Duty, Honor, Country

I always feel so honored when customers hire me to make cookies for some of the most important occasions in their lives. I think it's pretty cool that my cookies get to be a little part in big events like baby showers, weddings, bridal showers, birthdays, anniversaries...the list could go on.

This graduation season I was commissioned to create a unique cookie favor for a graduate at West Point. My customer did a little research and provided me with a few ideas on symbols that could be used on the West Point cookies. 

Whenever I take on a custom cookie design I always feel a little nervous...especially something of this importance. Obviously graduating from anywhere is a big deal, but West Point? I don't know that just anyone can make it through such a prestigious institution.

As often as possible, I like to discuss cookie ideas with my customer and if time allows, I try to either create a sketch that I email them or a sample cookie. In this case I created a couple cookie ideas for the customer.

This sketch is a banner cookie that uses elements from the graduate's class crest. There were a lot of images on the crest, but the most prominent was the eagle head and the class motto, "Loyal Til The End".

The other image that I used was the golden helmet with the phrase, "Duty, Honor, Country". 

Here are a few snaps of the actual cookies.

After writing 'Duty, Honor, Country' that many times...it's burned into my brain forever.

Because I was curious about when the United States first starting using the eagle as a symbol of freedom, I of course had to google it and found the following on wikipedia (I have noticed that I resort to wikipedia a lot. Sorry for that. It's just so convenient). 

The Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States of America. It appears on most of its official seals, including the Seal of the President of the United States.^[43] The Continental Congress adopted the current design for the Great Seal of the United States including a Bald Eagle grasping thirteen arrows and a thirteen-leaf olive branch with its talons on June 20, 1782.^[44][45] The founders of the United States were fond of comparing their new republic with the Roman Republic, in which eagle imagery was prominent.

I loved making the golden helmet cookie. Did you notice I used luster dust to create a 'golden' sheen on the helmet? It was definitely time consuming, but I think it made the cookie pretty cool looking. Maybe you can see it better in this picture?

The crest was a fun cookie to do. The eagle head did not leave a ton of room for the amount of writing I needed to put on the cookie, so I definitely needed to use the #1 icing tip. It made everything fit just perfectly! Don't these cookies look like little soldiers all in a row? 

The customer was so nice. When I delivered the cookies she gave me a big hug. I don't mind hugging my customers. I think it's kind of cool that the cookies can get that reaction.

She told me the cookies were a big hit at the graduation dinner. In fact, she said her favorite comment was from her brother, "Man, these even TASTE good!" That made me smile too.

The customer loved them so much that she ordered a second round of cookies for a graduation party held today (Memorial Day) in their hometown. I always appreciate repeat business. Always! 

When I delivered the cookies (this morning) I actually got a chance to meet the graduate. I viewed a few pictures from the various events held during his graduation week. I'll share a few with you because the uniforms he wore were so impressive!

This is the graduate in his everyday uniform with his parents on either side.

This is his formal dress with a tarbuckle hat. I'm so glad I didn't have to turn that hat into a cookie. Phew. That would have been crazy!! 

Each graduate has a pinning ceremony where they add their bars to their uniform. This is probably my favorite picture because it looks so cool with the American Flag in the background.

Here is the whole family...parents and all three boys.

And just to show that West Point grads still have their sense of humor in the end....

Thanks for reading today! Happy Memorial Day - especially to all those that give so selflessly to our country! We have it so good here in America and I'm thankful every day for those that fight for my freedom. 

Have a sweet holiday!

Anne