It's holiday time and people are bringing sweets to the office.
Yesterday a fellow brought some very rich, very good cookies he'd made
himself, and of course we all complimented him. And all of us
commented on the coconut in the cookies.

"There's no coconut in the cookies."

"Yes, there is, I can taste it. Well, actually I don't taste coconut,
but I'm certainly chewing coconut. I know coconut when I chew it."

"No, there's no coconut."

"Don't be silly -- I'm chewing coconut right now; here's a piece of it
on my finger; of course there's coconut in this cookie."

<Getting a little testy> "I did NOT put any coconut in those cookies."

"So what is this I'm chewing on then?"

"Well, whatever it is, it's not coconut."

"Just look at these flakes I've <yuck> removed from between my teeth.
It's coconut."

"IT'S NOT COCONUT!"

Now as we all are aware, Usenet can answer any question if only you can
find the right newsgroup. Well, this looks like the right newsgroup to
solve the mystery of the coconut that wasn't there. So somebody please
tell us: How come something resembling coconut flakes has turned up in
cookies prepared as follows?

1 stick butter, melted in cookie pan
1 1/2 cups crushed Graham crackers, mixed with the butter and pressed
into the pan
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup crushed pecans
Spread all that over the Graham cracker crust and pour one can of Eagle
Brand milk over all of it.
Bake 30 or 35 minutes at 325 degrees and cut into squares when it
cools.

That's it. Now I ask the Usenet experts -- How did that mixture
produce something in the cookies that at least mimics coconut flakes?
Help, please, and many thanks in advance.

Bill Anderson

On 6 Dec 2006 11:07:50 -0800, wrote:

>It's holiday time and people are bringing sweets to the office.
>Yesterday a fellow brought some very rich, very good cookies he'd made
>himself, and of course we all complimented him. And all of us
>commented on the coconut in the cookies.
>
>"There's no coconut in the cookies."

My copy of the recipe you posted does have coconut in it, but I've
heard of a recipe floating around that uses sauerkraut, of all things,
and people say that the people who eat it think it's coconut. Maybe
that's why the person got agitated.

Serene
--
"I can't decide if I feel more like four ten-year-olds or ten four-year-olds." Laurie Anderson , on turning 40.

http://serenejournal.livejournal.com

wrote:

> That's it. Now I ask the Usenet experts -- How did that mixture
> produce something in the cookies that at least mimics coconut flakes?
> Help, please, and many thanks in advance.

Other than skins from pecan nuts, I don't know, but I sure would have passed
on the cookies or spit out what was in my mouth. I would hate to imagine
what foreign crap might have unknowingly floated into the dough.
--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

wrote:

>
> That's it. Now I ask the Usenet experts -- How did that mixture
> produce something in the cookies that at least mimics coconut flakes?
> Help, please, and many thanks in advance.
>
> Bill Anderson
>

That's an old recipe from the 60's that is called "7 Layer Bars"
or "Hello Dolly Bars" and the original recipe most definitely has a
layer of coconut.

I suspect your co-worker had someone else make the cookies for him and
lied about the coconut because he didn't want to admit it, really didn't
know, and felt threatened when challenged.

gloria p

Puester wrote:

>
> That's an old recipe from the 60's that is called "7 Layer Bars"
> or "Hello Dolly Bars" and the original recipe most definitely has a
> layer of coconut.

That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.

>
> I suspect your co-worker had someone else make the cookies for him and
> lied about the coconut because he didn't want to admit it, really didn't
> know, and felt threatened when challenged.
>

Well, no, I don't think so. If you were here and if you knew him well,
I think you'd agree that if he says there's no coconut, then there's no
coconut. Here, I'll take a bite of one ... and chew ... and now ....
OK ... whatever it is I'm chewing really doesn't taste like coconut.
This ingredient actually has no distinctive taste at all -- it just has
the consistency of little bits of coconut.

I had sort of expected some experienced cook to tell me that Eagle
Brand precipitates little flakes when it's heated in a catalyst of
Graham cracker crumbs -- or something scientific like that. I don't
know. I wish you could taste the cookies. You'd say, I think, "well
.... whatever that is doesn't taste like coconut but it sure does chew
like coconut." Yep, I think that's what you'd say.

