My last column in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, for now:

In these times of uncertainty, there’s one sure comfort: Girl Scout Cookies.

You know them as Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, Trefoils, Toffee-Tastics, Girl Scout S’mores and the new Lemon-Ups.

As a young Girl Scout, I peddled the classic cookies up and down my neighborhood, vying for a coveted prize like inflatable furniture or a neon T-shirt. It was the ’90s, after all.

My love for Girl Scout Cookies began at a young age (namely, Samoas), and it’s continued throughout my life (now, Tagalongs). Not just because they’re delicious, but also because of what they represent: young women entrepreneurs learning key skills to make them leaders.

Recently, I was honored to participate in the 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Taste-Off. This event featured Girl Scout-created desserts that highlighted six of the cookies. Girl Scout Cookies are no doubt tasty, but they can also be incorporated into so many desserts, which makes them very versatile. Just look at this lineup of delicious creations:

- Tagalongs Do-si-dos Cupcake
- Thin Mints Sweet and Salty Mix
- Tagalong Shake
- Girl Scout S’more Campfire Cupcakes
- Trefoils Cheesecake Cup
- Samoa Brownie Parfait
If you missed out, you can make these at home by following recipes supplied by the bakery, Little Brownie Bakers.

The desserts were truly scrumptious. Each bite was made more so knowing that the program — and organization — is dedicated to helping develop girls into leaders across the state and beyond.

Sweet in flavor and sweet in satisfaction — a match made in cookie heaven.

In full disclosure, I am employed by the Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council, and opinions expressed here do not reflect or express those of the Council. They are solely my own. I’ve always loved Girl Scout Cookies, so I am excited to share my devotion — no matter where I am.

I've made my way to Danville to try the Sam's Hot Dog Stand. This Sam's had a cute little set-up in a gas station with cute overhead signage and a decent space on the side.



But what caught my eye first is that there were a whole, fresh pile of pepperoni rolls on the counter. I got a "Zesty" roll, which had salami, sauce and banana peppers. So, so tasty.



The hot dog - this time with just ketchup - was solid. If not a bit too much ketchup.

Sam's Hot Dog Stand is a hot dog stand that has locations throughout southern West Virginia.


So, of course, I now have a goal to visit every location.



So, I made my way to some in the area. The first was the location in Alum Creek. It's located in an Exxon and features other options like burgers, corn dogs and even BBQ. But I went with a classic hot dog - chili, slaw, mustard. onions on an English bun. All in all, pretty tasty.

Here's another Tudor's location off my checklist: Barboursville.



Just a quick drive-thru at this one - to get the new blackberry biscuit. This one was missing the granola on top - and the cream - but still had that super sweet, delicious blackberry sauce.

Hillbilly Hotdogs is a kitschy hotdog tourist attraction that capitalizes on hillbilly stereotypes - outhouses, broken-down school buses, etc.

I've been here a handful of times, and they have some creative hot dogs. But one that has been on my to-try list for some time is The Homewrecker. It's 15 inches of jalapeños, sautèed, peppers and onions, nacho cheese, habenero, chili sauce, mustard, slaw, lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese, piled high on a 1-pound all beef weenie in a big 'ol bun!

You can do this as a challenge and eat the whole thing in 12 minutes for a T-shirt, and the man besides us complete it, which was fun to watch. But for Sara and I, just trying it was good enough. I took a few bites - but honestly, that hot dog was not my favorite. Hot dogs were not meant to be consumed in a giant hunk. Because the flavor was not great. The toppings were fine. But I think, in all, we maybe ate 1/4 of this.

Have you tried it?