The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY - otsego county news, delaware county news, oneonta news, oneonta sports

inactive

November 4, 2009

Area woman’s cookies attract attention

Janet Washburn’s cookies are taking a role in history.

She recently finished baking 2,000 cookies for a reception after the commissioning of the USS New York on Saturday. She will drive to Albany on Thursday to deliver the cookies at the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, where the baked goods will be passed on to another leg of their trip to New York City.

For the past two years, her gourmet cookies have been sold under the Pride of New York label at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, and the order for the USS New York event came from fair officials, she said during an interview at her home in Otego on Tuesday.

Washburn, whose business is called Janet’s Cookie Jar, attributes her opportunity to membership in Pride of New York, a program to promote and support the sale of agricultural and other projects originating and processed within New York state.

This summer at the state fair, her cookies were served to F. Curtis Jones, USS New York commander and a native of Binghamton. Washburn said she was told ``he liked them.’’

The USS New York, built with 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center in the bow, will be commissioned at the Intrepid Museum pier in New York City on Saturday. The ship, which has a motto of ``Never Forget,’’ arrived earlier this week and will be open to the public other days before it leaves Nov. 12.

The USS New York is to be based in Norfolk, Va., according to the ship’s website.

The Washburns said they were shopping in a Sears store in Binghamton when they joined others watching 9/11 events on large-screen televisions. To have built a ship from some of the salvaged steel from the World Trade Center is special, Janet Washburn said.

``There’s a lot of pride attached to that,’’ she said. The cookie order came in about a month ago, Washburn said, and it is among her largest orders and is the most prestigious.

``It’s a privilege to be chosen to have done this,’’ she said. ``It’s an honor.’’

Washburn said she makes her Janet’s Cookie Jar treats mostly on weekends, when she isn’t working. She keeps ingredients on hand, and this year has used between four and five 50-pound bags of flour to bake cookies.

Her cookies cost $15 a dozen, and selections include lemony lemon, orange cranberry coconut, mudslide and chocolate chunk praline, oatmeal and peanut butter, among others.

Baking isn’t her regular job. She works about 50 hours a week cleaning the state police station in Oneonta and the Thornwood residence of the Hartwick College president in Oneonta, plus other occasional cleaning jobs.

About five years ago, she started her cookie business, prompted by positive reactions from consumers.

``I’ve had a lot of favorable comments,’’ she said, and two of her favorite descriptions have been ``cookies from heaven’’ and ``phenomenal.’’

Washburn is a perfectionist, said her husband, Roland ``Poncho’’ Washburn, who has opportunities to be a taste-tester and to eat goods that don’t meet the baker’s standard.

``She takes a lot of pride’’ in her cookies, he said. ``She likes to make people happy.’’

___

If you have good news you’d like to share, call Associate Managing Editor Emily Popek at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 217; fax her at 432-5707; e-mail her at epopek@thedailystar.com; or write to her at P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Text Only
Local News
  • Motorist rolls truck, charged with drunken driving

    A motorist who continued driving after his truck rolled 360 degrees in Summit early Monday was charged with drunken driving, state police at Cobleskill said.

    May 11, 2010

  • Motorist rolls truck, charged with drunken driving A motorist who continued driving after his truck rolled 360 degrees in Summit early Monday was charged with drunken driving, state police at Cobleskill said.

    May 11, 2010

  • Mary Lorraine Hawkins RICHFIELD SPRINGS _ Mary Lorraine Hawkins, 85, went to be with the Lord on Monday, May 10, 2010, she was at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown.

    May 11, 2010

  • Area briefs: Video on natural gas drilling to be presented COPES CORNERS _ The Concerned Citizens of the Butternut Valley will sponsor a video presentation about natural gas drilling at 7 p.m. today at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School at 693 State Highway 51.

    May 11, 2010

  • Area briefs: Video on natural gas drilling to be presented COPES CORNERS _ The Concerned Citizens of the Butternut Valley will sponsor a video presentation about natural gas drilling at 7 p.m. today at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School at 693 State Highway 51.

    May 11, 2010

  • Evelyn E. Kinney MORRIS _ Evelyn E. Kinney, 81, of Morris, passed away Jan. 17, 2010.

    May 11, 2010

  • Frost may have damaged plantings Traces of a visit by Jack Frost overnight might leave severe damage to plant life in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties, weather officials said Monday.

    May 11, 2010

  • Daisy Wagner Schultz WALTON _ Daisy Meda Wagner Schultz, 65, of Walton, passed away unexpectedly Sunday evening, May 9, 2010, at home.

    May 11, 2010

  • Frost may have damaged plantings Traces of a visit by Jack Frost overnight might leave severe damage to plant life in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties, weather officials said Monday.

    May 11, 2010

  • Edward Luke Ryder MOUNT VISION _ Edward Luke Ryder, 71, passed away Monday, May 10, 2010, at his home.

    May 11, 2010

  • Police probe apparent murder-suicide WALTON _ An apparent murder-suicide shooting is being investigated by the Walton Police Department, the state police and the Delaware County Sheriff's Department, Walton Police Officer Brian Laauser said Monday. The shootings occurred at 32 Union Street at about 10 p.m. Sunday, police said.

    May 11, 2010

  • Police probe apparent murder-suicide WALTON _ An apparent murder-suicide shooting is being investigated by the Walton Police Department, the state police and the Delaware County Sheriff's Department, Walton Police Officer Brian Laauser said Monday. The shootings occurred at 32 Union Street at about 10 p.m. Sunday, police said.

    May 11, 2010

  • 3 area lawyers say Kagan likely to be confirmed Elena Kagan is likely to be confirmed as United States Supreme Court justice and seems qualified for the post, according to three area lawyers.
    Kagan, the nations solicitor general and a former dean of Harvard Law School, is President Barack Obamas choice to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

    May 11, 2010

  • Alyce H. Roberts ONEONTA _ Alyce H. Roberts, 89, of Oneonta, passed away Sunday, May 9, 2010, at home.

    May 11, 2010

  • 3 area lawyers say Kagan likely to be confirmed Elena Kagan is likely to be confirmed as United States Supreme Court justice and seems qualified for the post, according to three area lawyers.
    Kagan, the nations solicitor general and a former dean of Harvard Law School, is President Barack Obamas choice to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

    May 11, 2010

  • Outdoor biking program starts in city ONEONTA _ An outdoor biking program Tuesday nights has begun in Oneonta.
    The group meets at the Brenner Recreational Center near Hodges Pond in Neahwa Park at 5 p.m.

    May 11, 2010

  • Outdoor biking program starts in city ONEONTA _ An outdoor biking program Tuesday nights has begun in Oneonta.
    The group meets at the Brenner Recreational Center near Hodges Pond in Neahwa Park at 5 p.m.

    May 11, 2010

  • Marc E. Guy DELHI _ A graveside memorial service for Marc E. Guy, 79, of Delhi, who passed away Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, at Hospice of the Golden Isles,

    May 11, 2010

  • Bridge work to take place on I-88 today OTEGO _ Crews will be working on bridge maintenance on Interstate 88 eastbound between exit 12 in Otego and exit 13 in Oneonta beginning at 8 a.m. today, a media release said.

    May 11, 2010

  • David C. Yager ONEONTA _ Graveside services with military honors for David C. Yager, who passed away Feb. 7, 2010, will be at 1 p.m. Friday, May 14, 2010, in the West Oneonta Cemetery.

    May 11, 2010

New Today!
Additional Content
Poll

Do you think we will have a big snow storm the rest of the winter?

Yes
No
     View Results