And suddenly, it’s June 12. For many of us, the kids have already been out of school for long enough; and for those unfortunate scholars who have just been released from their labors, there’s an air of resentment born from a feeling that they’ve been kept unfairly chained to their desks while everybody else has been out having fun. And that, of course, is and has been a lot of fun for parental ears to hear. It’s enough to make you need to take a cookie break. And perhaps that’s why June 12 is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day.
Cookies, by nature, create comfort, which is geometrically increased if there’s peanut butter in the mix. In the moment of cookie consumption, the ethereal hopes founded on comfort food are made flesh, real and immediate. It may well calm the kids, too, but today our need is greater. And, as it’s an official holiday, feast rules apply, so we can indulge without guilt. In many ways, a Peanut Butter Cookie is good medicine. It’s certainly good juju.
Peanut Butter itself is one of the undisputed regents of our pantries. Along with bread and packaged meat, it’s at the top of most grocery shopping lists. Its blissful union of protein, popularity and simplicity give it special powers that parents appreciate when faced with the often insatiable appetites of young, summer warriors. But for our purposes, it’s the combination of rich and roasted nuttiness, touched by a gentle sweetness that commends this particular nut butter to our cookie cravings.
We’re unabashedly fond of our Peanut Butter Cookies. Just picking them up sends appetizing signals to our brain – the weight and texture foretell a good bite, the aroma of sweet, roasted peanuts promises an equally enjoyable taste. They’re soft and yielding but still firm enough to enjoy a quick dunk in some milk or even coffee.
Of course, the kids love them, too. And sometimes we’ve been known to split our treats with them; our cookies are big enough to share, and we like to encourage sharing. On the other hand, they’re just the right size to help us appreciate how sweet life is with friends and family all around us. And that’s really good juju – especially if everyone has their very own peanut butter cookie.
Happy Summer Vacation! Happy Peanut Butter Cookie Day!