Bill Anderson

wrote:
> Well, no, I don't think so. If you were here and if you knew him well,
> I think you'd agree that if he says there's no coconut, then there's no
> coconut. Here, I'll take a bite of one ... and chew ... and now ....
> OK ... whatever it is I'm chewing really doesn't taste like coconut.
> This ingredient actually has no distinctive taste at all -- it just has
> the consistency of little bits of coconut.
>
> I had sort of expected some experienced cook to tell me that Eagle
> Brand precipitates little flakes when it's heated in a catalyst of
> Graham cracker crumbs -- or something scientific like that. I don't
> know. I wish you could taste the cookies. You'd say, I think, "well
> ... whatever that is doesn't taste like coconut but it sure does chew
> like coconut." Yep, I think that's what you'd say.
>
> Bill Anderson

He may have made them with Roca bars which have tinty bits of coconut
in them. So while he didn't *add* coconut, there *is* coconut in them.

-L.

wrote:
> Puester wrote:
>
> >
> > That's an old recipe from the 60's that is called "7 Layer Bars"
> > or "Hello Dolly Bars" and the original recipe most definitely has a
> > layer of coconut.
>
> That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.

I have to agree, then, that there was actually coconut present.

.. We make 7 Layer bars - also known as Magic Cookie bars - all the
time, they're my honey's favorite cookie. We vary the ingredients
constantly - 2 cups of chips, 1 cup of nuts, 1 cup of coconut, 1 can
sweetened condensed milk (aka Eagles brand) is the basic formula we
follow. I've made them both with and without coconut, and never, ever
have we thought it was in there unless it really was. Otherwsie, you
have a layer of bottom crust from the graham crackers, and a medley of
chocolate and nuts and fruits and peanut butter and mint and whatever
you've added all stuck together with the goo that used to be the tinned
milk. Nothing chewy.

In the basic recipe, though, the coconut is the top layer so it's
definitely visible there.

But the puzzle si why he would insist there's no coconut there.

Wait! My local BJ's has been selling "7 layer bar baking kits". Maybe
he used one of these, and didn't realize what was in one of the little
packages he had to layer up. Just remembered the chips and the can of
milk and the nuts. Figured the package of white stuff that went over
the graham crackers was some kind of flour, not dessicated cocnut.
That's my theory.

A ha! Figgered it out =)

> wrote

> Puester wrote:

> That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.

> Well, no, I don't think so. If you were here and if you knew him well,
> I think you'd agree that if he says there's no coconut, then there's no
> coconut.

> 1 stick butter, melted in cookie pan
> 1 1/2 cups crushed Graham crackers, mixed with the butter and pressed
> into the pan
> 1 cup chocolate chips
> 1 cup butterscotch chips
> 1 cup crushed pecans
> Spread all that over the Graham cracker crust and pour one can of Eagle
> Brand milk over all of it.

So, what are the 7 layers? I don't see seven there.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
> > wrote
>
> > Puester wrote:
>
> > That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.
>
> > Well, no, I don't think so. If you were here and if you knew him well,
> > I think you'd agree that if he says there's no coconut, then there's no
> > coconut.
>
> > 1 stick butter, melted in cookie pan
> > 1 1/2 cups crushed Graham crackers, mixed with the butter and pressed
> > into the pan
> > 1 cup chocolate chips
> > 1 cup butterscotch chips
> > 1 cup crushed pecans
> > Spread all that over the Graham cracker crust and pour one can of Eagle
> > Brand milk over all of it.
>
> So, what are the 7 layers? I don't see seven there.
>
> nancy


Yeah, yeah, we've been razzing him about that too. But if he says no
coconut, then no coconut. I've carefully wrapped one of the cookies in
napkins and put it in my coat pocket. I'm going to take it with me to
a bar tonight. We'll see what a bunch of drunks ^h^h^h^h^h gourmands
have to say.

