Day 349 - Bachi di Dama Cookies

Before I begin this review, I must apologize.  I only have ONE photo of this cookie.  I do not have a photo of the price sign.  I do not have a photo of the package.  I AM TIRED, OK??  :)  Seriously, we got these on our NYC TJ's excursion and I was so enthralled by hanging out with blog reader Ttrockwood that I evidently forgot to do my "photo journalism".  How embarrassing...  

Anyway, the package for these cookies says they are, “Hazelnut kisses bound by chocolate, made by Trader Giotto’s”.  Doesn’t that sound fancy pants??

There are 3 cookies in the small package that we bought at the Chelsea NYC Trader Joe’s, but I think TJ’s also sells them in a larger package.  Honestly, we were worried they might be super bland and boring.  Sometimes Italian pastries are that way (hey, don’t get mad, I am just callin’ it like we see it…). 

But hey - we were pleasantly surprised by these!!

Ahhh, a tasty, tiny piece of Italy in my hand.  

David says, “Very nice.  Better than I would expect from an Italian pastry, which are usually dry and tasteless.  This one has a little bit more of a butter cookiness to the cookie and just the right amount of chocolate for a cookie that is not intending to be about the chocolate.  I give it a 4.25.”

As for me, I agree!  When I looked at these I suspected I wouldn’t like them.  But when we met up with reader Trockwood she said they were amazing, so we gave them a go.  They are not super sweet like American cookies, which was sort of refreshing.  They are not “all about the sugar” – I would call them a more neutral cookie. 

These pair well with red wine and they would be lovely with espresso for a little treat.  They are definitely different than American cookies, i.e. this is NOT like an Oreo J. 

BONUS PHOTO - since I am lacking in cookie pics, here is an obligatory shot of us at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in NYC recently.  :)  Hey, it was on the same trip that we bought the cookies, that should count for something...

The size is nice – they are quite petite, which makes them easy to eat.  I opened up our pack of 3 while David was still working on his dinner (he is a slow eater) and I ate mine, thinking we each would get 1.5 cookies to split the package.  But hey, he was still eating, so….

Yeah, he only got one.

TADA - another bonus photo!  This one is of a fancy department store that has a Christmas light show set to music!  You can stand on the sidewalk with 40,000 of your closest friends and watch.  It's fun.  

I would give these cookies a 3.75.  They are nice for a change of pace.  They would be fun to serve if you dressed in something flowing, made an afternoon tea, and served it in fancy tea cups with these cookies. Yes, you should invite some friends over and do that.  And post a photo here in the replies.

If you cannot find them in your Trader Joe's, I just found this recipe so you could try making your own.  Bachi di Dama recipe

WAIT - I JUST FOUND ANOTHER BLOG THAT REVIEWED THESE COOKIES!  They posted a photo, which I am "borrowing" here so you can see what the package looks like.  Thanks Mantou Joe - check out their review of these cookies here .

This is the package you are looking for!  

Price – .99 cents (super cheap, very worth a try!)

Rating - 4