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Programming and Chocolate Chip Cookies

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While John Furrier would like me to actually think and respond to Alex Iskold’s post titled Software Engineering Tips for Startups, I’d rather try to get into the holiday spirit and make some chocolate chip cookies.Cookies

Pete Warden demonstrates his programming versatility by giving us a program for how to bake cookies your friends will beg for.  Maybe #8 should be "must be able to make great chocolate chip cookies."

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December 20th, 2007     Categories: Programming    
  • http://www.pmd.org/blog Lori

    High quality ingredients like real butter and guitard chips are key. One of the secrets to making soft cookies, besides not overbaking them, is the order in which you stir in the ingredients. If you save the flour until the very end, and then stir only enough to incorporate it, less gluten forms and so your cookies are more tender. PMD's volunteer projects managers and I make homemade cookies for all our volunteers, ~18,000 cookies since 1992, using the urban legend recipe for Mrs. Fields cookies that makes 6-8 dozen/batch. This dough freezes well, too.

  • http://blog.grumet.net/ Andrew Grumet

    In my book it's hard to beat old faithful — the tollhouse recipe. One interesting thing I discovered recently is that the choice of baking tray matters. If you use one of those heavy baker's half-sheets, the cookie dough doesn't rise properly, it sort of splays out over the chips. It must have something to do with the heat vs time arc, because leaving the cookies in longer doesn't help. Go with thin lightweight trays.

    • http://www.pmd.org/blog Lori

      I haven't made the tollhouse variety in years, but I seem to recall that these cookies ALWAYS became very flat and crispy, with the chips appearing as bumps, when I used thin trays. Is this what you mean by “splaying out over the chips”?

  • http://www.adaptiveblue.com/widgets_auto.html Alex Iskold

    I think my post beats cookies ;)

    Having said that.. I myself am chilling in Miami.

  • http://www.coachwei.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21/3423447.html Coach Wei

    Great posts, though I don't necessarily agree with all the points. I myself have been pondering around similar subjects – The Misleading "Business vs. Technology" Argument(http://www.coachwei.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21…Understandingly not all points in any of these posts always make sense, but they all do point to some thinking of, or at least help clarify, some of the myths in the startup world. Further, "web 2.0" does have an impact – the deep penetration of Internet into our work and life does reveal flaws in some of the conventional wisdoms.

  • http://www.coachwei.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21/3423447.html Coach Wei

    Great posts, though I don't necessarily agree with all the points. I myself have been pondering around similar subjects – The Misleading “Business vs. Technology” Argument(http://www.coachwei.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21…Understandingly not all points in any of these posts always make sense, but they all do point to some thinking of, or at least help clarify, some of the myths in the startup world. Further, “web 2.0″ does have an impact – the deep penetration of Internet into our work and life does reveal flaws in some of the conventional wisdoms.

  • Coach Wei

    Great posts, though I don't necessarily agree with all the points. I myself have been pondering around similar subjects – The Misleading “Business vs. Technology” Argument(http://www.coachwei.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21…Understandingly not all points in any of these posts always make sense, but they all do point to some thinking of, or at least help clarify, some of the myths in the startup world. Further, “web 2.0″ does have an impact – the deep penetration of Internet into our work and life does reveal flaws in some of the conventional wisdoms.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/coach_wei3718 coach_wei3718

    Great posts, though I don't necessarily agree with all the points. I myself have been pondering around similar subjects – The Misleading "Business vs. Technology" Argument(http://www.coachwei.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21…Understandingly not all points in any of these posts always make sense, but they all do point to some thinking of, or at least help clarify, some of the myths in the startup world. Further, "web 2.0" does have an impact – the deep penetration of Internet into our work and life does reveal flaws in some of the conventional wisdoms.

  • http://yoherb.typepad.com/domino Herb Morreale

    I'm programming again for the first time in many years (Ruby). I find that I don't have time to eat cookies or anything else for that matter. In fact, I'm not sure I've left this chair in the last 3 days. Can someone bring me some cookies?

  • Andrew Grumet

    In my book it's hard to beat old faithful — the tollhouse recipe. One interesting thing I discovered recently is that the choice of baking tray matters. If you use one of those heavy baker's half-sheets, the cookie dough doesn't rise properly, it sort of splays out over the chips. It must have something to do with the heat vs time arc, because leaving the cookies in longer doesn't help. Go with thin lightweight trays.

  • Alex Iskold

    I think my post beats cookies ;)

    Having said that.. I myself am chilling in Miami.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/lori3679 lori3679

    I haven't made the tollhouse variety in years, but I seem to recall that these cookies ALWAYS became very flat and crispy, with the chips appearing as bumps, when I used thin trays. Is this what you mean by "splaying out over the chips"?

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/lori3679 lori3679

    High quality ingredients like real butter and guitard chips are key. One of the secrets to making soft cookies, besides not overbaking them, is the order in which you stir in the ingredients. If you save the flour until the very end, and then stir only enough to incorporate it, less gluten forms and so your cookies are more tender. PMD's volunteer projects managers and I make homemade cookies for all our volunteers, ~18,000 cookies since 1992, using the urban legend recipe for Mrs. Fields cookies that makes 6-8 dozen/batch. This dough freezes well, too.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/herb_morrea3697 herb_morrea3697

    I'm programming again for the first time in many years (Ruby). I find that I don't have time to eat cookies or anything else for that matter. In fact, I'm not sure I've left this chair in the last 3 days. Can someone bring me some cookies?

Brad Feld

Hi, I'm Brad Feld, a managing director at Foundry Group who lives in Boulder, Colorado. I invest in software and Internet companies around the US, run marathons and read a lot.

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