Grom ice cream in NYC, New York

On a very hot day, we were walking on Bleecker street and decided to stop by Grom Gelato. It is an interesting company: they started in 2003 in Torino, Italy, with an all natural philosophy: no coloring or artificial flavors, fresh seasonal fruits or organic eggs. They are also collaborating with the Italian Association of Celiac disease who gave them the gluten free label.

So here we are, queuing up, because of course, lots of people got the same idea! I immediately notice the hazelnut flavor: my favorite for gelato! It reminds me when we went to Italy couple of years ago: we had gelato every day and I, most of the time, had hazelnut gelato. I remember that it was a lot of gelato for just 2 Euros. So, anyway, I got the hazelnut gelato as well as the Crema Di Grom, a gelato made of egg cream, "meliga" biscuits and dark chocolate from Colombia.

It was fantastic! Creamy, it was very flavorful, but I have to admit that the hazelnut one was the best, overpowering a bit the crema di grom.

Jodi went for two other flavors: vanilla and coconut.

I loved the vanilla ice cream: it even had the black spots so particular to fresh vanilla beans. Jodi inhaled the coconut. There, it was creamy too and very tasty.

So definitely, with Eataly, Grom is a great gelato place! I will definitely have to go back to try their other flavors!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Finally!!!

I tasted it! Yes, I know, some of you are envious right now! So let me say it in plain English: I ate a cronut! I am sure you are either wondering how I ended up with one (two in fact), maybe thanks to my blog, or thinking that I went this time at 6am to get the precious pastry after a three hours wait! It is not what happened. Before I tell you how I ended up with two cronuts, let me summarize the previous episodes. 

Episode 1:

I heard about the new creation from Chef Dominique Ansel. Being a fan, I decided to try and with confidence, showed up at 11:30am on a week end to get a cronut. They are sold out (of course!). The buzz increases and the press reports long lines in front of the bakery. 

Episode 2:

We decide to try again, but show up a little before 8:30am this time, the bakery opening at 9am. After three hours of wait, we are in front of the door hoping to get rewarded. Suddenly, a woman, not fearing for her life, screams "I got the last one!" . At this point, I really thought there would be a riot! Some people left, disappointed, but we decided to wait a little more to get some breakfast: a delicious Kouign Amann and a fantastic almond croissant. Were we disappointed? Sure, but it was a fun experience: the excitement of maybe getting one, talking to people in line, but also to the passerby who were wondering what we were waiting in line for. The funniest being their faces when one responded "a cronut" and they had no idea what it was. 

So, now is episode 3! 

My friend and blog fan Benedicte brings me two cronuts ($5 each) on Monday, cronuts that she purchased after a now famous three hour wait. I receive the precious package, hiding it from everybody around me, taking care of it as if it was a family heirloom. I carefully carry the two cronuts in my possession home and proceed with unwrapping them from the aluminum foil they are in, some of it sticking to the icing. After taking photos and eating dinner, it is time for a tasting. Jodi and I each get one, me secretly hopping she will only eat half of it...

The first bite is divine! You get four layers in fact: 

- the icing: not too sweet at all

- the outer part of the cronut, full of granulated sugar, similar to a sugar twist. 

- the flaky buttery croissant like inside. 

- the cream with it subtle but fantastic coconut taste (Jodi's favorite on top of that!). 

Although we ate it the next day, it was very good, not dry at all, probably thanks to the butter and cream. It tasted more like a donut (I mentioned earlier a sugar twist), but with butter and a flakiness close to a croissant. 

We are happy now to be part of the few of had the chance to try it! I bet that, fresh, it would have been spectacular, more flaky and a bit crunchy! But I am not sure I am ready for another long wait...Although you never know!!!

Enjoy (I sure did)!

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Insomnia cookies on the Upper West Side, NYC, New York

Insomnia Cookies: what an interesting name! It definitely makes you want to try these cookies, thinking that they are so good, you will not be able to sleep! So we went there after our friends Gary and Jen mentioned this place during a brunch couple of weeks ago.

It is a small store and when you enter, your nose cannot miss the fantastic smell of the cookies! They really have a bunch, each with a description that is mouth watering! So we decided to try few of them. 

Know that, after your order, they will take the cookies from under the counter, where they keep them warm.

