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Monday, August 26, 2013

Introducing Klara's Gourmet Cookies! Ginger Shortbread Cookies Recommended by Whom You Know.

We are a family that loves a good cookie. We are also a family that rarely buys cookies; we almost always make our own from scratch. That being said, we are always open to trying a good store bought cookie! Enter Klara's Gourmet Cookies. Located in The Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, Klara's Gourmet Cookies was founded in 2006. Klara's Gourmet Cookies produces cookies from recipes that have been in Klara's family for generations. Klara Sotonova emigrated to the United States from the Czech Republic at the age of 19 with a dream of owning her own business. Her dream came true in 2006! Klara's baking traditions were passed down to her from her grandmother and it is with those traditions that she brings us Klara's Gourmet Cookies! I couldn't wait to open the package Ginger Shortbread, but as I was opening the package a little hand reached in before I could get a cookie. My almost six year old son shoved in a Ginger Shortbread and let out a loud, "Mmmmm!". When I finally was able to get a cookie out for myself, I had to agree, "Mmmmm!" This cookie was buttery and rich, but with a good bite thanks to the ginger. Grab yourself a package of Ginger Shortbread from Klara's Gourmet Cookies, but be forewarned, you may want to open them when no one else is around...that way you won't have to share!

I've been a cookie lover since I was a little girl, so I was very excited to try the Ginger Shortbread Cookies from Klara's Gourmet. Based in Massachusetts, Klara's Gourmet was founded by Klara Sotonova in 2006. Klara grew up in the Czech Republic, where she learned all of her great-grandmother's cookie recipes, which had been passed down through the generations. At the age of 19, Klara emigrated to the United States, with dreams of owning her own business, and when she started Klara's Gourmet, that dream came true! It's a sweet and inspiring story, and the best part is that the cookies are incredible! The Ginger Shortbread Cookies are based on Klara's great-grandmother's shortbread recipe, but with the sweet and spicy addition of ginger! With crystallized ginger mini chips, minced, candied ginger, and dried ginger, it's triple the ginger fun! The cookies themselves are perfect shortbread cookies - rich and buttery - and the addition of the ginger makes them truly irresistible! Highly recommended!

With the little hint of ginger, this perfect sugar cookie gives any cookie lover pause. Powdery, sugary, but not too sweet, Klara can do with her batter what many cannot achieve in a commercial product. Where my Grandmother's sugar cookies were just this light, Klara has done it, too.   This is not the bag of cookies to devour in one sitting. This is the cookie to tuck into a side of perfect vanilla ice cream, and savor. This is the cookie to have that "cookie and milk" moment, while you watch a favorite film. It's not going to cause too much guilt, because its lightness deceives the caloric intake. Take your time, and delight in what Klara has come up with: the perfect cookie!



Locally owned and operated Klara's Gourmet Cookies, LLC introduces new packaging and new flavor. In 2012 Klara's Gourmet Cookies, LLC was chosen by Package Design magazine to be the subject of their annual Makeover Challenge. Four Major national branding/design companies competed to redesign Klara's Packaging. As a result of this opportunity, Klara's Gourmet was born and was able to introduce new branding and new packaging in 2013. While working on redesigning Klara's packaging decided to introduce a new flavor Chocolate and Sea Salt Shortbread. It has proven to be extremely popular. Klara's recently introduced their new packaging at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.

About Klara's Gourmet Cookies, LLC
While working as a front of the house manager in a local restaurant, Klara became friends with her now partner and Husband Jefferson Diller. Jefferson worked as a chef in the same restaurant. One day Klara came up to Jefferson and presented him with what is considered their signature cookie, The Vanilla Walnut Crescent, and simply stated "I baked these for you". As everyone knows they way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Soon after this Klara and Jefferson were no longer just friends. As a result Klara's Gourmet Cookies opened for business in 2006 in Great Barrrington, MA as a home based baking business intent on selling locally and online. By 2009 sales had grown to the point where their home had been overtaken by their business and they moved to their current, much larger location in Lee, MA. Klara's are currently sold in approximately 200 stores from Maine to North Carolina.

About Klara
Klara Sotonova emigrated from the Czech Republic on her own at the age of 19. She came to the United States with a desire to make her dream of owning her own business a reality. In 2006, when she founded Klara's Gourmet Cookies, her dream came true.

Klara hails from Chrast, a village of approximately 5000 residents, located two hours south east of the historic Czech capital city, Prague. Under the former Czechoslovak communist regime, Klara and her family did not have easy access to mass produced baked goods, unlike here, in the United States. Klara's rich Czech baking traditions were passed down from her grandmother, as it had been done in her family for generations. It is that tradition she now brings to you.

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