Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

...is not Christmas. It's not my birthday (although that is definitely #2).

IT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SEASON.























Every year at this time I come into work and find a lovely surprise on my desk. My shopping bag full of girl scout cookies. Yes, I said a shopping bag. I never order just one box. That would be cookie blasphemy. I did practice a little self restraint this year and only ordered 3 boxes.

Within MINUTES arriving to work, this happened...
















You would think it stopped there. Well it didn't. It didn't stop until there was nothing left.
















This got me thinking about my favorite seasonal foods and how when I see them, I get so excited that I inhale them like it's going to be my last meal. Here are ten of my favorites for you guys. There are more than just these ten, but you don't necessarily need such an up close and personal view of what a glutton I really am by me giving you the entire list. In no particular order...

1. Girl Scout cookies. Specifically thin mints. Keebler makes a good knock-off version of thin mints, but there really is no substitute for the girl scout brand.

2. Pumpkin butter. As I have mentioned before, I hoard jars of Trader Joe's pumpkin butter. When I finally see them on the shelves in late August, early September, I buy 5 or 6 jars that first day. No joke.

3. Cadbury mini eggs. I bought an 18 ounce bag this past weekend and it's already almost gone. Yes, I have a problem.

4. Summer squash. You can usually find summer squash in the supermarket year round, but really the only time it tastes good is right from a farmer's market in the middle of the summer. It was one of my favorite vegetables growing up and it's the perfect summer veggie as far as I'm concerned.

5. Gingerbread. Nothing says fall and winter like gingerbread. I love baking up some gingerbread and then topping with homemade whipped cream for a treat. Trader Joe's makes a great boxed mix of gingerbread.

6. Candy canes. I love candy canes as they are, but even more so as the topping for chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting or peppermint bark.

7. Apple cider (and apple cider donuts!). I love hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick in it and there is nothing better than a hot apple cider donut fresh out of the oven. Yum!

8. Starbucks seasonal coffees like the Gingerbread Latte or Peppermint Mocha. I look forward to Starbucks seasonal drinks like a parolee looks forward to freedom.

9. Egg nog. I only allow myself one carton a year because I don't really like to drink my calories unless it's coffee, but that first glass right around Thanksgiving is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.

10. Watermelon. Again, you can find this in the supermarket all year long, but it's the best in the dead of summer when you can buy a huge whole watermelon and chop up the juicy center yourself instead of eating it out of a plastic container that was shipped from South America. Nothing in the world beats watermelon.
What is your favorite seasonal food?

14 comments:

  1. The candy corn pumpkins...I buy bags and bags every October

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  2. I would have to say Stone Crabs... they are only available fresh from October to May. Worth every penny :)

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  3. I am a big fan of thin mints - I saw Edy's has a seasonal thin mint ice cream. I had a major craving for coffee ice cream otherwise I would have bought it.

    I love egg nog as well and soft shell lobsters...mmmm.

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  4. I LOVE Girl Scout cookies and this post. It gets me excited for what's to come! I really love Cadbury Creme Eggs and then watermelon in the summer.

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  5. My favorite seasonal food would have to be the peppermint mocha at Starbucks. I can't get enough of it! Second would probably be fresh Carolina peaches. :D Peach season is one of the few times I enjoy living in SC :D

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  6. Yum! We just bought some this weekend. I immediately hid them in the back of the freezer in hopes that I would forget about them until we finish the giant cheesecake in our fridge, it's not working though!

    My favorite seasonal food is Cadbury Cream Eggs. They are the best at Easter!

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  7. my favs are definitely samoas and tagalongs. unfortunately i can no longer eat them, but i've been on a quest (for quite some time) to make dairy free samoas. the day it happens will be the best day of my life (as i can predict thus far).

    i also love pumpkin butter season (and anything pumpkin season). yum.

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  8. Those damn girl scout cookies! My husband ordered from 4 different girls this year! Like I don't make enough cookies?
    I love anything pumpkin and apple, especially! I love going apple picking and having a big bag of crisp apples in my house. I also love zucchini, particularly zucchini bread. My father in law has a huge garden and we get tons of zucchini every year that I turn into bread, quiche, etc.

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  9. My favorite Girl Scout cookie is the Samoa - without a doubt! I really should try to make my own - like I need an excuse to keep those around!

    I really love watermelon too - I have to say that its my favorite seasonal fruit!

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  10. My list is pretty darn close to yours! I do think I eat my weight in frozen yogurt and soft serve in the warm months though...

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  11. Cadbury mini eggs, conversation hearts, cherries!

    And this sentence I look forward to Starbucks seasonal drinks like a parolee looks forward to freedom made me giggle all day long.

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  12. Cadbury mini eggs for sure! I don't like the cream egg though. I also like candy canes. My husband was kind of appalled when I bought one at a gas station over Christmas. Whatever. It was good!

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  13. Ohhh I love pumpkin butter!! I really love strawberries!!! There is nothing better than when i can pick some up and know they will taste amazing bc it's that time of year!!

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  14. I don't like the mint thins, but I LOVE the coconut chocolate ones...samoas???

    Cadbury mini eggs are where it's at!

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