Even Better Than Cool-A-Coos

Kasten says "a newly tweetable Dodger Stadium" will be in place for Opening Day, with actual wi-fi service for all.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) November 13, 2012

Game 147 Thread: Sept. 16 vs. Cards, 1p

"Mark! Cool-A-Coos are back!"

Stephen Fife (0-1, 2.16) vs. Adam Wainwright (13-13, 4.01).

At the very least the Dodgers have secured a series split with the Cardinals, but how unsatisfying would that be? Without a win today, the Dodgers would resume lingering in the Redbirds' exhaust. No, we're going to call today's game a must-win, as in their next two series the Dodgers play the first-place Nationals and the first-place Reds. The Cards? They get the Astros. And the Cubs. Then the Astros again.

No disrespect to Mr. Fife, but unfortunately not-Clayton Kershaw is taking the mound for the Dodgers today. Yet the Cardinals, suffering from their own special brand of NL Central ineptitude, are eminently beatable. We're ready to believe, Stephen!

It's The New Coo Review, Coming Right At You!

So, Guggenheim Baseball Management pulled off the greatest coup (Pun not intended, but I'll take it.) in the history of professional sports and brought back the Cool-A-Coo ice cream sandwich last night. The heavens opened. Everything seemed bright again. Even the Dodgers' lack of offense seemed less frustrating.

Nope, I'm kidding. That part still sucked.

They did make a big deal over the return, though. Eric Smith read a welcome back message over the PA, then DodgerVision cut to Tommy and Ron Cey chowing on a couple of Cool-A-Coos. I missed this part, because I was in the middle of my search for one. Vin Scully Is My Homeboy has some pics.

It wasn't exactly an epic quest, but I did have to do some legwork to attain my ice-creamy goodness. I was sitting on the Top Deck, and, at first glance, it appeared that the concession stands up there weren't carrying the Cool-A-Coo. (At least, according to the menu boards.) So, I popped down the eleventy or so stairs to the Reserve.

Not wanting to miss too much of the offensive onslaught on the field, I hopped in the first line I came across. This stand's menu board did list the Cool-A-Coo...at a whopping $5.75. Yee-ikes. Unfortunately, I picked the one line that Guggenheim hasn't managed to improve the serving time of, so I was camped out for a while. I got to see Beckett's epic groundout single on the TV, and joke about it with some fellow fans. ("He's, uh, not used to hitting!") After about 15 minutes in line, I had my Cool-A-Coo in hand and headed back to my seat.

So, how does it taste? Pretty darn good! I can't say for sure if it's at all like the original, since my last one was consumed probably 20 years ago. It definitely felt familiar, though. I hope you like cinnamon, because there is a TON in the cookies. Also, grab some napkins, because the chocolate coating melts faster than our hopes for the postseason.

One more thing: Look at the word just above Cool-A-Coo. Yep. As one of our Twitter followers put it, "Nothing sold in Dodger Stadium should say 'GIANT' on it." Huge faux pas. Even outside of that context, the sandwich itself isn't big enough to merit using the word. (Not that the Cool-A-Coo is tiny, or anything, despite how my freakishly large hands make it appear.)

To recap:

• PROS: Taste, Nostalgia
  
• CONS: Filthy five-letter word, Price (Seriously, drop it to $4 and you'll sell TONS.)

Photo: SoSG Nomo

Homestand Roll-Call Thread: Sept. 13-16 vs. Cardinals

OK, kids, the season's winding down and things aren't looking good. Who's coming out to the Ravine this weekend to drown their sorrows in beer and Cool-a-Coos?

I will be Top Decking it tonight. Who else is in?

Image: LA Times

Peter Guber Is Off to a Great Start

From "Cool-A-Coo comeback: A chocolate-covered win-win for the Dodgers" by Bill Shaikin at the LA Times:

Mark Walter lives in Chicago. Stan Kasten spent most of his adult life in Atlanta. Peter Guber is an L.A. guy.

So, when Guber pitched a nostalgic idea on behalf of L.A. fans, his partners in the new Dodgers ownership group listened.

"Curly Coo," Guber told Kasten. "There is nothing like a Curly Coo." [...]

Kasten, the new Dodgers president, eventually figured out what Guber had tried to say. When Kasten met with Levy Restaurants, the company that handles the Dodgers' concessions, he demanded better food, shorter lines and Cool-A-Coos — if, that is, Levy could find them.

"The Levy people are tracking it down," Kasten said. "They have been sending me updates on the Cool-A-Coo front."

Dodger fans of a certain age will have fond memories of the Cool-A-Coo ice cream sandwich, a largish puck of vanilla ice cream between two chocolate-chip cookies, all covered in a chocolate shell. Biting into a frozen Cool-A-Coo was akin to sinking your teeth into a brick, but a few minutes in the afternoon sun turned the cookies surprisingly soft and chewy, which made the whole thing a delight. I'm trying to eat healthy nowadays, but a Dodger Dog followed by a Cool-A-Coo still sounds like a winning combination.

Also: Cool-A-Coo, Where Are You? (LA Times, August 15, 1999)