GreekChat.com Forums  

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > General Chat Topics > Chit Chat

Chit Chat The Chit Chat forum is for discussions that do not fit into the forum topics listed below.


Register Now for FREE!
Join GreekChat.com, The Fraternity & Sorority Greek Chat Network. To sign up for your FREE account INSTANTLY fill out the form below!

Username: Password: Confirm Password: E-Mail: Confirm E-Mail:
 
Image Verification
Please enter the six letters or digits that appear in the image opposite.

  I agree to forum rules 

» GC Stats
Members: 325,125
Threads: 115,503
Posts: 2,196,047
Welcome to our newest member, PiperJarma
» Online Users: 1,750
2 members and 1,748 guests
flamboyanttree, LaneSig
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-08-2009, 10:06 AM
honeychile's Avatar
honeychile honeychile is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Counting my blessings!
Posts: 30,468
The Cookie Table

Most vintage GCers have heard about the SWPA tradition of The Cookie Table, by which many weddings are judged. Even Wikipedia has heard of it, although they incorrectly credit Youngstown as the origin ("in place of... a wedding cake"? Um, no!). Rather than piggyback this onto another thread, I thought I'd start a Cookie Table Thread of its own.

The tradition is simple: a table (or several tables) are filled with cookies at the wedding reception, allowing guests to help themselves for their own table or for munching on their own. Articles abound as to the hows and whys of The Cookie Table, but the bottom line is that it's a great way for friends & relatives to say that they approve of the match. Most have mini-ladylocks (clothespin cookies), pizelles, Russian (Mexican, Scottish) Teacakes, and Pecan Tassies, along with the more standard cookies. I saw a list and thought I'd post it. If you have any cookie you'd contribute, feel free to contribute a recipe. If you've tried a recipe that was perfectly nasty, let us know about that, too. MAYBE, we could combine this with Christmas Cookie thread, and have The Ultimate Cookie Recipe Thread!


This is a list of cookies shown above, with the recipes.
__________________
~ *~"ADPi"~*~
Proud to be a Macon Magnolia
"He who is not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-08-2009, 10:57 AM
PhoenixAzul PhoenixAzul is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Da 'burgh. My heart is in Glasgow
Posts: 2,728
Send a message via AIM to PhoenixAzul
We had a wonderful cookie table at our wedding, and it was the thing I was looking forward to most! An elderly friend of my MIL offered to do our cookies for us as our wedding present...something like 30 dozen later...we were good! I even baked a few just because I was nervous and needed something to channel my energy.

This recipe has been an old standby for my mom for years, and it is one of my favorites because it has nice spice tastes and is sweet and chewy too.


Raisin Molasses Gems
Servings: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

¾ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp salt
1 cup raisins
Sugar

Directions:

Beat shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat well. Combine flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Add to molasses mixture; mix well. Stir in raisins. Cover, refrigerate until chilled. Shape into 1 inch balls; roll each in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in upper third of preheated 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes
__________________
Buy the ticket, take the ride!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-10-2009, 02:31 AM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,142
It's funny, I have always wondered if the cookie table was an Ohio thing, because I have ONLY seen cookie tables at weddings in Ohio (and maybe a couple in PA).
__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-16-2009, 09:59 AM
kddani kddani is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Babyville!!! Yay!!!
Posts: 10,635
Bumping b/c of a great article in the NY Times about the Pittsburgh cookie table:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/di...?_r=3&emc=eta1
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-16-2009, 10:10 AM
ree-Xi ree-Xi is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: State of Imagination
Posts: 3,400
Is this the same thing as a Venetian Table? We had one at our wedding, with fruits, cookies, pastries, ice sculpture, etc. Ours wasn't just cookies; it was all kinds of desserts.
__________________

Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-16-2009, 01:36 PM
CutiePie2000 CutiePie2000 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 5,718
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jen View Post
This sounds like the most delicious thing ever.

I would get married just for the cookies.
ha ha - you can have a pretty ceremony. Just don't sign anything, cuz you're not married until you put pen to paper!!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-16-2009, 01:44 PM
honeychile's Avatar
honeychile honeychile is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Counting my blessings!
Posts: 30,468
I love the idea of the Chinese take out boxes! I admit to have stashed ziplock bags in my purse, but usually when my mother was invited and not up to going. She never saw a cookie she didn't like!

I didn't have a Cookie Table at my wedding. You'd be surprised to hear how many people attribute that to why the marriage didn't last! Next time, we're having the mother of all Cookie Tables!
__________________
~ *~"ADPi"~*~
Proud to be a Macon Magnolia
"He who is not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-16-2009, 02:00 PM
DrPhil DrPhil is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 14,730
Quote:
Originally Posted by honeychile View Post
I love the idea of the Chinese take out boxes!
My friend had Chinese take out boxes. Definite keepsake.

Each box had the couples' names and 2 butter-esque (don't know the name) cookies inside. I liked the cookies but my significant other did not. Can't please everyone.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-16-2009, 02:46 PM
KD4Me KD4Me is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 235
How interesting...I have been to way more than my share of weddings (most in Texas, but a couple out of state), and have never heard of a cookie table at the reception. My wedding planner did suggest giving a large, decorated cookie away to guests as party favors as they left, but we decided that we could do without that expense.

