Dan's Papers - August 31, 2007 - Hampton Tradition II

Kathleen King of Southampton has been creating the tastiest chocolate chip cookies in the Hamptons for over 30 years. Using a recipe that she perfected when she was eleven years old, Kathleen is now standing at an apex of success. With a new kitchen in East Moriches in operation as well as the kitchen at her Tate's Bakeshop on 43 North Sea Road in Southampton, Kathleen King is re-creating the taste so many people in the Hamptons crave when they want a perfect treat.

Sitting at her desk in the office above the bakeshop, Ms. King told her story, the story of a farm girl who became part of a Hamptons long standing tradition of culinary excellence. Naming the cookie after her father's nickname for potatoes, "taters," Kathleen was quick to mention that it was her mother who gave her the strength and courage to build her business. And build it she has. With her Southampton cookies now being shipped all over the U.S.A., Kathleen still has the charm of a small girl who just won the blue ribbon at the county fair for her cookies. She said that even though her company has grown, she has maintained quality control to insure that every cookie Tate's bakes will taste like the first batch she sold at her father's farm stand when she was eleven years old.

As she finished her story, the phone rang and she was asked to come down and greet an old customer, who wanted to thank Kathleen for the birthday cake she had made for her daughter's 60th birthday. Moments like these bring a certain warmth to this bakeshop that so many in Southampton rely on for their birthday cakes, morning muffins, incredibly tasty berry pies and, of course, the famous cookies.

The shop is arranged in such a way that it has the feel of a small country store as well as a bakeshop. Smartly packaged jams and preserves sit on the shelves beside pasta sauces. Although these items are not Kathleen's creations, everybody who shops at Tate's knows that she knows what tastes good.

Recently, a friend of mine had some of her friends visit her from Kansas City. She always has a healthy supply of Tate's cookies around to satisfy her sweet tooth and in no time her slim female friends had polished off three bags without even realizing how many cookies they had consumed. When they left for Kansas, they had a new supply in their luggage. Who doesn't remember the first time they bit into a buttery, crunchy Tate's cookie?

However, there is another side to Kathleen King. She enjoys bike riding not only in the Hamptons, but also in Tuscany, Italy. Anyone who has ever been there understands why she may long to visit the Italian oasis of fresh olive oil, young wines and rolling hills at stressful times. As for the future, Kathleen is all smiles. Things in the present are all good. There will be expansion but in a quality controlled atmosphere of picking locations for perhaps a new Tate's store or two. With high rents and moderate pricing, Kathleen explained, picking new locations is tricky. Kathleen remembered the farm stand in Water Mill over thirty years ago that was her first expansion beyond dad's farm. She rolled her eyes, as if to say thank you to them.

Before leaving, Kathleen invited me to taste a new creation, Whole Wheat Chocolate Cookies. As I was watching other baked goods going into and out of the ovens in the bakeshop's kitchen, I sampled one of these cookies. It was very good. It has a taste I may become very accustomed to quickly. However, I love the Butterscotch Chocolate Chip too. The Oatmeal Raisins are my mother's favorite, whereas both my daughters, now 20 and 22, have enjoyed the standard chocolate chip since they were single digit youngsters. There is a tradition to the taste of Tate's cookies.

As I was leaving the Tate's Bakeshop via the front door, I took a look at the diverse crowd on line to purchase the freshly baked merchandise. A woman in bike clothes, a Hispanic worker, a TV-cable guy, a young mother or two and perhaps a grandmother. Yes, cookie lovers come in all ages, genders, and nationalities when the cookies are good. And when you purchase a bag of Tate's Bake Shop Cookies with the traditional green label, Kathleen King makes sure they are really good. You can find them at select food stands, all Hamptons Hess gas stations and various supermarkets as well as The Tate's Bakeshop.