So, first was the s'mores cookie:

It was very good and my favorite: chewy and gooey with the delicious chocolate oozing from the cookie!

Then we tried the double chocolate chunk:

And the chocolate chunk cookie:

The last two were just ok for me: although chewy and gooey, they were a bit too sweet. I think that the chocolate chip cookie at City Bakery or the cookies at Levain Bakery, although more expensive, are better. But if you really want to try Insomnia Bakery, try the S'mores!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cupcakes at Butter Lane in the East Village, NYC, New York

After we went to Molly's cupcakes and did not like it, we decided to find a cupcake place in the East Village. Thanks to the internet, we found Butter Lane Cupcakes. The place is quaint and its configuration can change whether or not they give a class or not (the second time we went, they were giving an icing course.

There, similar to lots of places, they offer to build your own. I love that because that way, although the choice is limited, you eat what you like and do not feel too limited by the choices they propose.

The first time we went, we built our own. The ritual is always the same: you pick the cake, then the frosting.

I went for a banana cake with sea salt chocolate.

Jodi went for a vanilla cake with coconut icing.

Both cakes were very good, airy and moist. The icing was perfect: not too sweet, on the one I ordered, the combination of chocolate, caramel and sea salt was succulent. Not to mention that banana and chocolate are the perfect pairing too!

Then, the second time we went, Jodi got the chocolate cake with coconut icing and I got the vanilla cake with lemon icing.

There again, it was good, although the cake was dryer than the previous time and the icing a bit sweeter, but with a nice ratio cake/icing. However, they should put a bit more coconut on top.

I think Butter Lane Cupcakes is a great place for cupcakes, but overshadowed by the more trendy Big Gay Ice Cream Guy. We definitely have to go another time to try some other creations and why not attend a class!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Sandwiches at Francois Payard Bakery in NYC, New York

I went to Francois Payard few times already, mainly their location on West Houston. This time, we decided to go to the one near Columbus Circle to grab sandwiches. I always like to go there because their pastries look fantastic. 

We decided to order a croque Monsieur first. 

It was made with big pieces of ham, cheese and bechamel sauce, served between two slices of white bread. It was very good; the bechamel sauce adding some gooey-ness to it. It is one of the best ones I had so far for a reasonable price. No need to serve it fancy, just simply!

Then, we ordered the ham and Brie. 

They asked us if we wanted it heated: we said no as we wanted to go authentic. There again, there was a lot of ham and thick slices of Brie. They made it with a piece of salad, some butter and some mustard. I personally would have preferred just butter, ham and Brie, the mustard over powering at time the sandwich. Also, the bread was not that fresh. I guess that it is because they prepare it in the morning (we went after 2pm) and keep it refrigerated. 

Still, I love Francois Payard: they have good sandwiches and amazing pastries. 

Francois Payard Bakery
Midtown West
1775 Broadway
New York, NY

Enjoy (I did)!

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Molly's cupcakes in the West Village, NYC, New York

If you walk on Bleecker, you cannot miss this bright yellow store that houses Molly's cupcake. The place was not totally unknown to us as we saw them on Cupcake Wars, a TV show where several contestants have to show some creativity to showcase their cupcakes and battle against each other until only one stands. Molly's cupcake, that originated in Chicago, was one of them. If you wonder where the name is coming from, do not start imagining that it is the name of the founder. No, his name is Johnny and named this place Molly, in remembrance of his third grade teacher, Molly, who use to bake cupcakes whenever one of the pupils she was teaching to had a Birthday. I guess that this is also because of his childhood memories at school that Johnny decided to put swings inside where you can sit to joyfully eat your cupcakes. We went twice: the first time we sat there and the second time at a table.

This place has something that I truly appreciate: a way to make your own! I wish any pastry shop would have that!

You can make a mini or a regular size cupcake and pick, in order: the size, the type of cake, the frosting and any topping you want. The fact that they propose mini size is great because it allows you to try different flavors. The first time we went, it is what we did!

Jodi went for a mini vanilla with vanilla frosting, coconut and sprinkles for toppings (there was a tiny portion of coconut).

I went for a banana cake (regular as they do not offer mini size for this one), chocolate frosting and brownie chunks.

The last cupcake that time was a mini red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, a classic!

