Tate's Bake Shop Review, Giveaway Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!!

 "If you're in the Hamptons and walk around the charming little Atlantic coast town of Southampton, you'll see a celadon-green Victorian structure with white shutters, framed in flowers, that seems to attract people like bees to a hive. It's Tate's Bake Shop, the fairytale culmination of a dream that got started when 11-year-old Kathleen King began baking cookies to sell at her family's farm stand not far out of town. Today, those amazing cookies have attracted a loyal following from coast to coast. Crispy and buttery, rich but not overwhelming, they simply melt in your mouth and just one is never enough!"

Above is the description of Tate's Bake Shop from the side of their cookie box. Isn't it inviting? I want to go walk around the charming little Altantic town of Southampton and stumble upon the beautiful Victorian  house that is attracting people like bees to a hive. I want to be one of people flocking to the little victorian house. Even more, I'd like to meet the woman that started as an 11 year old girl selling cookies on her dad's farm. That's a pretty neat story about Ms. Kathleen King. Maybe one day I'll get to Southampton and get to do all that, but for now....well, I'll settle for the fabulous cookies they send out by mailorder. And I do mean they are FABULOUS!

Tate's is renowned for their baked goods. Celebrities from coast to coast flock to Tate's. You may have seen mention of them in Everyday With Rachel Ray, The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Just to name a few.  Plus, they have a beautiful cookbook out. Guess who wrote the forward??? Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. Yes, I'd say if you can get the Barefoot Contessa to take a moment to say a few pleasantries about your cookies, well, they must be some pretty spectacular cookies.


Tate's is especially known for their chocolate chip cookies. And for good reason. These cookies are about the closest thing to something your grandmother would have turned out that has ever been found in a package. They are very light, airy and crisp. Filled with ungodly amounts of butter for added comfort and the perfect amount of chocolate chips.

I was very humbled and excited when Tate's Bake Shop asked me if I would like to do a review of their cookies and cookbook. As you can tell, I only have great things to say about Tate's. Their baked goods would make a beautiful gift for anyone on your list. Here is a look at the Gift Pack I recieved:

Included: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

As you can tell, the packaging is beautiful. In addition to their baked goods, they also sent me a copy of their beautiful cookbook:

If you are a cookbook collector, you must get this. Every recipe in this book is divine! And they include the recipe for their famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. I'm going to share it with you, but still must get this cookbook:)

Tate's Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) lightly salted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (Nestlé can’t really be beat)

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Whisk the flour, soda and salt together in a bowl. In another large bowl, mix the butter with a wooden spoon to lighten it a bit and then mix in the sugars. Add the water, vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined and then fold in the chocolate chips. Using two soup spoons, drop the cookies 2" apart onto two nonstick or greased cookie sheets. Bake for eight minutes, rotating the sheets after four minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool, and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

Now, since you've hung around. Let me also tell you what the very generous people at Tate's Bake Shop have offered. They want to give one of my Sinful Southern Sweets Readers a cookie gift pack and a cookbook!! What a great Christmas gift for one of you!!! For those of you that would rather not wait for the giveaway to end, Tate's Bake Shop has offered a 15% discount when you use the discount code "cookies" at tatesbakeshop.com between now and December 31, 2010.

To enter the giveaway to win a Tate's Cookie Gift Pack and Cookbook:
1)Be a Google Follower of Sinful Southern Sweets
2) Follow Tate's Bake Shop on Facebook
3) Follow Southern Sweets on Facebook
4) Follow Sinful Southern Sweets on Twitter 

Giveaway will end on December 10th at midnight. Winner to be announced Dec. 11th and chosen via Random.org. Entries open on the US residents. Good Luck!!