice a year? Or does this depend so much on the local unit that it's impossible to say in general?

Relatedly, what are your favourite Girl Scout cookies? Why those in particular?

Which ones would you recommend?

Oh, and in what kind of quantities do they get sold? I wouldn't want to buy entire boxes of cookies—something on the order of 200 g (7 oz) per type, perhaps. Is that possible?

Comments

[psitticism.livejournal.com]

Oh, Girl Scout cookies! Here, I actually have some expertise! They are sold as a fund-raiser. To my knowledge, this only happens once a year, right around...now. Different Girl Scout councils decide locally the exact dates of the sale, which of the two licensed bakers they will use (this is a Big Deal), whether the girls should collect money at the time of sale or upon delivery, etc. Generally speaking, you would buy cookies from a Girl Scout you knew. This is not hard, as there is always someone at work whose daughter is a Girl Scout. The order forms float around offices every year. You place your orders around February-ish and get the cookies around March-ish. Again, the dates can very from council to council, but that is the norm around here. I am sure some councils are selling even as we speak. The other method of buying GS cookies, one that is becoming more and more popular due to safety concerns (girls used to sell the cookies door-to-door), is to find a booth sale. Some GS troops only sell cookies this way now. They set up a table in front of a supermarket or on a busy block, in front of a church, etc. and sell the cookies on the spot. This is nice, because you get your cookies right away, but it means the girls cannot compete for prizes, as we used to when I was little, since everybody sells the same amount and all proceeds are shared. This may be for the best, though!

Back to the bakers. There are two licensed bakers. Each council decides which baker's cookies they will sell. I do not know how this decision is made. The boxes look the same, and the most popular cookie types are sold by both bakers, but they are not exactly the same, and some of the cookies have different names. The most famous Girl Scout cookies are Thin Mints. These are thin chocolate wafer cookies flavored with mint and covered in milk chocolate. Both ABC and Little Brownie bakers make these and call them the same thing. They taste about the same no matter which baker they come from. Then there are Samoas. Samoas are wonderful concoctions of caramel, cocounut, and chocolate. They taste wonderful frozen. Little Brownie bakers makes Samoas. ABC bakers makes Caramel De-lites, which are about the same as Samoas, but I don't like them quite as much. Tagalongs are chocolate covered, peanut-butter filled shortbread cookies. They are the most wonderful thing in the world. They are from Little Brownie bakers. ABC calls them Peanut Butter patties. There is a noticeable difference in quality there. Peanut Butter patties may look like Tagalongs, but they just do not taste as good. The other two staples are Do-si-dos (LBB) or Peanut Butter Sandwiches (ABC) and Trefoils (LBB) or Shortbreads (ABC). The Girl Scouts of the US only actually requires the sale of three types of cookies (Do-Si-Dos/Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Thin Mints, and Trefoils/Shortbreads), and the other flavors (there can be up to 28) may vary from year to year. But Samoas and Tagalongs are so popular, they are always offered.

So basically, you'll want to find someone who can locate a booth sale for you, as these are happening right now and will soon be over, and you'll most likely want to try Thin Mints, Samoas/Caramel De-Lites, and maybe Tagalongs (but I do not recommend Peanut Butter Patties). The boxes are small, about 6-10 oz. They usually cost about $3 a box.

Why yes, I do know more about Girl Scout cookies than anybody ever should. :-)

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

I love all the info, thanks!

Back in the '70s when I was selling them there was an oatmeal cream cookie available that was absolutely to die for. Every year when I hear the Scouts are selling, I wish for those cookies back. Somoas are great, but oh those oatmeal creams....

Also, for one or two years, Thin Mints actually had a layer of mint cream on top of a chocolate cookie, covered in a chocolate coating. Those were far and away the best Thin Mints ever.

[pne.livejournal.com]

So basically, you'll want to find someone who can locate a booth sale for you, as these are happening right now and will soon be over

Oh eep; signups for <lj user="we_swap_snacks" aren't until the 13th and assignments are due to be returned to interested people by the 20th (at the latest), so that might be too late. Ah well, still good to know for future reference. I think I'll just try my luck with my swap partner and if it doesn't work out, ask in my journal next spring for a private swap or something. Thank you for your descriptions and recommendations, too!

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

I believe that booth sales are going on all month, at least here in NM. One of my friends at work is in charge of her daughters' troupe's cookie sales this year (every year, actually).