The vanilla and banana cakes were good and moist; however, the red velvet cake had an off taste, as if the ingredients were not well mixed together. Also, the frosting on each of these cupcakes was too sweet and the cream cheese frosting was like having cream cheese directly on the cake. Disappointing!

When we left, we thought that we would never come back, but we finally decided to give it another chance! That time, we went for cupcakes of their creation. Jodi ordered the Birthday cake one.

I ordered the Cookies & Cream:

It was again disappointing: the cakes were good, but the frosting on each was not good! The Birthday cake frosting was bland and the cookies & cream was too sweet.

After two visits, I am sure that it will not become one of the spots I would go to if I want something sweet! Sweet Revenge, that is close by, is far better! Also, I have to mention that one of the owners who served us twice was not very nice, as if we were bothering her! So, no regrets!!!

Enjoy (...)!

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Maison Kayser in NYC, New York

Maison Kayser, located on the Upper East side is the flagship restaurant of French Chef Eric Kayser who opened this place last year and is currently in process of opening additional ones near the Flatiron and Columbus Circle. It is an interesting place. At the entrance, is the store where you can look at the yummy pastries and viennoiseries. 

Then, on the right is the dining room where we decided to sit. 

The staff was dressed with sailor t-shirts ("t-shirt marin") that are mainly worn in West of France, particularly in Brittany. 

We already had lunch before, at Francois Payard Bakery near Columbus Circle, not at the one that opened across the street from Maison Kayser recently!!! So we decided to have coffee and desserts. 

Jodi had a mint green tea that she loved, as well as a Mille feuilles. 

I was so disappointed when I saw the Mille feuilles! It was not at all the traditional one and was really not as good. I mean, the best part in the Mille feuilles is the icing on top that is phenomenal and this pastry did not have any! 

On my side, I ordered a cafe gourmand.

The concept of cafe gourmand is coffee with small size pastries. It started few years ago in France and is now quite common.

The pastries we got were: financiers (bottom left), Paris Brest (top left), tarte au citron (lemon tart - top right) and raspberry tart (bottom right). 

The financiers were good, but not as dense as they should be, missing a bit the almond taste. 

The tarte au citron had a very weird after taste. 

The Paris Brest shell was overcooked and the cream so so (praline cream).

Only the raspberry tart was good. 

We also shared an elephant ear or palmier. 

It was big, but unfortunately overcooked and dry, missing the buttery taste that makes this cookie so good. 

Fortunately, I tasted the viennoiseries another time. It was the chocolate croissant and the pain aux raisins. Both were good, although the pain aux raisins was a bit undercooked. 

Yes, it was disappointing because so many people told me good things about this place. I think that Dominique Ansel Bakery is much better, serving incredible pastries that would satisfy any sweet tooth!

Maison Kayser
1294 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10022

Enjoy (...)!

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A visit to Princeton, NJ!

Recently, we went to Princeton for the day to visit our friends Livia and George.

It was the perfect occasion for me to see the campus as I heard so much about it. It was beautiful with this spectacular architecture, its gardens and so much green (well, in figurative too).

For lunch, Livia and George proposed to eat in one of their favorite places, apart from the main Street. 

We did not go to the restaurant, Blue Point Grill, but to the store on the left, Nassau Street Seafood Produce and Co, where they had an impressive selection of seafood, from lobster, crab, clam and all sorts of fresh fish that can be cleaned to order. They also have caviar!

Their fish tank with all these big lobsters was pretty impressive!

There, they offer a menu going from soups, salads, sandwiches...and you can even see them preparing it, in the small kitchen behind the counter. 

Jodi ordered a salad with fresh tuna.

The sauce was Caesar dressing. It was good, not overdressed and the fish (lots of it) tasted fresh. The only regret is that it was cooked all the way through and not pan seared with a red center. 

On my side, I ordered the lobster bisque. 

I was surprised to see them take an already prepared and packaged soup and serve it. They made it though and it was pretty good with little chunks of lobster in it! 

Then, I decided to try their fish and chips.

I could observe them preparing it and fry it. Made me hungrier! It was good: fresh fish well cooked, light and crispy batter that was not greasy. The fries that came with it were perfect too. 

Definitely a good choice off the Main Street!

Nassau street seafood and produce Co / Blue Point Grill

258 Nassau St
Princeton, NJ 08542

Then, we went to Small World Coffee..for coffee. 

I ordered a cold macchiato that looked fantastic with the cream on top!

