Thursday, December 10, 2009

National Brownie Day is a Real Holiday?

I like to eat brownies. I also like to support local businesses and when those local businesses make brownies, I get an extra happy in my tummy.

Cheryl & Co. is a based in Columbus and they make brownies. Their cookies are the stuff of legend. They invited me their Headquarters December 8th to celebrate National Brownie Day and also to learn about their other companies, The Popcorn Factory and 1-800 Flowers. Which are companies I patronize already and had no idea were part of Cheryl & Co. I accepted their invite much to Husband’s delight.

Tip: I keep and reuse Cheryl & Co. and The Popcorn Factory’s sturdy and brightly printed cookie boxes, popcorn and cookie tins for wrapping small gifts. Experience gifts like tickets or membership paperwork look more significant when they come in a decorated tin. All you need to do is slap on a bow or ribbon and you’re done! Quick, pretty, reusable gift wrap. I like.
I saw how Cheryl & Co. make their famous cookies and brownies. The process is kind of like how you’d do it at home with real butter, eggs, and sugar but on a much bigger scale. I was impressed that Cheryl & Co. doesn’t add extra preservatives to their cookies and that they can still be frozen for up to six months.

Photobucket
Cookies cooling and waiting for butter cream frosting



Unfortunately to do that means Cheryl & Co. seals each cookie in its own plastic wrapper. I asked if customers could buy them and not have them individually wrapped to reduce waste. The short answer is no. Other than for freshness the wrappers also list the cookie’s ingredients and keeps the flavors and ingredients from cross contaminating which is very important to those with food allergies.

They also told me Cheryl & Co. experimented with corn based plastic wrappers but the supplier went out of business. They can’t find a new supplier who can deliver the quantity and quality they need right now. I’m confident that if enough customers politely ask Cheryl & Co. to consider offering a less wasteful packaging option or organic or Fair Trade ingredients that good things will happen. After all that’s why Cheryl & Co. has sugar free and certified kosher cookies – because their customers asked for it.



Photobucket
I still think they are heaven on a plate even with the extra wrapping.

We went into the Cheryl & Co. test kitchen where they showed us an example of a mood board they put together of this season’s color trends for the holiday (jewel tones, white and light blue, snowflakes, and snowmen.) Yes friends, mood boards aren’t just for decorating they also apply to baked goods.

They gave us recipes for amazing butter cream frosting, ganache, and chocolate dough cutouts. These aren’t Cheryl’s Top Secret recipes but ones they created just for us bloggers (feeling a little bit like a fancy pants now!) Then they let us have at it with pastry bags, cookie cutters, and the like.

Photobucket
We rocked those hairnets! Oh yes we did.

Everyone created some very pretty chocolate bark cutouts and iced brownies.

Photobucket
White chocolate bark with hand colored sugar sprinkles

Then there’s mine.

Photobucket
I don’t get out much

But I do follow directions. I ate that brownie and it was delicious.

Even with the extra plastic packaging I think that Cheryl’s cookies and brownies make great gifts and a nice occasional treat (I’ve found a few more lower waste options when I’ve gone to an actual Cheryl & Co. store BTW.) I'm not just saying this because they gave me some free cookies either. It takes more than a free cookie to impress me. What really impressed me was that they listen to their customers and try to accommodate them as best they can (they have a whole separate bakery for the kosher items! Don't tell me it didn't a lot of extra effort.) Like I mentioned before, Husband and I were patrons of these companies long before I visited Cheryl's. In fact, Husband still sends me flowers via 1-800 Flowers when I have an office gig just because.

If you still need a Hanukkah, Christmas, or Solstice gift or just want to treat yourself,  Cheryl and Co is offering Condo Blues readers $10 off any purchase through January 31, 2010 if you use the code BRN10.


Cheryl & Co. Brownie Day Giveaway! *Closed*


Cheryl & Co. offered to sponsor a giveaway! The winner will receive The Cheryl & Co. Ultimate Brownie Assortment. That’s $50 worth of brownie love - yum!

