Baking & Snack October 2002

A recent cookie launch may be just what it takes to make even the most sensible snacker or inquisitive trivia buff...

GO NUTS

Jennie Lee Bakery and Knowledge in a Nutshell, Inc. both based at Pittsburgh, have begun producing and marketing a cookie that alleviates both cravings for sweets and cravings for knowledge.

In July, the joint company, Kin-Jen LLC, introduced The Edible Game a Smart Cookie. Each walnut-shaped, hollow cookie has a question-and-answer strip inserted in its center. As they would with a fortune cookie, "players" pull out the non-absorbent strip of paper and enjoy quizzing themselves with the question on one side and the answer on the other.

The cookie's walnut shape was designed by Sylvester Damianos, a past-president of the American Institute of Architects, who worked to develop a mould that would look like a walnut, but allow the cookie dough to slip out easily for handling, icing and inserting the paper strips. The questions and answers are written by "Knowledge in a Nutshell" author, Charles Reichblum, Jenny Lee Bakery produces the cookies.

Bernard Baker, president of the bakery, researched the various pieces of equipment that could be remoulded to fit the processing needs and came up with the process of baking the cookies and assembling them.

According to Mr. Baker, the process uses a Bakon Tartlet machine that can produce 30 halves, or 15 cookies per 31/2-minute bake process and works much like a waffle iron.

Even though the cookie is in the shape of a walnut, there are no nuts in the recipe. The questions and answers tucked in each cookie are hand-tolled on non-absorbent paper and printed with non-toxic ink. The production of each group of cookies is designed to avoid duplicate questions in a single box or container.

The flavor is a traditional butter cookie recipe that has been passed down through five generations of the Baker family at the Jenny Lee Bakery, originating in 1875. Mr. Baker noted that loyal customers of the bakery might recognize that the cookie has the same flavor as the bakery's Holiday Cutout Cookies.

Each cookie is hand-iced and packaged either 12 to a box or individually wrapped in cellophane at 230 to a container. The 12-pack box retails for $14.95 and a container of 20 cookies carries a retail price of $24.95.

"We currently offer general trivia questions and Pittsburgh-related trivia," and Mr. Baker. "We hope to have a line of other popular trivia topics in the future, such as a sports or Americana. We can also personalize cookies for special events and functions."

The cookies, which are available for retail sale and corporate requests, are available in some retail outlets, although product placement is an ongoing process. Product information is also available online at www.knowledgeinanutshell.com, or by calling (800) NUT-SHELL.

To promote the launch of the cookies, the company is relying on radio, newspapers, Web site generated e-mails and word of mouth, Mr. Baker noted.

While the cookie is the first product of the collaboration, the company is working on developing other products that will involve fun facts and delicious baked gourmet foods.

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