I’m almost as fascinated by how ideas come to mind as I am by how they go from mind to matter. It’s not always that I can pinpoint where an idea comes from. Sometimes I’m searching for an idea – what can do with all the raspberries I’ve got? – and sometimes an idea just pops. CookieBar’s new Jammers were a pop-idea. In fact, the idea came to me in my sleep.

I’d been thinking about a new cookie and talking about wanting to create a new cookie and then, in the middle of the night, it came to me: I could put my favorite topping – streusel – on top of my favorite cookie – sablé . One day, and a couple of test batches later, I added one more favorite – jam, just a little between the cookie and the crumbs; just enough to add another texture and another flavor.

If I could be guaranteed of a new idea every night, I’d start going to bed a lot earlier.