To enter: leave a comment on Condo Blues telling me your favorite flavor brownie.You must leave your email address so I can contact you if you win or your entry will be disqualified. If your email address is available via your Blogger profile that counts.

You can earn extra chances to win by doing any of the following after you’ve made your initial comment on my blog:

1. Blog about my contest with a link back to Condo Blues. Please leave the URL of your blog post so I can verify it.

2. Subscribe to Condo Blues by Email.

3. Subscribe to the Condo Blues RSS feed.

4. Follow Condo Blues on Twitter AND tweet about the contest. Please leave your username and the URL of your tweet in your comment so I can verify it.

5. Put my Condo Blues button on the sidebar of your blog.

You must leave a separate comment for each method you used to enter the contest. If you choose to use every method of entry, you have up to six chances to win!

I will use a random generator to select the winner. The Cheryl & Co Brownie Day Give Away runs from December 10, 2009 – January 3, 1010 12 midnight EST. Good Luck!

Legal mumbo jumbo: This contest is open to US residents only. I will not share you email information any third parties. Cheryl & Co. did supply me with free sample products (how else can I tell you what they taste like?) but did not pay me to run this giveaway or say nice things about their products. All opinions are 100% my own and longtime readers know I can be very opinionated.

Update 1/2010: Congratulations to Deb who won the Ultimate Brownie Assortment!

Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing to the Condo Blues RSS Feed or to Condo Blues by Email.

133 comments:

mudnessa said...

I've never tried Cheryl & Co's brownies but I can't imagine they aren't good. Do they have one with peanut butter, oh how I love peanut butter. At my husbands Christmas Party they gave away bags of Cheryl & Co's cookies, I ate them all so quickly, especially loved their Christmas sugar cookies.

MeezCarrie said...

mmmm brownies! My fave brownies are always cheesecake brownies but I just love brownies in general too :)

carriemschmidt at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Those look yummy. Hope I win.

Suzie

mom 2 ga 2000 at yahoo dot com

Giveaway Lady said...

I have 2:) One is Peanut Butter and the other is chocolate with Walnuts!! I love it:) I would really like to win this giveaway. Please enter me:) Thanks!
esterried[at]yahoo[dot]com

Anonymous said...

chocolate with walnuts is the ONLY true brownie! lol so i pick that!

Karen said...

I love brownies with mint

pinkrose6785@hotmail.com

debra.pp said...

i follow you.

debra.pp said...

turtle brownies are soooo good!

Robj98168 said...

LOL "Eat Me" you are getting on Par with Crunchy Chicken who's post title today was "Blow Me!" (both favorite expressions of mine BTW) Anyway I will blog about your giveaway- give me a moment to put in a new toilet and get back to home/work base.
robj98168@yahoo.com

Jennifer T. said...

My favorite would likely be Toffee Crunch. We've been fans of Cheryl & Co's cookies for years but have never tried the brownies.

Jennifer T. said...

I'm an e-mail subscriber.

Kristin - The Goat said...

Goodness those brownies looked wonderful. My sister loves brownies. I love anything that is sweet, but my sister is a brownie lover if I ever met one. I may just have to look up that site :)

Please put me in the running for your contest. My email address is Kirby3131(at)gmail(dot)

Kristin - The Goat said...

I am a follower Oh Mz. Opinionated Condo Blues blogger. It's what I like about you :)

Morgan said...

How do you get involved in so many cool things like this?! Oh what I would give to be able to twirl around a world of yummy goodness. I love Cheryl's cookies... way too much. =/

I love your brownie! Haha! I would totally buy a dozen brownies that said that on them, just saying. :P

Great post!!
-M.

Anonymous said...

I love the regular fudge brownies!

Deborah
comfortjoydesigns AT gmail DOT com

Michigan Addy Ready

Steffanie said...

The hot fudge buttercream frosted brownies sound wonderful.

Karen said...

I follow and Tweeted http://twitter.com/Kisnowon/status/6678977276

pinkrose6785@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Buttercream Frosted Brownie Trio
OH MY WORD!
I would love to try these, My daughter and I love the buttercream icing on brownies.
I can only imagine how good these must be.

