online poker

Omnomicon

say it with me now, “om nom nom”

Subscribe to Omnomicon
May-27-2009

new recipe round-robin: chocolate chip cookies!

Posted by aleta under recipe round-robin

And here we are, upon our third Recipe Round-Robin! This is a sweet month (we’re alternating sweet and savoury, as you’ll recall) and though I’d hoped to stave it off just a bit longer, it looks like everyone is cheering for Chocolate Chip Cookies—and, accordingly, that’s what we’re doing in June.

I have dedicated an entire page for the Recipe Round-Robin, so if you aren’t familiar with the concept, you can read all about it here (there is also a link at the very top of the homepage next to my “About” section). Bare bones version: it’s a recipe contest, and each participant taste-tests two of the recipes to determine the best. Take a moment to read through the rules. Five minutes. Then you’re good to go.

The schedule this time around is a little longer than usual because I’m a going on vacation when I would normally post results. That’s okay, though, it gives our Tastebuddies an extra weekend. And it gives me a vacation to the opposite coast, where I have never been—I am a local girl through-and-through, but I’ve no doubt I’ll love San Fran.

This time around the prize will be a personal favourite of mine, that perennial classic The JOY of Cooking. I find that the JOY’s recipes are always very basic (sometimes bordering bland), but it is by far the most usefully encyclopedic cooking/baking resource I have come across. If I have an ingredient and I don’t know what to do with it, chances are the JOY has a few ideas, in addition to a descriptive flavour profile and preparation tips with clear illustrations. It was my very first and still remains my favourite cooking resource! (and hey, if that isn’t one hell of an unofficial endorsement, I’ll never sell anything).

[edit: what the JOY has taught me]

I ignored this
The directions were confusing.

And then learned this

A tutorial.

[end edit]
 

Recipierres
Consider this an official appeal for your expertise! Please send your most treasured chocolate chip cookie recipe to [aleta at omnomicon dot com] by Wednesday June 3, 2009 at 9pm EST. Please note that we are limited to the number of recipes we can test based upon the number of participants, so your chances of getting in on the action will increase the sooner you send along your recipe. And I’ll be checking your recipe against Toll House’s, so please be sure your contribution is original.

Tastebuddies
There are a lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes, but they are all unfailingly delicious, so that right there is a good incentive to be a Tastebuddy! Leave a comment by Tuesday June 2, 2009 at 9pm EST to volunteer as a taste-tester. You will have the following three weekends to make two batches of cookies, and your final decision is due Monday, June 22 by midnight. Unlike recipe submissions, all those who sign up to be a Tastebuddy will be able to participate, promise!

One last thing…
As I’ve mentioned before, the Recipe Round-Robin is a work in progress, so there will be tweaks to the process every round (but never within a round, of course). This month, I’m limiting the number of recipes being tested. Last time around we saw A LOT of meatloaf recipes, which is super duper awesome sauce, but unfortunately it meant that some only got tested a few times, which has the potential to mess with the accuracy of the results.

The number of accepted entries will be a function of the number of Tastebuds we have (more Tastebuds = more tested recipes) so we can make sure that every recipe is tested against every other at least once. You can see the formula I use at the Recipe Round-Robin page. I laboured over how to choose the recipes to be included and settled upon the objective and safe “first come first serve” method. If anyone, this rewards my more regular readers, and hey, that seems fair to me! The best way to make sure your recipe is tested, however, is to invite more Tastebuddies, so please spread the word!

And lastly, whether sign up as a Recipierre or Tastebuddy, please be aware that your judgment is very important, especially now we’re limiting the number of recipes tested. I’m convinced that everyone who signs up intends to follow through, but when you see a lot of other Tastebuddies signed up, it looks like your vote doesn’t count, right? Well, with this particular experimental design, it actually does, and quite a bit too, so when you don’t send your results it can make it difficult to pick a winner. Don’t underestimate your expertise; make some time to make some cookies!

Alright, enough with the boring stuff, let’s see your chocolate chip cookie recipes!!

Tags:
55 COMMENTS
  1. Twitted by omnomicon Said,

    […] This post was Twitted by omnomicon – Real-url.org […]

  2. ChemicalDependence Said,

    Loyal tastebuddy reporting for duty!

    Joy is a fabulous resource – but I’m curious about how you feel about Joy vs. Fannie Farmer, especially being from New England.

  3. Emily Lauren Said,

    Oooh! I’ll certainly tastebuddy-up for this one!
    Count me in.

  4. Hannah Said,

    Hooray! Sign me up to be a tastebuddy, please, please, please!

  5. Kellen Said,

    Tastebud right here.

  6. Nathalie W. Said,

    Tastebuddy, please!

  7. Dixie Said,

    I am IN as a Tastebud.