Jodi ordered an iced mint lemonade that was just ok, but really refreshing considering how hot it was outside! 

Small World Coffee

14 Witherspoon St
Princeton, NJ 08542

Last top was at House of cupcakes. 

This store is known because it won Cupcake Wars! We decided to share a red velvet. 

It was delicious: moist and tasty cake, fantastic cream cheese icing that was not too sweet. 

House Of Cupcakes

30 Witherspoon St
Princeton, NJ 08542

Needless to say that the walk around Princeton was necessary to digest all this good food! We definitely had a great time and are looking forward to go back to try some other fantastic food!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Another attempt to get a Cronut at Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC, New York !

There has been a storm in NYC the past months and it is called a Cronut. No, it is not a prehistoric artifact, simply the genius creation of Chef Dominique Ansel that combines a croissant and a donut. Before I explain why it is not as simple as that, let me tell you that I am a big fan of Chef Ansel, because he could have just gotten comfortable and serve classic French pastries. That would have for sure been a hit. Instead, he decided to propose classic desserts sometimes introducing a twist, such as the Paris-New York, that is his take on the Paris-Brest, where the praline cream is replaced by peanut butter. I tried it; I enjoyed it!

So, why is the cronut (that is now trademarked) is not just a fried croissant with some glaze on top? As it says on the website of the bakery:

Made with a laminated dough similar to a croissant (but not exactly), the Cronut™ is first proofed and then fried in grapeseed oil at a specific temperature. Once cooked, each Cronut™ is flavored in three ways: 1. rolled in sugar; 2. filled with cream; and 3. topped with glaze. Cronuts™ are made fresh daily, and completely done in house. The entire process takes up to 3 days.

There is only one flavor of Cronut every month. The inaugural flavor in May was Rose Vanilla, and for June it is Lemon Maple".

The cronut. for the past weeks, has been in every newspaper or on TV. It has also been featured in the foreign press, the proudest being the French press as Chef Ansel is from France. But the incredulity of people came from seeing the long lines and the black market where you can find the cronut for up to $50 (it costs $5). The frenzy has been such, that they limited the cronut to two per person. So we decided to go at some point, thinking that this frenzy would be over. We showed up at 8:30am on the week end and were astonished by the number of people already waiting in front of the bakery.

People were excited, but also anxious, not knowing if they would be able to get that precious little thing. At the same time, people bonded, talking about this phenomenon or answering to the questions of passerby who were wondering why there was such a line in the street. Some of them were surprised to hear that people were waiting for a donut, others asking what a cronut was. Most of them leaving saying "I hope it is good!". 

After 1h30, we are close to the door. One of the employees of the bakery announces that there might not be enough cronuts to serve everybody in line. 15 minutes after, we are in front of the door. A woman exits the bakery with a bag claiming: "I got the last one!". Nice to mock us, the poor people who waited 2 hours to hear they were sold out! Fortunately nobody had the idea to jump her, but you could see some despised her for continuing to say that she had the last one (she kept saying it!). At least we heard that she arrived at 7:30am, meaning 3 hours wait and one hour before us! No regrets on our side, but a bit of disappointment. Some people left, also disappointed, but we decided to stay to get some breakfast.

There was still a line inside, so we had time to look inside the kitchen, through the window that separates it from the rest of the bakery. It was so small, so they must have another room to prepare all these mouth watering pastries and viennoiseries!

Then we saw one of the staff members making madeleines (they are prepared to order). Graciously, he handed some over to us so we could try them, probably also feeling bad for us.

They were fantastic: buttery, warm, with a bit of lemon zest, I could have eaten a full batch!

But I had another item in mind: the almond croissant!

I was at first put off by the confectioner sugar on top because I do not remember any when I was in France. But the first bite made me forget that! It was amazing: buttery, it had a lot of almond cream that was delicious. It is one of the best almond croissant I found in NYC! Yes, I repeat: it is one of the best almond croissant I found in NYC! 

Jodi went for the DKA or Dominique Kouign Aman, that cannot also be missed if you go to Dominique Ansel Bakery!

Look how good it looks with the sugar all over!

So, were we disappointed that we did not get the cronut? Yes, but it was a fun experience and we ended up with a delicious breakfast. So Dominique, please make more cronuts!!!

