Back when I courted an addiction to sugar wafers, Biscos, made by Nabisco, were the only ones I knew. I ate them by the row, stack, and box. But either they grew coarse or my palate evolved; and when the price per box topped $4, I knew I needed to go on a quest for the best sugar wafer on earth.

I became fond of Keeblers, available in chocolate and strawberry as well as vanilla, and available in single-snack, 10-cookie packages in vending machines and at gas stations everywhere; but they didn't scratch the itch.

Somewhere in the Midwest, I found Voortman minis – stale right out of the box!

I ate Uncle Al's (like Keebler's, made in Canada) and Gonzos, which left a horrible oily film on the roof of my mouth, and even tried pink ones that I found in the north of England.

Nothing provided the ecstasy I remembered from my early sugar wafer days. Then, after a Cuban sandwich in a favorite local lunch spot, Amigo's, I spotted Goya wafers on the shelf. One bite confirmed that my memories of cookie bliss were not merely euphoric recall. Several comparison tests later, I can say without doubt that Goya Vanilla Wafers are the benchmark: elegant and lightweight, layered with deliriously sweet vanilla-flavored creme (not cream), and impossible to stop eating. The back of the package lists all kinds of other flavors, including mango, guava, pineapple, and dulce de leche, but I will stick with vanilla -- my new favorite store-bought cookie.