Toll House Cookie Originator from New Bedford? [PHIL-OSOPHY]

The driving force of this article started with GNB Voc-Tech intern Maddy Hanks, a first-class apprentice and excellent chocolate chip cookie maker.

Maddy baked up a bunch of tasty Toll House chocolate chip cookies and brought them in for the staff to enjoy. I happened to mention the cookies on the air and within minutes, a call came in from a listener who said the nationally-renowned treat originated with a New Bedford native who first created the recipe. I was speechless and taken aback by this.

The caller promised to follow up on her claim and said she'd try to get me in touch with family descendants to substantiate the story. Minutes later, I received a text message from a well-known local official who confirmed she was aware of the story, adding it's been an established claim in the Cape Verdean community for years. Where have I been? This was the first time I had ever heard it.

So I started my research and came up with the standard information, saying the cookie was invented by American chefs Ruth Graves Wakefield and Sue Brides in 1938 at the Toll House Inn, in Whitman, Massachusetts. I looked deep and far and couldn't find an iota of information about the originator coming from New Bedford.

But then it dawned on me, the caller mentioned that the New Bedford native was never credited or rewarded in any way for his creation that went on to make millions of dollars for the Nestlé company, and that's why untangling this riddle would be much more difficult.

I'm going to pursue different sources, but in the meantime, I'd appreciate any tips and assistance you can give me. Please leave your "'morsels" below in the comments on our Facebook page. Together, let's try to get to the bottom of this.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.