Anonymous said...

http://mommiesgotfivechildren.blogspot.com/2009/12/contests-ending-on-january-3rd-2010.html

I posted this giveaway on my blog.
Thanks
Merry Christmas.

Anonymous said...

http://mommiesgotfivechildren.blogspot.com/

I posted your button on my right sidebar.

Anonymous said...

Subscribed to the Condo Blues RSS feed.
Thanks and Merry Christmas

Anonymous said...

My email is easily accessible on my blog, sorry for not putting that into my previous 4 posts.

THIS IS NOT AN ENTRY POST!!!!!!!
JUST SOME FYI
Thanks.

Christine said...

Mmmmmmmmmmm plain ol chocolate with walnuts makes me drool.

Christine
dazed1821@aol.com

Wendi P said...

Drool Drool Yum Yum Yum. I have not yet met a brownie that I did not like but my fave is an espresso brownie.

B. Wilson @ Windy {City} Wilsons said...

Peanut Butter. :)

--Brandy

fosterbrandy at msn dot com

Anonymous said...

Cheesecake brownies....there is a god!!! Mmmmmm....simply devine!

Caitlin
mesmer22@gmail.com

Jennifer said...

Think I am in love with Buttercream Frosted Brownie Trio
jk.gorcery@gmail.com

Catherine M said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE a regular chocolate brownie :)

csm824(at)gmail(dot)com

brooklynsoul said...

mmm...double chocolate fudge brownies.

silverhartgirl said...

I love peanut butter brownies
silverhartgirl at gmail.com

Anonymous said...

It's cheesecake brownies for me!!

Sarah
untenuredteacher at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I subscribe via RSS

Sarah
untenuredteacher at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I love fudge brownies!!
Kelly - secrets_girl23@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I'm an email subscriber!
Kelly - secrets_girl23@yahoo.com

testingground said...

I don't think you can really improve upon perfection...the standard fudge brownie cannot get any better! Though I sure would like to try all of Cheryl & Co.'s different kinds...you know, just to make sure I'm right. :)

shimonakatz (at) gmail (dot) com

wigget said...

i like double chocolate fudge brownie

Anonymous said...

Raspberry crumb sounds just wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Following and tweeted: http://twitter.com/Getalonghome/statuses/6750677891

Anonymous said...

New email subscriber. Look forward to reading you!

Anonymous said...

RSS subscriber, too!

JMedina said...

I like my brownies with chocolate chips and pecans.

Kristie from Kristie's List said...

I like regular brownies with walnuts.

Kristie from Kristie's List said...

Subscribe by feed in my yahoo

Tina said...

Let me see.... cheesecake... brownies... I would love the cheesecake brownies!
tinap
tinajanet1@verizon.net

Sarah in MO said...

I love mint brownies! Thanks for the giveaway!

misterjimmy at sbcglobal dot net

kelley wood said...

Peanut butter brownies!
wood57495@yahoo.com

Denise said...

I love chocolate with walnuts!!

fiduciafamily@msn.com

Katie said...

The Hot Fudge brownie sounds gooooood!
katiekarr at gmail dot com

Tabathia B said...

The fudge brownies are my favorite

Anonymous said...

I like any brownies as long as there is icecream with it. Jackie hotbunz81@hotmail.com

Squares said...

cheesecake brownies!!!

duvetqlt at verizon dot net

Melissa said...

I think I would love their Peppermint Brownies!!

xmeliss182x (at) yahoo (dot) com

ChiefFamilyOfficer said...

The toffee crunch brownies sound amazing. Thank you for the giveaway!

Angie said...

Oh my...I think I gained a pound just looking at the photos!!! I think the Raspberry Crumb sounds amazing!!!

Thanks!
Angie
rennieangie@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love dark chocolate brownies.
jewelz9393@aol.com

Laura said...

Caramel Fudge Brownie sounds delicious!

Laura said...

I subscribe by email.

Laura said...

I subscribe by RSS feed.

Laura said...

I follow you on Twitter and tweeted:
http://twitter.com/couponlover16/status/6840149439

Emily said...