Updated on 8/18/13: you may think it is over, but it is not! Check out this post and see how it ended up...

Enjoy (I did)!


Dominique Ansel Bakery
189 Spring St
New York, NY 10012

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Sweet Revenge in the West Village, NYC, New York

Sweet Revenge: what an interesting name! It kind of make you think that what they serve is decadent and sinful. We went to that place many years ago, thanks to the recommendation of one of Jodi's friends and, roaming around West Village, we decided to go back, but not only for their cupcakes, also for brunch as we were curious to see what kind of food they propose on their menu.

This place is tiny, so if you are a large group, good luck! Otherwise, it has this type of atmosphere that makes you think it is an old place that is a hole in the wall, kind of secret and reserved to the cupcakes lovers. 

We ordered from the menu that proposes some traditional dishes, but with a twist, such as the Croque Monsieur Savory Cake!

I think it is a great idea to mix the two concepts: croque monsieur that is a pretty standard brunch dish and a cake, and I admit that the presentation was beautiful. The Croque Monsieur part was made of ham and jarlsberg cheese cake and was served with a delicious warm honey Dijon mustard. With it, there was mesclun greens, cranberries and chipotle pumpkin seeds. I wish I ordered it instead of Jodi! So good! But a bit small though! You definitely got the texture and taste of the cake that complemented well the saltiness of the ham and cheese. Great dish!

On my side, I ordered the Scotch Eggs:

This dish was composed of two hard boiled eggs, wrapped in chicken sausage with a cracked black pepper panko crust. They served it with roasted thyme potatoes and some fruit.

It was the first time I tried such dish and I did not like it: it was dry and bland, especially the chicken sausage! Now you understand why I wish I had ordered Jodi's dish!!! 

Well, we could not leave without trying cupcakes! So we went for the Pure:

Made with Mexican vanilla cake with Mexican vanilla buttercream. And the Crimson & Cream, made with a raspberry red velvet cake and a cream cheese frosting:

Both cupcakes were delicious: the cakes were moist and the frosting tasty and not too sweet. For the Pure, you could really taste the vanilla. The red velvet was good, but not the best I had (I am a big fan of Sweet in Hoboken, NJ that has the best cupcakes so far!).

Despite the Scotch eggs, I had some good food at Sweet Revenge and will certainly go back there to try some of the other cupcakes they serve, as well as the Croque Monsieur Cake that makes me salivate as I write that post...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Candies!!! At Dylan's Candy Bar, Sockerbit and Economy Candy

Warning: if you are a dentist, you will either hate this post or love it as it will bring you more customers!

There are few places in New York City that I love to visit for candies. For sure the choice is endless, whether you go to places specialized in candies or to delis, supermarkets...But here, a candy store is definitely different: when you go to a grocery store, you have food all over and you probably did not come just for candies. However, if you go to a candy store, then you cannot ignore the excitement that it triggers, making you feel like a kid again! 

So, the three places I will take about in this blog post are: Dylan's Candy Bar, Sockerbit and Economy Candy!

Dylan Candy Bar: 

Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

This is definitely one of the most renowned candy places in New York City!  It is owned by Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph Lauren who is said to have been inspired to open this store by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

The store is on two floors and you go from one to another via the "Stairwell to candy heaven", where each step is encrusted with candies!

Stairwell to Candy Heaven at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

There, you have a wide variety of candies, such as the classic jelly beans that I tried for the first time in this country!

Jelly Beans at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

My favorite flavors being banana, pear and root beer!

They also have an impressive wall of gum balls!

Gum balls at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

What I like about it is also the range of old fashioned candies I have never seen before:

Old Fashioned candies at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

such as the Abba-Zaba that I doubt was named after a pop music band...

Abba Zaba candies at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Of course, if you prefer chocolate, they have also something for you!

Chocolate fountain at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Like the chocolate fountain or these big blocs of fudge:

Chocolate fudge at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Of course, you can also buy some candies by the pound and you cannot miss the display at the entrance of the store!

Candies by the pound at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

There, you will find the classic candies sold by the weight: coca cola sour bottles, licorice, sour peach candies, raspberry candies or these gummy chicken feet:

Gummy chicken feet at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Dylan's Candy Bar is definitely an institution in NYC and they know how to market it! If you go there, do not miss they display of famous people who went there, so you can see what candies they like!