  8. Kristin Said,

    I’m more than happy to volunteer as a tastebud again, particularly for something as tasty as CC cookies. I’d send in the recipe I normally use, but I’m afraid it’s probably just the one my grandma copied off of the bag of chocolate chips long ago 🙂

  9. dominique Said,

    I’d love to be a tastebuddy!

  10. Natalie Said,

    I’m in as a tastebuddy – I promise I won’t let you down this time. 😉

  11. kisma Said,

    Tastebud here!!

  12. Rachelle Said,

    I’d like to be a tastebud!

  13. C Said,

    Tastebuddy!

  14. Jessamyn Said,

    I would love to be a tastebuddy!

  15. Collin Said,

    I see that there are many volunteered tastebuddies already, but I would really love to be a tastebuddy!

  16. Erin Said,

    Am sending in my mom’s recipe… will be super disappointed if it turns out to be toll house… ’cause these are def. the best choc. chip cookies I’ve ever had!

  17. LadyGlutter Said,

    I suspect you’re going to be bombarded with recipes on this one, so I feel honorbound to volunteer my services as a a tastebuddy. 🙂

  18. Annie Johns Said,

    yay for tastebuddies!

  19. Steph Said,

    Can I be a tastebuddy?

  20. Caroline Said,

    I’m definitely up for cookie time! Tastebuddy me up, Aleta! =9

  21. Liz Said,

    I found out recently that our family recipe of wonder is in fact Toll House, which I would feel cheap entering. So: Tastebuddy, plz!

  22. heather Said,

    sweet!!! (literally! hehe)

    im going to submit my recipe as soon as i get home, also want to be a tastebuddy!

  23. Theone Said,

    Yay for chocolate chip cookies! I can’t wiat to be a tastebuddy for this one.

  24. jenn Said,

    i want to be a tastebuddy!!!

  25. Katie Said,

    I would submit a recipe, but my Mom’s secret family recipe is… the recipe on the back of the Toll House chocolate chip bag.

    But I would love to be a tastebud!

  26. Adagio Said,

    sign me up.

  27. Amber Said,

    Tastebuddy pls!!!! 🙂

  28. Carly Said,

    I’ll tastetest!

  29. Liz Said,

    I may have to pass the baton over to my boyfriend for this one as he is the baker of the house, but we’re definitely in for tastebuds.

  30. katherine Said,

    Tastebud here 🙂

  31. Ann-Sofi Said,

    Signing up as a tastebuddy!

  32. Wendy Said,

    Just found your site and LOVE IT!! I would very much love to be a tastebuddy!

  33. Mitawa Said,

    I’d Tastebuddy this one. 🙂

  34. Jeff Said,

    Did you expect this many tastebuddies? +1 here!

  35. Isabel Said,

    TASTEBUDDIES!

  36. Bree Said,

    Count me in! I LOVE to TASTE!

  37. Jewel Said,

    I’ll be a tastebuddy! No one can resist chocolate chip cookies!

  38. Fay Said,

    I’d love to be a tastebuddy if you’ve room for any more x

  39. Kay Said,

    I need an excuse to make cookies! Count me in as a tastebuddy!

  40. Ruthann Said,

    Tastebuddy application in hand ….. “please sir, can I testbake cookies?”

  41. Kristen Said,

    Tastebuddy please! I love a good chocolate chip cookie! Adore your blog by the way!

  42. Chanelle Said,

    Tastebuddy – my new kitchen needs christened with cookies. 🙂 Do I email you my pick?

  43. tori Said,

    Ugh, the horror! I was going to submit my grandmother’s recipe for chocolate chip cookies because they’re awesome, but double checked it against the toll house recipe to be on the safe side, and IT’S THE SAME! My mom has a slight variation on grandma’s recipe, can that count as an original recipe since it’s different than the original? If I can’t enter, my husband and I would still like to be testbuddies. We’re house-sitting and this kitchen is amazing (she has a kitchenaid stand mixer!).

  44. Rebecca Said,

    Taste buddy, please!

  45. Susan Said,

    I’d love to be a Tastebuddy!

  46. Ruth Said,

    Add me to the Tastebuddy list!

  47. Kitty Said,

    uh, chocolate chip cookies?
    DEFINITELY
    BEING
    A TASTEBUDDY.

    😀

  48. Laura Said,

    Please count me in as a Tastebuddy!

  49. Lisa Said,

    You know, I was really searching for another excuse to make some chocolate chip cookies… count me in as a Tastebuddy!
    By the way, I think this is just a wonderful idea! LOVE your blog!

  50. amy Said,

    I would really like to be a Tastebuddy!
    very excited to not have to succumb to break and bake to get my cookie dough fix 🙂

Add A Comment