JFG Nation, hey there. Hey. What’s up in the world? I wouldn’t know, because I’ve been tethered (willingly) to the JFBaby. The only connection I’ve had to the outside world besides random runs to Target to buy a dishwasher basket is watching NFL games on my phone. My Bills managed to score only 3 pts versus the Panthers, who only scored 9pts. Which begs the question: how much do YOU suck, Carolina Panthers?? Plus, Jets – wow. Michael Crabtree is not that good. Stop making him look like Jerry Rice. Then again, the Jets inspired this:

Another observation of these first few weeks of fatherhood is that EVEN IF you had a good partner in crime to assist raising the kid, because you’re tag teaming all your child raising duties, there’s very little new going on EXCEPT the kid. Whereas the JFGal and I used to both come home from work and discuss what happened during the day, this is how our conversations are since we’ve both been on maternity/paternity leave:

JFG: “So, what’s new?”

JFGal: “Dude, we’ve literally been either staring at each other or at this baby for the past 240 hours. THERE IS NOTHING NEW.”

The start of parenthood can be incredibly isolating – both intentionally and unintentionally. It happens naturally because you can’t just step away from your new baby and go to happy hour – not yet at least. So you’re home all the time…but also the isolation occurs because you don’t really return texts or calls because you’re busy trying to figure out your rhythm. We’ve settled into a semi-rhythm where we MIGHT get 5 hours of sleep, in bits and pieces? I’m hoping that gets better and that this dull throb in the back of my hed goes away soon.

So yeah – that’s what’s been going on with me. What’s new with you, JFG Nation? Have I been missing anything important in the news, sports, entertainment world? Let me know in the comments below. And thanks to everyone who commented and wished the JFGal and me congrats – it was much appreciated! Hopefully this blog post doesn’t read nonsensical. I’m running on barely any sleep.

Today’s junk food: Limited Edition Cookie Butter Oreo!!

Years ago, I took an international plane ride where they gave out Biscoff Cookies. These cookies were delicious – brown sugar-y, slightly gingerbread-y in nature, and light and crispy. I remember hoarding them on the flight, swearing they were the best airplane snack ever (WAAAY better then those damn tree shaped pretzels, Delta). Basically, Biscoff Cookies are a sort of brown sugar shortbread, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg and other spices.

When I realized you could buy them in the states, I bought them whenever I found them on the shelves. Later, when Cookie Butter became a thing, I remember trying it and thinking, “Wait…this tastes just like Biscoff Cookies!” And, duh, the ingredients on the label were “Pureed Biscoff Cookies, oil, etc…” COOKIE BUTTER. Like peanut butter. Genius. Six years ago at the Fancy Food Show, smaller companies were just starting to make their own versions. And now, Speculoos, or Biscoff spread, is everywhere, and it’s finally come to Oreo.

DO THESE TASTE GOOD? YES.

WHY OR WHY NOT? At first, I was skeptical – eating the creme by itself, it tasted a little cloying and a little TOO brown sugar-y. It didn’t have the more complex flavor I expected. The graham cookie by itself was good but also lacked the flavor or feel of cookie butter.

However, once chewed as a whole, this Oreo REALLY worked for me. This is NOT your twist-and-lick Oreo. This Oreo requires eating it as a sandwich because then it very closely approximates the flavor of a Biscoff Cookie, but in Oreo form! Really uncanny. Interestingly, the creme here was sort of granular – maybe to represent the crumble of a Biscoff Cookie. Eaten as a whole, it was sweet, but had the crumbly, gingerbread-y feel of a Biscoff Cookie. REALLY tasty. Perfect with tea or coffee. Just a delicious combo.

Run, don’t walk, to buy these, if you’re a fan of Biscoff Cookies.

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW? I don’t really think of these as “Cookie Butter Oreos” so much as “Hey, Oreo made a cookie that tastes like a Biscoff Cookie!” So, if you’re wondering whether you should just eat Biscoff Cookies instead, I’d say…probably. But these are still damn good.

PURCHASED AT: Target, Rockville Pike, MD.

WHERE FOUND IN STORE? Dunno – the guy was literally emptying out a box of these outside of the cookie aisle when I walked up and asked for one.

COST? $2.99.

Sincerely,

The JFG