Beginning the journey, Maria Echeverri, Carlota Montoya, and I began the quest to discover the city’s best cookies. With a filled plate of all cookies, we had chosen for tasting, with every flavor. We dove into the universe of Felicidad, Biscotti, and Polles bakeries.
‘’While the different cookies from each brand brought something unique to the table, it was the presentation of Polles that truly caught our eye. It had us simply waiting for little pieces of happiness to unwrap,’’ Maria Echeverri, senior at TCS, said.
Our pleasure was on the brink when we entered Felicidad’s, pop-up store. The scent of fresh cookies with a hint of sweetness was the perfect indicator of the mouthful pleasures that awaited us. The service was top-notch, and we not only received the offer to taste one of their newer cookies but also a lovely smile from the attendant, which fueled our excitement for the adventure that was yet to unfold for us.
“Felicidad did not just give us a taste; it gave us a peek into their world of creativity and innovation. It made the potential completion of our cookie journey feel like more than a mere feat of consumption,” Carlota Montoya, TCS senior, said.
The dough was also a fundamental part of our quest. Every cookie shop puts its own unique brush strokes on it in terms of taste and touch. The recognizable softness of Felicidad and Polles is explicated: a joint spell of richness and sweetness that seemed magical. The cookie’s job is in no way over once it catches everyone’s attention.
“For me, the best dough was, without a question, Biscotti’s. A perfect level of readiness gave an edge to its sweetness, which, in my opinion, is the greatest semiotic of excellent baking,” Echeverri said.
Still, for Carlota and myself, it turned out to be that of Felicidad and Polles, a well-orchestrated duet of buttery richness and indomitable sweetness.
“There’s something about the dough of Felicidad and Polles that transcends mere ingredients. It was better cooked than that of Biscotti, and thus it did not make the taste of sugar overbearing,” Montoya said.
With eager anticipation, we sampled four distinct cookies from each shop, starting with the chocolate chip cookie, which provided a baseline for comparison that allowed us to gauge the craftsmanship and quality of each brand. But it was the subsequent indulgence in exotic flavors that truly ignited our taste buds. From the irresistible allure of ‘salted caramel and pecans’ to the charm of ‘s’mores’ and the fun and delight of ‘funfetti’. The cookies were a testament to the boundless creativity and innovation of Medellin’s finest cookie artisans. As we savored each one, we were reminded that in the world of cookies, there are no limits to imagination and indulgence. But it was in the realm of flavor and creativity where the true cookie champion emerged.
“The Polles ‘biscoff’ cookie reigned supreme. Its perfect balance of caramelized goodness and biscoff pieces that elevated the cookie to perfection,” Montoya said.
As our cookie adventure drew to a close, we picked our winner for the best cookie in the city. However, all cookie shops carried with them unique experiences in terms of flavor, creativity, service, and marketing/presentation making it impossible to pick a winner. For in the city of endless spring, where each day brings a new reason to celebrate and rejoice in the small pleasures of life, lies a world where cookies are amazing. As Carlota Montoya aptly puts it, “In the world of cookies, there’s always room for one more bite of sweetness.” In Medellin, that sweetness knows no bounds.