The Oreo Cookie

The Oreo cookie was first introduced to the public in 1912, by the National Biscuit Company.  At the time, they sold for 30cents a pound, and came in a round tin with a glass top.  Is anyone old enough to remember that packaging?  Today, the Oreo is an American icon.

While recovering from knee surgery, I was home watching hours of TV.  One Sunday morning on KPBS, I ran across an art show, where the artist being interviewed used the Oreo cookie as her canvas.  She produced some of the most amazing images on top of the cookie, a few of which I have included here.  I thought this was such a unique idea, but when I researched the Oreo as a canvas for art, I found it was commonly used.  Some artists put an image on top of the outside of the cookie, others open the cookie and use the white, creamy filling to draw their design.  It's fascinating what people will think of, and when you think you've seen it all, people find something new.  Apparently Oreos are also used in art projects with small children, so don't be surprised if your grandchildren come home with an art project made from Oreos.

Although there have been many copy cat cookies, the Oreo stands head and shoulders above them all.