Adventures in Eating: Choco Mint Snappers

As you drive into this small college town in Oregon, the prosperity is no­ticeable. The homes vary in design from all wood Victorian styles with ginger­bread pitched roofs, to solid red brick ones denoting a simple eastern feeling, to newly painted modern stucco ones.

Driving the freeway is not a dreary task, as traffic moves at a most pleasant pace, with pine, maple, and poplar trees sil­houetted against the smogless, blue sky. All along the sides of the road are wild blackberry bushes. I am so tempted to stop, pull out a plastic bag, and start picking the little black gems. Onetime, I was cautioned by a native”\ that these berries were not recommended eating. The dust and carbon monoxide generated by automobiles make the fruit unfit for healthful consumption!

The Linfield College campus in McMinnville, Oregon was again the set­ting for the 3rd annual Pinot Noir Festi­val. People come from all over the world to extol this grape. It’s a wonder to me how each year the wine gurus find reasons to “virtuize” (is there such a word) the Pinot Noir grape. I am fond of the wine. But of course, Paul Sr. and Jr. were in seventh heaven again.

We passed the green lawns of the cam­pus, red brick buildings standing guard, with majestic trees holding hands as if to shade its guests or any weary traveler. Our destination was the Orchard View Inn Bed and Breakfast hosted by Carole and Wayne Barton. A flag dotted the en­trance, and we were greeted by our hosts. An enchanting home, in a true forest glen, with a veranda encircling the house. We were immediately seated on the porch, and presented with a hearty cup of coffee and a tray of great cookies. Carole obliged so you can enjoy them too.

CHOCO-MINT SNAPPERS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes 3 dozen 3″ cookies

1 cup Nestle’s mint-flavored semi-sweet chocolate or regular chocolate

2/3 cup shortening (not margarine)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 3/4 cups sifted flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

Melt chocolate over hot (not boiling) wa­ter, remove from heat. Combine the shortening, sugar and egg in a bowl and beat until creamy. Blend in melted choco­late and corn syrup. Sift flour with soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually stir into other mixture. Shape dough into balls using 1 level tablespoon for each. Roll balls of dough into sugar. Place 3″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let stand a few minutes before removing from pan.

– Rosemarie