I was crushed when I first saw the headline from the NPR news feed that said eating raw cookie dough once again is identified as a contributing factor to contracting the e coli bacteria. We raw-cookie-dough eaters have been living with this threat for as long as I can remember and still we consume raw cookie dough. If I die prematurely (or not prematurely), going from eating a tasty spoonful of cookie dough or rare beef or venison will be a first-class ticket out of my earthly constraints. Of course, if my demise is preceded by a painful bout of e coli-induced food poisoning then I shall retract my statement.
The NPR piece did, however, go on to reassure me that I have nothing to fear. The danger of eating raw cookie dough lies in eating prepared, store-bought Nestle Toll House cookie dough......NOT cookie dough that is made from scratch at home......which is the only Toll House dough ever used in my household. The NPR piece further explained that the raw- egg ingredient is less a suspected culprit than the flour. So now, for all of you who like to crack a raw egg into your daily smoothie, you have less to fear, perhaps, than before, e coli not withstanding.
Who knew that the largest consumer group for prepared cookie dough is teenage and college-aged girls? Here I thought that it was mothers across the world who thought it was their reward for making cookies? I cannot imagine taking a spoonful of prepared cookie dough that must be filled with all sorts of preservatives. Just give me the fresh product any day. I do not think I ever met a "scratch" cookie dough that I did not like.......nor a freshly baked cookie that I did not like.
How about you?
Just call me "Relieved".
Ancora imparo
