Vegan California Cookies (with pistachio, clementines, and agave nectar)

It's about minus sixteen around here right now. We've got snow. We've got freezing rain. We've got something called an arctic outflow. God knows what that is. And this isn't even the worse part of Canada; In Calgary, it dropped down to minus fifty-seven with the wind chill. That's right. Minus fifty-seven. Your skin would freeze off your face in less than fifteen seconds. 

Screw being anti-stereotypical. Canada is goddamn cold. 

Boston Cream Pie Cookies

Wednesday was pretty ordinary for everyone else in the world. But for us, it was game day. It was a day when the entire city of Vancouver put their Burrows jersey on, painted their face, and downed a couple cans of liquid courage before going out and watching the biggest hockey game they have had since 1994.

In case you didn't hear, they lost. And took it pretty hard.

Mississippi Mud Pie Cookies

As a kid, I drove across the United States way too many times for my liking. My first trip took place in a little grey hatchback with my Dad. It was quite the experience. Especially because we couldn't go faster than 60 mph. And we didn't have air conditioning.

Vermont Maple Oatmeal Cookies

When I started to journey around the world (of cake), I got a lot of pleasant emails letting me know that they would love to travel and eat baked goods with me. I felt very popular. For a few seconds. Then came the onslaught of questions - the majority of which was asking me whether or not I had already picked a cake to make for the United States. There were tons of suggestions, some of which I've never even heard of (re: Smith Island Cake). These emails made me nervous. We've got an awful lot of Yankie readers - what happens if I make the wrong cake? 

So, I decided to give you southerners a bit of ego boost. Yes, you guys have fifty crazy microcosms, each boasting it's own unique flavour spectrum. Yes, we could go on and on about all the different desserts you have to offer. I guess it's time to give you guys your own little journey.

The journey around THE UNITED COOKIES OF AMERICA!

(huzzah!)

So, as we journey around the world, we'll make sure to take a few (re: fifty) stops in America. Each stop with highlight a state's own unique cookie/brownie/bar/anything that isn't cake and/or pie. I've got a good handle on the American scene (a couple of cross-country car trips in a little Mazda will do that), but I'm always willing to hear your suggestions via the comment box and email.

So, let's get a move on the first American treat: