Brownies! "american" Or "chocolate"?

A few weeks ago, while on a business trip to Canada, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found there. I found Brownies, by the dozens, on a number of street corners throughout the city I was visiting. These were not just ordinary chocolate brownies, but I would say they were extraordinary Brownies! They were the Brownies that are a part of the international organization for young girls.

History of Chocolate Brownies

It is believed the delectable chocolate brownie we all love and enjoy originated in the United States and was named for the mystical characters found in children’s stories of that era. Other’s would disagree, believing the name was due in part to the brown color of this sweet dessert. One of the first recipes on record is found in an 1896 Boston Cooking School Cookbook and was called Molasses Cake, although it is not quite the same as today’s brownies. The recipe for Bangor Brownies, more like today’s brownie, was published in the Boston Globe back in 1905. Records show that it was not until around 1920 that the brownie we know today became so popular.

History of American Brownies

Lady Baden Powel from Great Britain established the first guiding movement for young girls in 1909; and by 1910, the movement had spread to Canada, Finland, Denmark, and South Africa. By 1920, the movement had spread to Ireland, Sweden, Holland, and the United States. One of the first groups established in the scouting movement was for girls between the ages of seven and ten, originally called Rosebuds, but then renamed “Brownies” after a story written by Juliana Horatia Ewing in 1870, named “The Brownies”.

The idea behind the movement was that children, young girls in particular, could develop into model citizens. In the United States, their Brownie “promise” is: “On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the girl scout law, although today the girls are given a choice of what word they use for their spiritual beliefs.”

What is Special about Brownies Worldwide?

No matter where a Brownie lives in this world, they all follow the teachings of Lord and Lady Baden Powell and by doing so build self-esteem and value honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, confidence, and great citizenship. They acquire honor badges by acquiring and conquering skill sets, and they interact with the public through various fund-raising programs established in their countries.

So, What Would Happen if You Combined the Brownies?

In Canada, where I was visiting on business, the Brownies go door to door selling Girl Scout cookies, plus they sell them to people passing by as a way of raising funds for their activities. Being curious, I purchased a box and found it filled with maple tasting cookies in the shape of a maple leaf, Canada’s national symbol. Although the cookies were good, I couldn’t help but wonder if that nice looking little box wouldn’t be better filled something like extra fudgy brownies from my favorite brownie shop.

Hmmm....wouldn’t that would be a great fundraiser for our American Brownies to take on as a challenge? I bet they’d have no trouble selling millions of boxes! Who can resist the taste of gourmet brownies when delivered to your door personally by an adorable Brownies...

By: Ruths Brownie Kitchen

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Ruth's Brownie Kitchen, an artisan bakery in the Hudson Valley of New York, bakes brownies in a dozen different flavors including extra fudgy brownies, brownies with walnuts, peanut butter or maple cream added or swirled-in.