Brownies with chocolate chunks. Yum!

e.estt[at]yahoo[dot]com

jakiesmom said...

classic fudge edge piece is my fav!

Heart of a Country Home said...

I love Cheryl & Co.'s iced lemon cookies! Their sugar free assortment is great, too.

I love a regular milk chocolate brownie with nuts of any kind! :D

Lawanna said...

Brownies come in flavors? I haven't ever tried a Cheryl & Co brownie, but I'm guessing I'd like anything without peanut butter or coffee.

Suburban prep said...

Buttercream Fudge Brownie!!!
Yum is all that is need to say about it.

Erica said...

a peanut butter chocolate chip brownie would be perfect.

erica_haggins@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love peanut butter brownies.

Randy
burns1519 at comcast dot com

Buki Family said...

nothing better then mint brownies!
sabeckstrom at yahoo dot com

Deb Anderson said...

My favorite flavor brownie is butterscotch. But I can't resist anything with nuts. :)

Deb Anderson said...

blog link
http://tnshadylady.blogspot.com/2009/12/condo-blues-national-brownie-day-is.html

Deb Anderson said...

I follow on twitter (tnshadylady) and tweeted
http://twitter.com/tnshadylady/status/7005803742

The Queen said...

Yummy!! Please send mint. Or chocolate. Or peanut butter. Or mint chocolate peanut butter! I'm not that picky about brownies...

Thanks for the great content on your blog. I have so much fun reading it!

OrcaSister said...

Sent request for email sub to your writing. my handle there is a wildflower
fernleaf g t and is still on yahoo.

(followed some mention on Plastic Fish to find you).

OrcaSister said...

Don't know if this counts as an entry, I subscribed to your feed by going to my Google Reader and browsing for you.

OrcaSister said...

Favorite Flavor
Caramel Fudge Brownie

You know, it wasn't obvious to me how to find the page of flavors, so your contest got me to stick with Cheryl & Co website long enough to be tempted. (I think the Brownie Shop should link to the Brownie flavor page)

Anne in Alaska
fernleafgt at yahoo.com

Emily N. said...

chocolate with walnuts
email in profile

Ann On and On... said...

Just plate full of chocolate with walnuts brownie sounds...Fantastic.
amerskine at hotmail dot com

Melissa said...

We used to get these special treats at work for holidays. I love love love the Blondie Bars! Heavenly!
Thanks for this delicious giveaway!
mzokoe(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Cheeseake brownies- yumm!

deborahcraft at yahoo dot com

gina said...

At our house, brownies hardly last long enough to savor a flavor, but cheesecake are my favorite. A close second is peanut butter.

karma_anais at hotmail dot com

gina said...

At our house, brownies are hardly around long enough to savor the flavor, but cheesecake is my favorite. A second place winner would be peanut butter.

Karma_anais at hotmail dot com

jocelyn said...

My favorites are just regular fudge brownies :)

Marianna said...

Cheesecake and/or cream cheese brownies are always my fave!
mannasweeps (at))) gmaildotcom

Marianna said...

Tweet http://twitter.com/mannabsn/status/7108958506

Haydensmommy05 said...

We make our brownies with peanut butter chips they are soo yummy and are my fav!!
haydensmommy05@hotmail.com

Haydensmommy05 said...

I subscribe by email!
haydensmommy05@hotmail.com

Haydensmommy05 said...

I subscribe through my google reader!
haydensmommy05@hotmail.com

Haydensmommy05 said...

I follow on twitter and tweeted!
http://twitter.com/Haydensmommy05/statuses/7111646358
haydensmommy05@hotmail.com

Stacy said...

I'd like to try the Oatmeal Scotchie Brownies. Yum!

Stacy said...

I posted your giveaway on my sidebar at www.recipesformoms.com.

Marie said...

I love fudge brownies with chocolate chips in it.
mccataquet(at)comcast(dot)net

janetfaye said...

I like milk chocolate Brownies.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

I am subscribed with Bloglines.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Joanna Jenkins said...

If it isn't chocolate it's not a Brownie in my book but Cheryl & Co's all look DELICIOUS! Thanks for the yummy giveaway.