Neat idea, but I'd be afraid I wouldn't leave room for cake! (Incidentally, my pet peeve is wedding venues that cut small pieces of cake. Nobody is planning on taking home leftovers...cut them large!)
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-16-2009, 02:50 PM
ASTalumna06 ASTalumna06 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 6,290
I live 2 hours from Pittsburgh, and I have never seen or heard of this before.

However, I think it's an awesome idea. Knowing me, if I did this, I probably wouldn't even have a cake. No one eats it anyway, but everyone seems THRILLED with the cookies!
__________________
I believe in the values of friendship and fidelity to purpose

@~/~~~~
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-16-2009, 02:54 PM
Gusteau Gusteau is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,792
Quote:
Originally Posted by ASTalumna06 View Post
I live 2 hours from Pittsburgh, and I have never seen or heard of this before.

However, I think it's an awesome idea. Knowing me, if I did this, I probably wouldn't even have a cake. No one eats it anyway, but everyone seems THRILLED with the cookies!
TRUTH!

I have been to my fair share of weddings and I have never, NEVER had a good piece of wedding cake. They're always dry, or worse, soggy, but never delicious.
__________________
"Delta Chi is not a weekend or once-a-year affair but a lifelong opportunity and privilege"
- Albert Sullard Barnes
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-16-2009, 03:02 PM
ASTalumna06 ASTalumna06 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 6,290
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gusteau View Post
TRUTH!

I have been to my fair share of weddings and I have never, NEVER had a good piece of wedding cake. They're always dry, or worse, soggy, but never delicious.
At most of the weddings I've been to, a piece of cake has been placed at my seat after everyone is already up, drinking and dancing. No one is remotely interested in the cake... except for the people who don't get out of their seats for the entire wedding.

ETA: Plus, with a cake, there's usually only one kind. But with so many cookies, you can please everyone!
__________________
I believe in the values of friendship and fidelity to purpose

@~/~~~~

Last edited by ASTalumna06; 12-16-2009 at 03:04 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-16-2009, 03:22 PM
agzg agzg is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: but I am le tired...
Posts: 7,258
Quote:
Originally Posted by ASTalumna06 View Post
I live 2 hours from Pittsburgh, and I have never seen or heard of this before.

However, I think it's an awesome idea. Knowing me, if I did this, I probably wouldn't even have a cake. No one eats it anyway, but everyone seems THRILLED with the cookies!
A. I am SHOCKED that you've never seen this. There's been a cookie table at at least 10 of the last 11 weddings I've been to! Plenty in Erie, as well.

B. I've never met a piece of wedding cake I didn't like. In particular, my brother's (made by my SIL's Grandmother) and the wedding I went to over Thanksgiving had DELICIOUS cake, that was aesthetically pleasing as well.

C. I didn't know what to think of a cookie table the first time I went to a wedding that had one. I was surprised that they can be GORGEOUS. I was in a wedding once where the cookie table overshadowed the cake SO MUCH that they ended up moving the cake all the way across the (very large) reception hall.

That was at the same wedding where the bride and groom made to-go bags that looked like their invitations and said "thanks for sharing our day" or whatever. Of course, that was a Pittsburgh-themed wedding, in Pittsburgh. They're not all so gaw-geous. When I say Pittsburgh themed, the colors were black and gold, their engagement photos were taken in front of all the sports fields/arenas (in the jersey of the team that plays there), etc... so of course their cookie table was HUGE (we're talking the entire wall of a huge reception hall with about 5,000 cookies or candies).
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12-16-2009, 03:43 PM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,142
Quote:
Originally Posted by agzg View Post
A. I am SHOCKED that you've never seen this. There's been a cookie table at at least 10 of the last 11 weddings I've been to!
Same for Ohio. Cookie tables are pretty common. I'd say only 2 or 3 of the last couple I've been to have NOT had cookie tables. They're usually pretty elaborate, and there are usually little decorative bags, chinese takeout boxes, etc. for guests to take things home in.
__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12-16-2009, 04:03 PM
ASTalumna06 ASTalumna06 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 6,290
Quote:
Originally Posted by agzg View Post
A. I am SHOCKED that you've never seen this. There's been a cookie table at at least 10 of the last 11 weddings I've been to! Plenty in Erie, as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 View Post
Same for Ohio. Cookie tables are pretty common. I'd say only 2 or 3 of the last couple I've been to have NOT had cookie tables. They're usually pretty elaborate, and there are usually little decorative bags, chinese takeout boxes, etc. for guests to take things home in.
I am CLEARLY going to the wrong weddings!
__________________
I believe in the values of friendship and fidelity to purpose

@~/~~~~
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Cookie Shine DeeAngel Pi Beta Phi 6 04-27-2007 06:14 PM
Gone too far! Cookie Monster on Atkins! kddani News & Politics 24 04-20-2005 12:00 PM
Not a cookie cutter girl! AshleyPi Alpha Delta Pi 19 02-02-2004 06:31 PM
Fortune Cookie Hootie Chit Chat 24 11-03-2003 01:31 PM
Virtual Fortune Cookie SigkapAlumWSU Cool Sites 1 08-05-2003 05:20 PM



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.