Celebrities at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

We sure love their candies...

shopping bag at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Sockerbit:

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Sockerbit mean "Sugar Cube" in Swedish and it is a store that proposes Scandinavian little candies aka "smågodis". We found that place walking on Christopher street and surely, because of the white setting of the place, we could not miss the vibrant colors of the candies!

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

The white walls and furniture made it as if we were in a hospital where the only medication was candies! Definitely my kind of hospital!

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Besides some products that I will talk about later, Sockerbit sells candies by the pound, for a price similar to most of the candy places. Some of the candies are very familiar like the sour coca cola bottles or the banana.

candies at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

But they also have some interesting ones that might be different by shape, but not taste, like the Sura Persikor or sour peach:

Sura Persikor or sour peach candies at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

My favorite being the Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls!

Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

If you prefer chocolate, they have plenty of different ones for you!

chocolate at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

They also sell chocolate bars:

chocolate at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

But, what is also interesting with Sockerbit, is that they also sell Scandinavian products such as pickles:

pickles at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Jam:

jam at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Or those little Swedish bread we call "Petits Pains Suedois" in France!

Petits pains Suedois Krisprolls at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

They are so good with butter and Jam!

bag from Sockerbit in NYC, New York

So, definitely, Sockerbit is a unique place to discover! People there are friendly and their candies delicious, even if you do not know how to pronounce their name!

Sockerbit

89 Christopher St.

New York, NY 10014

www.sockerbit.com

Economy Candy:

Economy Candy might not be as known as Dylan's Candy Bar, but this place, that has been around for more than 80 years is also an institution. When going there, do not expect a well organized spacey store: the alleys are tight and you kind of feel overwhelmed by the choice of candies they propose!

They either sell candies by the unit or by bulk. You can find there old fashioned candies you may not have heard about (for sure there are some candies that did not cross the Atlantic!) and some more known!

In the well known, there are of course:

Big lollipops with fantastic colors:

Jelly beans (remember: my favorite flavors are pear, banana and root beer)!

Or Pez:

They also have chocolate:

The Milka chocolate is very popular in France, especially milk chocolate (Milk-a), although it lost some ground to brands like Lindt. They also have the Cote d'Or brand that I cannot find anywhere else.

And then I saw a box of Mon Chéri! They are made of a cherry soaked in Kirsch liquor, surrounded by dark chocolate. Love it!

In fact, Economy Candy has lots of candies and chocolate bars that I use to eat in France and that are difficult to find in stores (some delis have them, but not always), such as the Lion bar:

A Lion bar is made of a filled wafer, caramel and crisp cereal (in the original recipe this was Kellogg's Special K) covered in milk chocolate.

Or Bounty that makes me think about my sister Corinne who loves it!

Bounty is like the Mounts bar without the almond!

The last cool thing about Economy Candy is that they have lots of candies with fun packages!

So, definitely, Economy Candy will overwhelm you so much, that you will not realize that you put a little too much candy in your bag...But, is there such a thing as too much candy???

Economy Candy

108 Rivington St

New York, NY 10002

www.economycandy.com

To conclude this post, if I had to root for one place, I would go for Sockerbit because of its originality!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Beard Papa's cream puffs in NYC, New York

Yes, I confess: when writing my blog post about Dinosaur BBQ, I omitted a small detail...It concerns the fact that we were planning to walk up to the restaurant and, coincidently, we passed by Beard Papa's...I am sure that when Jodi will read the word "coincidently", she will roll her eyes...I am discovered! Yes, I had a plan! Look, walking to Dinosaur BBQ requires so energy and Beard Papa's had what I needed! If you do not know what Beard Papa's is, it is a French-style bakery franchise that originated in Japan in 1999 and specializes in delicious cream puffs or choux à la crème! You cannot not notice the logo that is a bearded...papa...who looks like a sailor!

I still remember the first time I tried Beard Papa, few years ago. We were walking in the street on the Upper West Side when a delicious smell came through our noses. Outside of the store, they were giving samples of these cute choux packed with deliciousness! After we tried it, we had to get several of them! From all the flavors they propose, the vanilla custard remains my favorite! Even the chocolate one does not measure up for me. 

So, here we are again! The staff greeted us in Japanese and freshly stuffed the Chou with the vanilla custard. 

