What Are the Special Treats in Your Office?

[Chris Amirault]

Sure, people bring some lame cookies or hard candies all the time, but around here, if I want to bring something truly special to the office, I either bring baked goods that my wife made or Allie's donuts, source of the best donuts in RI.

You?

[weinoo]

No office here, but "back in the day" there were plenty of Twizzlers.

When I was going to cooking school at the same time as working in an NYC office, I used to bring in leftovers. That was especially popular when I was taking Pastry & Baking with Nick Malgieri. Everything from cookies to pies to cakes to tarts made it into that office.

If I worked in an office environment now, it would no doubt be home made cookies, muffins and/or quick breads.

[onrushpam]

Jaymes' caramel corn is very popular with my work mates!

[vloglady]

Three things.

Co-worker used to bring in those huge bags of Stacey's Chips from Costco. I would eat them by the handful.

And my boss would make a delish "fried rice" sort of dish with tiny shrimp. She'd bring it in her insulated dish that would keep it warm, but I love it cold. I don't know what kind of seasoning she would put on it. She said it wasn't anything special. Not terribly salty.

And my Asian co-worker would bring in these little cookie things for the Chinese New Year. They're little cookies, sort of look like a one-inch log, but with sesame seeds. Cross between a cookie and a cracker. Only available during the Chinese New Year time. They are in a plastic see-through container with red decoration on the outside.

But we office people would eat anything. And we often do. (-:

[patris]

My colleagues are often the beneficiaries of whatever confectionery obsession I've got going on - before the holidays it was peppermint meltaways; a couple weeks ago it was a double-layer piece with morello cherry pate de fruit and milk chocolate almond ganache, dipped in dark chocolate; now on the table in my office sits a container of dark chocolate peanut clusters, made with the chocolate left in the bowl after I dipped the peanut butter s'mores I made for our annual Superbowl commercials lunch tomorrow. Somehow spreading the calories around makes me feel better about spending as much time goofing around with new recipes as I do. And my colleagues sure don't seem to mind...

Edited February 8, 2011 by patris (log)

[Foodietopo]

As much as I was shocked by the instant coffee in the Japanese workplace, the treats are amazing!

We get everything from home baked cake to fresh fruits. There also a tradition in Japan of bringing back a box of sweets after a business trip. These boxes are sold all over the country and they have little Japanese sweets individually wrapped. I don't go to the office everyday, but I often find a couple of little sweets on my desk.

In summer, we have a freezer full of ice cream and one of the office lady will do a round of ice cream at around 3 PM.

There is also a box full of candies and snacks in the middle of the room.

I remember bringing a box of maple flavoured cookies imported from Canada and my co worker went crazy for it.

I wish I could find a donut shop somewhere close to my office, the closest is Mr Donuts and it's not my favourite.

[Beebs]

Usually the stuff at my office is utter crap. But one time another company on our floor had too much homemade lemon chiffon birthday cake and shared it with us. Another time our vendor sent over a flat of fancy cupcakes from the local cupcakery. Those treats were excellent.

I wish we had tasty treats on a more regular basis, but unfortunately the people here love the commercial boxed cookies and chocolates garbage.

[Honkman]

People bring their cookies, pies etc. but what really stands out sometimes is when somebody brings some fresh fruits etc. from their own garden.

[BeeZee]

one of the companies I used to do business with had someone bring in warm, fresh soft pretzels from the bakery in South Philadelphia on Fridays...mmmmm

[janeer]

I personally bring in left-over baked goods of all kinds that I don't want to end up eating myself, everything from breads and cookies to fancy cakes and pies. Mostly, people bring in Krispy Kreme donuts (this is Nashville); I always eat at least 2 glazed.For a while people were bringing in homemade Friendship Cake, which is made from a starter that gets passed around with an expectation that you will keep it going, in part by bringing in a cake. Quite good. In my own private office, I have my personal stash of: Dove Dark Chocolate Promises; mixed dried fruit and nuts; Emmi Swiss yogurt and little containers of jam and honey from good hotels that I stir in.

[Chris Amirault]

For a while people were bringing in homemade Friendship Cake, which is made from a starter that gets passed around with an expectation that you will keep it going, in part by bringing in a cake. Quite good.

I'm fascinated by this. A sourdough starter? What sort of cake?

[Snadra]

Homemade baked treats are a winner round here.

One coworker brings in brownies, mini quiches and mini lemon meringue tarts. I do cookies sometimes and the ocassional batch of butter tarts, but my biggest hit so far was a cake salé I brought in just before Christmas. We toasted short slices on the sandwich maker and everyone was pretty mad for it. If my commute wasn't so draining I'd probably bake more and bring in more.

Actually, I thought my coworkers were pretty good at snarfing things down until I did a teaching prac: the brownies & blondies I brought into the staff room disappeared almost before I got the lid off. Something about dealing with surly adolescents makes the sugar rush all that more appealing, I guess!

