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

[nyssa.livejournal.com]

Here's how it works - around the end of the year (December-ish), Girl Scouts go around with order forms. People buy the cookies by filling out the forms, then the forms are shipped to the factories. The orders are then filled and shipped back to the Girl Scout troops, who then go around distributing the cookies to whoever ordered some from them. You can ONLY get them at this time of year (the ones my boyfriend ordered just came in today), and ONLY if you happen to catch the Girl Scouts when they're filling out their forms. Once the forms are shipped back, that's it, you've missed it. Occasionally, if a troop has extra cookies (ordered extra on purpose, couldn't get ahold of somebody, etc), they'll go sit outside of college campuses / grocery stores / shopping malls and sell the boxes that way...but it's not a guarantee so it's always better to find them when they've got the order forms.

You might be able to find boxes of them on eBay or something (I could check Craigslist if you wanted to Paypal me some money). That would pretty much be the only way to get them at this point (unless as I mentioned above, you get lucky and they're selling their extras).

Now, onto the cookies themselves!! I've had all of the older varieties, of which most are still around, BUT I haven't had any of the newer ones - anything they introduced after the lemon cookie is a bit after "my time" (I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid). My favorites are the Samoas, the Tagalongs, and the Thin Mints. To make your life more complicated, I regret to inform you that most of the cookies have different names on the West Coast. ;) I THINK the West Coast names for those are Caramal Delites (Samoas) and Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs), but I could be wrong. Thin Mints are definitely still called Thin Mints - they're kind of the icon of Girl Scout cookies.

Samoas (Caramel Delites) are the best - they're a circular/donut shaped cookie, covered in caramel, then coated in coconut shavings, then drizzled with chocolate. They're probably the most unhealthy of all the cookies, but they're delicious. They also have absolutely NO off-brand "copycat" substitute. There IS, however, an official Samoa ice cream (made by Edy's), which I have found pretty much year-round (spottily - it comes and goes).

Thin Mints and Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties) almost tie for second. Thin Mints barely edge Tagalongs out, though - they're crunchy and minty, and covered in a chocolate "shell". There's no creme or anything in them. Just chocolate/mint cookie and chocolate coating. They're delicious and addictive...and they're also the most imitated of the Girl Scout cookies. You can find an offbrand copycat pretty easily, and they're not bad. Not as good as the originals, of course, but they've got the best substitutes of any other Girl Scout cookie.

Tagalongs are a shortbread-ish cookie, topped with a layer of peanut butter, then dipped in the same kind of chocolate shell as the Thin Mints. They're also very delicious, but my attention span for peanut butter is limited.

The rest of the Girl Scout cookies, imo, are pretty bland - Trefoils ("Shortbreads") are just a shortbread cookie in the Girl Scout logo, and I have no idea why they're SO popular; Do-Si-Dos ("Peanut Butter Sandwiches") are just like Oreos but with plain (vanilla?) cookies and peanut butter in the middle; the lemon ones are gross (don't even remember their name), and all the rest are pretty forgettable. You'd do best to stick to at least Samoas and Thin Mints, which are typically the staples of the Girl Scout cookie family. I'm pretty sure those are the two most popular, with maybe Trefoils and Tagalongs tied for third.

Let me know if you have any more questions. :) Like I said, I was a Girl Scout, so I've had most of the flavors (pre-1997-ish). I could also maybe find you a box or two and send them to you, if you wanted to Paypal me some money.

[pne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the explanations/descriptions, the recommendations, and the offer!

I think I'll try my luck with my swap partner first, but if that doesn't work out can I look at having you or someone else try to get me some off eBay/Craigslist, or wait until next winter to ask someone to sign up for me.