Bill Anderson

> schreef in bericht
oups.com...
>
> Puester wrote:
>
>>
>> That's an old recipe from the 60's that is called "7 Layer Bars"
>> or "Hello Dolly Bars" and the original recipe most definitely has a
>> layer of coconut.
>
> That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.
>
>>
>> I suspect your co-worker had someone else make the cookies for him and
>> lied about the coconut because he didn't want to admit it, really didn't
>> know, and felt threatened when challenged.
>>
>
> Well, no, I don't think so. If you were here and if you knew him well,
> I think you'd agree that if he says there's no coconut, then there's no
> coconut. Here, I'll take a bite of one ... and chew ... and now ....
> OK ... whatever it is I'm chewing really doesn't taste like coconut.
> This ingredient actually has no distinctive taste at all -- it just has
> the consistency of little bits of coconut.

How about grated carrot?
>
> I had sort of expected some experienced cook to tell me that Eagle
> Brand precipitates little flakes when it's heated in a catalyst of
> Graham cracker crumbs -- or something scientific like that. I don't
> know. I wish you could taste the cookies. You'd say, I think, "well
> ... whatever that is doesn't taste like coconut but it sure does chew
> like coconut." Yep, I think that's what you'd say.
>
> Bill Anderson
>

>> > That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.

Why not make them yourself and compare.

Robert

Nancy Young wrote:
> > wrote
>
> > Puester wrote:
>
> > That's exactly what he called them -- 7 Layer Cookies.
>
> > Well, no, I don't think so. If you were here and if you knew him well,
> > I think you'd agree that if he says there's no coconut, then there's no
> > coconut.
>
> > 1 stick butter, melted in cookie pan
> > 1 1/2 cups crushed Graham crackers, mixed with the butter and pressed
> > into the pan
> > 1 cup chocolate chips
> > 1 cup butterscotch chips
> > 1 cup crushed pecans
> > Spread all that over the Graham cracker crust and pour one can of Eagle
> > Brand milk over all of it.
>
> So, what are the 7 layers? I don't see seven there.
>
> nancy

You are correct! They 7th layer is the coconut =) at least according to
the standard recipe. (technically thety would be 7 ingredient bars; the
butter and graham crackers meld together to make the crusty layer.)

wrote:
I'm going to take it with me to
> a bar tonight. We'll see what a bunch of drunks ^h^h^h^h^h gourmands
> have to say.
>

Thanks very much to all of you who responded. I did take a cookie to
the bar http://www.701restaurant.com/ and several of us taste-tested
bits and pieces and then we closely examined what was left and sure
enough -- others besides myself identified flakes of something oh so
closely resembling coconut, some pieces rather large, some stringy
pieces with the tensile strength of coconut shavings, really big bits of
something so closely resembling coconut that ... I think I just need to
let it go. The guy insists he put no coconut in the cookies. Well ...
OK, then, there's no coconut in the cookies. No coconut at all, and no
explanation for those non-existent, stringy, chewy, coconutty things we
thought we saw but probably merely imagined. That's just how it is.
Again, many thanks, and never mind and sorry for the interruption.

--
Bill Anderson

"Bill Anderson" > wrote

> Thanks very much to all of you who responded. I did take a cookie to the
> bar http://www.701restaurant.com/ and several of us taste-tested bits and
> pieces and then we closely examined what was left and sure enough --
> others besides myself identified flakes of something oh so closely
> resembling coconut, some pieces rather large, some stringy pieces with the
> tensile strength of coconut shavings, really big bits of something so
> closely resembling coconut that ... I think I just need to let it go. The
> guy insists he put no coconut in the cookies. Well ... OK, then, there's
> no coconut in the cookies. No coconut at all, and no explanation for
> those non-existent, stringy, chewy, coconutty things we thought we saw but
> probably merely imagined. That's just how it is. Again, many thanks, and
> never mind and sorry for the interruption.

Maybe there was coconut in the graham crackers he used for the crust.
Bugs me when I find it in store bought chocolate chip type cookies, and
seems like it's in most of them. Just a thought.

