Utica: Half-Moon (cookie)

Entry in progress—B.P.
 
Other Utica foods include chicken riggies  and jelly buns.
 
Wikipedia: Black and white cookie
History and difference from half-moons
The exact origin of the black-and-white cookie is unknown. The half-moon common in Upstate New York and New England is sometimes confused with the black-and-white cookie but is made with a different recipe. Nonetheless, while the two names are often used interchangeably, there are considerable differences between the two; most notably in the textures of the base and the icing, with black-and-whites having a drier, cookie-like base and fondant frosting. And with the cookie also being bigger than most half-moons.
 
Half-moons most often come with a chocolate cake base, dark fudge icing on one side and sugary white frosting for the “half-moon” side. Hemstrought’s Bakery in Utica, New York, one of the earliest known bakeries to make the half-moon cookie, also made a vanilla cake base with fudge and white frosting, as well as full “vanilla moons” and “coconut moons,” with either a chocolate or vanilla cake base. The original Hemstrought’s half moons bakery closed their doors in 2011; they, however, still bake half-moons for local supermarkets, where they are still available.
 
The typical New York City and Long Island black-and-whites have a vanilla cake base with fudge and white frosting.
 
Hemstrought’s Bakeries (Utica, NY)
Hemstrought’s Bakery was started by Harry B. Hemstrought in 1920. It was located at the site of the former Marine Midland Bank on Genesee St. in Utica, NY
 
In 1927, the bakery was moved to 113 Columbia St.
 
A new plant at 546 Oriskany Street West was opened on May 21, 1967, and the bakery was operated by Robert Hemstrought and his brother-in-law Richard Morgan both of New Hartford, N.Y.
 
Today, the bakery plant is currently located at 900 Oswego Street in Utica, NY
 
Hemstrought’s, famous for the “original Halfmoon Cookie” has not changed the recipe since 1920, but the officials of the bakery have kept pace with the latest trends.
   
15 January 1912, Watertown (NY) Daily Times, pg. 7, col. 6 ad:
Fresh Half Moon Cookies, dozen…10c
(The Mohican Company.—ed.)
 
19 November 1920, Syracuse (NY) Herald, pg. 3, col. 4 ad:
Half Moon
COOKIES
DOZ. 24c
(The Mohican Company.—ed.)
 
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
27 September 1951, Utica (NY) Observer-Dispatch, pg. 13, col. 4 ad:
Hemstrought Bakery
113 Columbia St.  Utica, N. Y.
CHOCOLATE HALF MOON COOKIES
doz. 40c
 
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
16 May 1952, Utica (NY) Daily Press, pg. 42, col. 8 ad:
Hemstrought Bakery
113 Columbia St.  Utica, N. Y.
HALF MOON COOKIES
doz. 42c
   
Big Frog 104 (Marcy, NY)
Foods People Miss When They Leave Utica
By Polly January 12, 2016 5:50 AM
(...)
4 Halfmoons
Half-moons differ from black and white cookies. The traditional half-moon is a devil’s food cake cookie that is richer and moister than the black and white. Hemstrought’s Bakery is one of the earliest known bakeries to make the half-moon cookie.