In the classic chocolate chip cookie column …
Notice how Cecil’s ordinary research methods (asking experts, researching major publications, etc.) were abandoned in this case in favor of a research method that left him with two trays of chocolate chip cookies.
Color me surprised. 
Well, in certain instances, there is simply no substitute for first-hand empirical knowledge.
Oh, and you get cookies.
As far as I can recall, Cecil doesn’t do research since he knows all the answers anyway. But he does deign to present the evidence to us mortals in order to help us strive to be more like him.