Now stop interrupting us! (just kidding!)

nancy

On Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:06:29 -0500, Bill Anderson
> wrote:

wrote:
>I'm going to take it with me to
>> a bar tonight. We'll see what a bunch of drunks ^h^h^h^h^h gourmands
>> have to say.
>>
>
>Thanks very much to all of you who responded. I did take a cookie to
>the bar http://www.701restaurant.com/ and several of us taste-tested
>bits and pieces and then we closely examined what was left and sure
>enough -- others besides myself identified flakes of something oh so
>closely resembling coconut, some pieces rather large, some stringy
>pieces with the tensile strength of coconut shavings, really big bits of
>something so closely resembling coconut that ... I think I just need to
>let it go. The guy insists he put no coconut in the cookies. Well ...
>OK, then, there's no coconut in the cookies. No coconut at all, and no
>explanation for those non-existent, stringy, chewy, coconutty things we
>thought we saw but probably merely imagined. That's just how it is.
>Again, many thanks, and never mind and sorry for the interruption.

Either it's a very convincing mass hallucination, or the guy was
mistaken and there IS coconut in it, or else the graham crackers
weren't really grahams... personally I favour theory number two :P

> wrote in message
ups.com
> It's holiday time and people are bringing sweets to the office.
> Yesterday a fellow brought some very rich, very good cookies he'd made
> himself, and of course we all complimented him. And all of us
> commented on the coconut in the cookies.
>
> "There's no coconut in the cookies."
>
> "Yes, there is, I can taste it. Well, actually I don't taste coconut,
> but I'm certainly chewing coconut. I know coconut when I chew it."
>

Read Serene's response. I've had them made with sauerkraut, and they do,
indeed, have the texture of coconut.

I haven't tasted any, but Jke's response of grated carrot might be the
answer, too. You'd possibly see the orange color in the flakes, though.

BOB
using extra commas for Sheldon, and because they are cheap,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> It's holiday time and people are bringing sweets to the office.
> Yesterday a fellow brought some very rich, very good cookies he'd made
> himself, and of course we all complimented him. And all of us
> commented on the coconut in the cookies.
>
> "There's no coconut in the cookies."
>
> "Yes, there is, I can taste it. Well, actually I don't taste coconut,
> but I'm certainly chewing coconut. I know coconut when I chew it."
>
> "No, there's no coconut."
>
> "Don't be silly -- I'm chewing coconut right now; here's a piece of it
> on my finger; of course there's coconut in this cookie."
>
> <Getting a little testy> "I did NOT put any coconut in those cookies."
>
> "So what is this I'm chewing on then?"
>
> "Well, whatever it is, it's not coconut."
>
> "Just look at these flakes I've <yuck> removed from between my teeth.
> It's coconut."
>
> "IT'S NOT COCONUT!"
>
> Now as we all are aware, Usenet can answer any question if only you can
> find the right newsgroup. Well, this looks like the right newsgroup to
> solve the mystery of the coconut that wasn't there. So somebody please
> tell us: How come something resembling coconut flakes has turned up in
> cookies prepared as follows?
>
> 1 stick butter, melted in cookie pan
> 1 1/2 cups crushed Graham crackers, mixed with the butter and pressed
> into the pan
> 1 cup chocolate chips
> 1 cup butterscotch chips
> 1 cup crushed pecans
> Spread all that over the Graham cracker crust and pour one can of Eagle
> Brand milk over all of it.
> Bake 30 or 35 minutes at 325 degrees and cut into squares when it
> cools.
>
> That's it. Now I ask the Usenet experts -- How did that mixture
> produce something in the cookies that at least mimics coconut flakes?
> Help, please, and many thanks in advance.
>
> Bill Anderson
>

Had this happen at a place of employment years ago. Cookies were made and
cooled on wax paper. Wax melted and stuck to the cookies, as they were
transported, cooled more, etc. the wax bits crinkled and broke up, giving
the impression of being, and chewing, like coconut.
-ginny

wrote:
> It's holiday time and people are bringing sweets to the office.
> Yesterday a fellow brought some very rich, very good cookies he'd made
> himself, and of course we all complimented him. And all of us
> commented on the coconut in the cookies.

<Snip magically appearing coconut>

I don't know, but my mom used to have a recipe exactly like this except
with one additional ingredient...guess what it was? Yep, coconut!

Lisa Ann