Make New Friends...

But keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. If you were a Girl Scout like me, then you probably remember singing that song. You probably also remember selling Girl Scout Cookies. Back when I was a Girl Scout, your parents didn't just bring the order form to work one day and bring it home all filled up with orders for you. No siree. You went door-to-door selling them (apparently no one cared about child abduction in those days). I suppose some Girls Scouts liked doing this, but I dreaded it (not as much as I dreaded gym class, but enough). It was always the same. You'd ring the doorbell and whoever answered asked how much they were. I'd tell them $1.50 a box (this was about 1980), and they would proceed to complain about how much they had gone up in price, how few cookies were in the box, and what an overall rip-off it was. I suppose better salesgirls than me had ready answers for these gripes, but I had none. Needless to say I never sold many cookies and only once got the special 100+ box badge.

So a few weeks ago when a colleague brought their daughter's cookie order form to work, I didn't order any. Yes, I will admit it was partly due to resentment that today's Girl Scouts don't have to go door-to-door. But mostly it was because they're $3.50 a box now! There are hardly any cookies in a box, and it's an overall rip-off! I didn't regret my decision until the cookies were delivered last week. The cookie boxes were nothing special, but the cardboard boxes that cases of cookies came in featured fantastic cookie characters!

Looking at the Little Brownie Bakers website (one of two authorized Girl Scout Cookies bakeries, the other being ABC Bakers), I was able to find pictures of all eight characters.

Trefoil (aka Shortbread):
It's interesting to me that the Trefoil cookie is portrayed as an old lady, while all the other characters are young and active. It's also interesting to me (and rather alarming) that if I had to buy some cookies I would now pick the Trefoils. Thirty years ago when I was selling these I liked the Samoas best.

Do-Si-Do (aka peanut butter sandwiches):

Dulce de Leche:

Lemon Chalet Creme:

Samosa (aka Caramel deLites):

Tagalongs (aka peanut butter patties):

Thin Mint:

Thank U Berry Munch:

These new friends are surely destined to become gold. When cookie time rolls around next year I may even buy a box and you should, too.

***Please note that all images are the property of Little Brownie Bakers and Kellogg NA***

***Please also note that Girl Scout Cookies are a major fundraiser for a worthwhile organization. The cookies are not a rip-off and you should buy some if you see a Girl Scout selling them***