[janeer]

For a while people were bringing in homemade Friendship Cake, which is made from a starter that gets passed around with an expectation that you will keep it going, in part by bringing in a cake. Quite good.

I'm fascinated by this. A sourdough starter? What sort of cake?

A spicy loaf cake with an excellent flavor and texture (could be baked in layers, I think). I have the recipe and will post it when I have time (kinda long)--maybe this weekend. Which reminds me, I have some starter in the freezer, too.

[Foodietopo]

Last summer, I made some kimchi daikon inspired by the Momofuku cookbook that turned out to be a hit during lunch time.

All the office ladies asked me for the recipe.

[sparrowgrass]

Chris, google 'Amish Friendship Cake'. I have had the recipe before, but it is quite involved--more like keeping a pet than baking a cake.

[Chris Amirault]

I did and got confused. Is it bread or cake or what?

[lancastermike]

One Word: Tastykakes.

Although one of my co-workers and I are trying to arrange for this to come here as a treat.

real treat

Edited February 9, 2011 by lancastermike (log)

[ElsieD]

Here is one version - I'm sure there are others out there, but it will give you the general idea.

FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Day 1:

In a gallon jar put 1 ½ cups starter, 2 cups sugar, 1 large tin of cubed peaches with juice. Stir daily for 10 days.

Day 10:

Add 2 cups sugar & a large tin of crushed or chunk pineapple with its juice. Stir daily for 10 days.

Day 20

Add 2 cups sugar & 12 oz. Of maraschino cherries, halved and well drained. Do not add juice. Stir daily for 10 days.

Per cake:

1 box yellow or white cake mix

1 box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 ½ cups drained fruit

1 cup chopped nuts or raisins

4 eggs

Mix well and bake in greased & floured bundt pan in a 300 oven for about an hour.

Note: The started is the liquid from the mixture after day 30.

[Paul Bacino]

I like almond peanut butter and honey on crackers ( special ? )!! This gives you a quick glucose buzz with sustained effect of the peanut butter. Helps cut the snack crave.

Its a dental office, and we try to limit the sweets. But you would be surprised how many patients bring in sweet treats for us.

Paul

[HungryC]

We have a credenza nicknamed the "food altar" where snacks are laid out....assorted pastries on Tues/Thurs (a changing selection of doughnuts, croissants, filled danish, etc from the

) supplied by the office, plus frequent party leftovers, birthday cakes, and so on. This week alone, we've noshed on rice crackers (not so good, reminded everyone of Communion wafers), two king cakes (from different bakeries) on Monday alone, and cheese straws. Since Mardi Gras isn't until March 8th, we'll be eating beaucoup king cakes before the end of the season. Edited February 9, 2011 by HungryC (log)

[nakji]

We have a constant supply of mandarin oranges in our office. Whenever our supply runs low, someone is dispatched to the fruit stand. We probably go through a dozen a day.

Sometimes when students come back from Taiwan from writing tests, they bring pineapple cakes - a kind of shortbread cake stuffed with pineapple jam. Those go quick. Real quick.

[janeer]

Here is one version - I'm sure there are others out there, but it will give you the general idea.

FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Day 1:

In a gallon jar put 1 ½ cups starter, 2 cups sugar, 1 large tin of cubed peaches with juice. Stir daily for 10 days.

Day 10:

Add 2 cups sugar & a large tin of crushed or chunk pineapple with its juice. Stir daily for 10 days.

Day 20

Add 2 cups sugar & 12 oz. Of maraschino cherries, halved and well drained. Do not add juice. Stir daily for 10 days.

Per cake:

1 box yellow or white cake mix

1 box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 ½ cups drained fruit

1 cup chopped nuts or raisins

4 eggs

Mix well and bake in greased & floured bundt pan in a 300 oven for about an hour.

Note: The started is the liquid from the mixture after day 30.

This is very different from what I have, which is more of a true starter than what looks like macerated fruit. I will post this weekend for comparison.

[kayb]

I often bring leftover soup, which is generally a hit, or homemade bread if I have an overabundance. Sometimes I'll make quiche for Friday morning staff meetings. We have one office mate who makes unGodly wonderful pies and cheesecakes, another who does good dips and cheese spreads. Our favorite, though, is at Christmas, where one of our members who is Greek brings in homemade baklava. Dear God. It's to die for.

[Chris Amirault]

Dorie Greenspan's blondies today -- the only blondies I've ever had that don't suck. They are, in fact, amazing things.

[Foodietopo]

These Taiwan pineapple cake are addictive! My brother-in-law has to travel to Taiwan for business often and he always bring back a box .

Today, we got Hakata Torimon cake at the office. White beans and butter, sublime!

We have a constant supply of mandarin oranges in our office. Whenever our supply runs low, someone is dispatched to the fruit stand. We probably go through a dozen a day.

Sometimes when students come back from Taiwan from writing tests, they bring pineapple cakes - a kind of shortbread cake stuffed with pineapple jam. Those go quick. Real quick.