Megan w said...

The original walnut brownie is my fav! I love Cheryls. I always use them to send things for work. meganmarlena@hotmail.com

Linda said...

My favorite is Chocolate Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Anonymous said...

I love fudge brownies.

SamneneD@aol.com

BargainFun said...

Hot fudge with buttercream sounds great !
bargainfun1 at yahoo

BargainFun said...

I follow on twitter and i tweeted
http://twitter.com/bargainfun1

bargainfun1 at yahoo

Vanessa said...

My favorite is chocolate with caramel swirl in it. Yum!

minishoes1 said...

I love cream cheese brownies and peanutbutter. great giveaway! Thanks! jacquecurl1@gmail.com

minishoes1 said...

I subscribe by email. jacquecurl1@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

http://twitter.com/mommieschildren/status/7280722408
I twittered this giveaway.

mommiesgotfivechildren@hotmail.com

minishoes1 said...

I subscribe by feed. jacquecurl1@gmail.com

ElizabethH said...

Definitely the buttercream frosted hot fudge would be my favorite!!
ehesse1215@gmail.com

Mississippi Songbird said...

I'd love the Buttercream frosted hot Fudge Brownies.. Sound and look Heavenly! Thanks for hosting..
emeraldrose63@yahoo.com

Mississippi Songbird said...

I follow your blog publically..
emeraldrose63@yahoo.com

Mississippi Songbird said...

I am an e-mail subscriber.
emeraldrose63@yahoo.com

Ms D said...

Oh YUM!!!!!!!!!!!! I would want all chocolate!!! Thanks for the chance!

daxkimd@gmail.com

Wehaf said...

In general my favorite kind is actually blondies, so I would want to try the blondie brownies.

urchiken at gmail dot com

throuthehaze said...

espresso brownies are my fave.
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Erin said...

I like regular old brownies with chocolate chunks thrown in. Yum!
e_tooley @yahoo.com

Sue said...

I signed up via email. I just to twitter but had alot of virus problems so I unsubscribed there. I wish you would do facebook, I know I would become a fan.
All of the goodies look fantastic, I hope I win so I can come back and update all on how wonderful they taste.

Deb K said...

I love Brownies but I think that my favorite is the Chocolate with walnuts~UMM~UMM :-)


deb55106(at)gmail(dot)com

Deb K said...

I am a email subscriber too

deb55106(at)gmail(dot)com

Deb K said...

I also subscribe with Google Reader

Deb K said...

I follow you on Twitter{Deb55106}

Tweet!
http://twitter.com/Deb55106/status/7322207024

deb55106(at)gmail(dot)com

tina reynolds said...

plain old brownies or chessecake brownies but plain is my favorite thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com

tina reynolds said...

i subscribe by email thanks eaglesforjack@gmail.com

tina reynolds said...

i subscribe by reader thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com

GT said...

Can I even think about brownies after the holiday indulgences? Yes and Yes!

Birdie S. said...

fav brownie flavor is peanut butter chocolate chip birdson@roadrunner.com

Birdie S. said...

Im an email subscriber of YOURS birdson@roadrunner.com

Unknown said...

Mint brownies are the best!

wildeyedpixie@gmail.com

Liz Mays said...

Mint chocolate brownies are my favorite!
doot65[at]comcast{dot}net

Liz Mays said...

RSS subscriber.
doot65[at]comcast{dot}net

couponer said...

blogged about giveaway
http://couponmanic4.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-giveaways.html

couponer said...

added button on sidebar
http://couponmanic4.blogspot.com

couponer said...

Subscribe to Condo Blues by Email.

couponer said...

Subscribe to the Condo Blues RSS feed.

couponer said...

Follow Condo Blues on Twitter AND tweet about the contest

couponer said...

my favorite is chocolate chip brownies yum!

couponmanic4@gmail.com

Renee said...

Buttercream Frosted Brownies--yum!
yeloechikee at hotmail dot com

Hippie4ever said...

I love dark, dark, chewy chocolate brownies mmmmmmmmmmm Love your brownie decoration :)
silenttributary(at)yahoo(dot)com