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Health & Fitness

Girl Scouts to host annual Cookie Gala

Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan to hold annual Cookie Gala on March 26th
Taylor Swift, One Direction memorabilia to be auctioned off during event

DETROIT—Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) announced its annual Cookie Gala, a celebration of one of America’s most beloved sweet treats—Girl Scouts Cookies. The event is on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 from 6p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at DTE Energy Headquarters, One Energy Plaza in Detroit. Tickets are $100.00 each or $170.00 for a pair until March 21. After March 21, tickets are $120.00 each or $190.00 per pair. Order tickets online at www.gssem.org.

Cookie Gala features Girl Scout cookies kicked up a gourmet notch by some of metro Detroit’s best chefs. Chefs create delectable desserts and appetizers using Girl Scout cookies, and compete to have the best Cookie Gala recipes. This year, a total of 10 restaurants and bakeries from throughout the metro area will compete. Nine are repeat participants and one is a first-time entrant, Oakhurst Golf and Country Club of Clarkston, MI.

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“We have the Thank U Berry Munch cookie, which I had not heard of before now,” said Chef Joseph Morin, executive chef at Oakhurst Golf and Country Club. “We already tested our recipe at our restaurant, and it went over really well.” Morin said he hopes his Pannacotta, a silky vanilla pudding atop a Thank U Berry Munch cookie with a sweet fruit sauce, is a winner, but he’s in it for the fun. “When you go in only with the hopes of winning, you can get disappointed so we’re just happy to support Girl Scouts and have a good time,” he concluded.

Holiday Market of Royal Oak is competing for a third time this year, and has the shortbread Trefoil cookie. Holiday Market has yet to win one of the Cookie Gala awards, but is looking forward to changing that at this year’s gala. Executive chef Mary Travis is keeping their creation a secret.

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“I will say that it is a dessert, and there are limes involved,” she said. “Cookie Gala is for a great cause and it’s always fun to see what the other chefs create,” she concluded.

Live and silent auctions of great memorabilia autographed by celebrities including Taylor Swift, One Direction and the cast of Glee will highlight this year’s gala. All items come with certificate of authenticity. Some other great items include:

• "Rock N' Roll Guitar Legends" Electric Guitar autographed by Eddie Van halen, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Slash, BB King, Neil Young, Edge and Pete Townsend.
• Autographed Tina Turner custom framed album
• Very rare hand drawn custom framed, autographed sketch of Snoopy by creator Charles Schulz

2014 Cookie Gala participating restaurant/bakery and cookie assignments include:
• ARAMARK Corporation, Detroit (Do-si-dos)
• Fifty-One-O-One, Dearborn (Thin Mint)
• Oakhurst Golf and Country Club, Clarkston (Thank U Berry Munch)
• The Lark, West Bloomfield (Dulce de Leche)
• Macomb Culinary Institute, Clinton Township (Samoas)
• Prime 29 Steak, Seafood & Cocktails, West Bloomfield (Thin Mint)
• Holiday Market, Royal Oak  (Trefoils)
• Sweet & Savory Bake Shop, Oxford (Tagalongs)
• Treat Dreams, Ferndale (Samoas)
• The Hill Seafood & Chop House, Grosse Pointe Farms (Savannah Smiles)

During the gala, attendees including celebrity guest judges will taste and rate each of the recipes and choose the best for 2014. Chefs from each of the participating restaurants will compete to win any of the Cookie Gala awards: People’s Choice, Presenting Sponsor, Judges’ Choice, Cookie Diva’s Choice, Girls’ Choice, and CEO’s Choice.

Ford Motor Company is the presenting sponsor of the 2014 Cookie Gala. Additional sponsors include; Baker Tilly, Clark Hill PLC, Comerica Bank, Commonwealth Financial Network, Delta Dental, DTE Energy Foundation, Elder Automotive Group, General Motors, Hylant, Motor City Electric Co., OpTech, Preferred Moving & Storage, and Quicken Loans.

Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) is the local council chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) to facilitate the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE), designed to help girls develop leadership skills through three key elements—Discover, Connect and Take Action. Each element has a set of five outcomes including girls develop a strong sense of self (Discover); girls develop healthy relationships (Connect); and girls are resourceful problem solvers (Take Action).


GSSEM serves nearly 36,000 girls and adult volunteers in Oakland, Macomb, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, and parts of Wayne, Monroe and Livingston counties. GSSEM provides a girl-led, girl-centered, fun-filled quality leadership experience.

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