Pride Enjoy Radical Rainbow Cookies

We had more than our fair share of fun at the July shop-up at Pine Box Rock Shop, but one of the best moments was when I was chatting with the owner/baker from Pride Enjoy.

 

There I was, minding my own business whilst winding my way through a surprisingly busy summer shop-up when these radical rainbow cookies caught my eye. Much like when the woman working the adoption event when I first saw 89 immediately handed her to me and that was that, Janel noticed the look of love in my eyes and immediately offered me a beautiful sample of her gluten-free, vegan version of what is possibly my favorite cookie.

While I was mmming unabashedly, I managed to impart how much I love rainbow cookies and that, because they're so much work, I've only made them once. Janel understood and responded that there was a blogger who had written a blog called Rainbow Cookies Should Cost a Million Dollars a Pound.

THAT WAS ME! 

So cool.

As it turned out, my Pride Enjoy rainbow cookies suffered through about 6 hours of heat as we were having so much fun in the new outdoor seating section of Pine Box that we didn't want to leave. While I wouldn't recommend such treatment of these luscious cookies, it does explain why they didn't look as pristine when I ate them that evening as they had upon purchase. However, the taste was not affected!

By their own account, Pride Enjoy is "an alternative baking company that specializes in all-natural, plant-based, and allergen free cookies." I can't seem to find an explanation of the clown on the packaging (clowns!), but I'm willing to overlook it if they keep churning out these delicious cookies.

Sweet Maresa's Vegan Italian Rainbow Cookies

I have been eating a lot of yummy things over the course of this holiday month, but Sweet Maresa's Italian Rainbow Cookies are the official, award-winning dessert of my season.

Friends of mine visited the first of the two, December, Brooklyn, Vegan Shop-ups in my stead and reported back that Sweet Maresa, purveyor of the previously elusive vegan macarons, had created said tri-color treats in two sizes: individual cookie and full-on cake-size. The reviews were consistently positive, so I immediately confirmed that the cookies would make an appearance at the next Shop-Up and counted down the days. 

Rainbow cookies are a lifetime favorite of mine and my singular foray into their creation was successful but wholly consuming and, thusly, dubbed, "Why Vegan Rainbow Cookies Should Cost A Million Dollars a Pound." I was ecstatic that someone far more capable than I had taken up the cause.

At the next Shop-Up, I waited my turn as ridiculous (to me) questions were posed to Maresa. Accordingly, I made the requisite jokes to pass the time. 

customer: "How long will they last?"
Maresa: "Refrigerated for up to 3 weeks."
me: "No one has ever tested that theory."

customer: "How many servings are they?"
Maresa: "About 25."
me: "One. Two at the most. They're meant to be eaten like a candy bar."

I mean, they're VEGAN RAINBOW COOKIES; shove them in your face, don't discuss them! Measure and test for longevity on your own time and get outta my way because you're blocking the cookies. 

And then it was finally my turn. Only the largest size was available (and not around for long)- which would suggest that the universe was sending me a clear and direct message. 

 

I presented it to VM, my fellow rainbow cookie connoisseur, the very next day.

 

We marveled at it for more than a few minutes before digging in. 

Okay, maybe it wasn't so much a marvel-fest as a mutual sizing up of whether or not our blood bond necessitated sharing.

Ultimately, we did.

 

From Sweet Maresa:

"Italian rainbow cookie, family style. Made with natural colors (obviously), homemade organic almond paste, and filled with a peach beebalm jelly made by yours truly from summer fruit and flowers, encased in fair trade dark chocolate. 6.75" by 3.75" and a whopping 1.3 lbs. Cut as desired."

You may or may not know that traditional rainbow cookies are quite pricey- due in no small part to the time-consuming nature of their production. Taking into account that Sweet Maresa's version is not only vegan, but meticulously handmade with natural, organic, fair-trade, and homemade ingredients: this is a steal.

These rainbow cookies are vegan, cruelty-free, taste wholly authentic, and are all-around stellar on all accounts.

 

I'm going to assume that this will be a seasonal item for Sweet Maresa, so count yourself in the next time they come around. I'll already be in line.