I think it is great that they fill them a la minute, because otherwise, the shell would lose its slight crunch. You should have seen my big smile when they handed me over the yellow bag...

I delicately opened it, and there was the vanilla custard filled cream puff, with a bit of confectioner's sugar on top (that usually ends up on my shirt!).

The first bite was fantastic, as well as the second, third, etc...The vanilla custard was so good!

It really tasted fresh and homemade!

Then, few weeks later, thanks to a colleague, David, I got the chance to try a Paris-Brest cream "donut" puff. Paris-Brest is a French Pastry made of a chou cut in half with praline cream in between the two slices.

As well as an eclair one:

The Paris-Brest was very good with a slightly different shell for the chou. The chocolate eclair would satisfy any fan of chocolate! First of all, it tasted like real chocolate melted and not just some sugary one. Then, the filling was a vanilla custard and I really thought that it was an excellent pairing with the dark chocolate, because it counter balanced the bitterness of it. 

Well, after writing this post, it makes me want to go back quickly! What about you?

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Little Fox Cafe in Chinatown, NYC, New York

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

I got invited to review the Little Fox Cafe, located near Chinatown. I was very excited to go there because, looking for their menu on the internet, I discovered that they have an artist, Mike Breach, making portraits on latte and there are some incredible photos on their facebook pages (the Jean Simmons portrait is awesome)! Unfortunately, Mike Breach is only present on Wednesdays and it is not possible for me to go there on those days. Interestingly, few weeks ago, my sister Corinne told me that she heard on the French TV about a cafe in New York making portraits in latte, but she could not remember the name! That was probably this place that was also featured on Good Morning America.

I was also excited because I love coffee: I drink coffee and I bleed coffee and a place that has a sign like the one above is on the right track!

The place is small but I truly appreciated that there were not too many tables as a lot of cafes are trying to maximize the space to the point where it becomes uncomfortable!

It definitely had a rustic feel with its 18th Century Church pews and shelves from the recently demolished Kenmare hotel. Apparently, the name comes from one of the original owner who comes from England (they have lots of foxes there) and looking at the decoration, I would think there is a British touch to it!

We are greeted by WC:

We talked a bit and I learnt that he is an artist who travels the world to do murals. In fact, the Little Fox Cafe has a room downstairs that they are planning to open to display Art and organize parties at some point. Because Little Fox Cafe is like Jekyl and Hyde: cafe during the day and bar at night! You can get a hint looking at the beer on tap they serve! But know that beer is not the only beverage they serve on tap: there is also iced coffee that was perfect on this hot day!

I also tried their espresso that I found good but a bit too bitter:

But I think my favorite was the latte! Latte is made with espresso and steamed milk. This one is probably one of the best I ever had: it was so creamy! And the best of all is that WC was able to draw little characters on it as shown below:


Step 1 - make the latte:

Step 2 - draw with a thin wooden stick

Step 3 - Et Voila!

Or:

That started to be interesting when I drank some of it!

They typically do it if they see that people are not in a hurry and I guess if they have time!

Food wise, they have quite few interesting items: cookies, brownies, croissants, pecan bars...coming from different suppliers such as Ceci Cela Patisserie for the croissants or a guy named Andy for cookies!

I asked WC which item was the most popular and it was the croissant with nutella that I decided to try:

They cut the croissant in two, put a generous amount of nutella on one side, close and grill it like a panini sandwich!

It was delicious! A bit crunchy, with the fantastic taste of the warm nutella pairing well with the flakey and buttery croissant!

It was very good and if you decide to go there, do not miss the latte and nutella croissant!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A visit to the Brooklyn Museum: Brunch at Sunshine Co and treats at Joyce Bakeshop!

Jodi wanted to see the exhibit of John Singer Sargent at the Brooklyn Museum and we planned for few weeks to go with our friends Gary and Jen. So the rain did not stop us and we were certain to add to this artistic experience a culinary one, especially considering that more and more delicious restaurants are opening in Brooklyn! We did not pick in advance a place and just used our mobile phones to find out where to go. Unfortunately, the first two choices we had were not possible, because of the waiting time. Usually, we do not mind, but with the rain, waiting was a big no-no! That is how we found Sunshine Company! 

We immediately got a table! The place was nice with a rustic although modern feel, very bright thanks to the large windows going up to the high ceilings. 

Most of the items on the menu looked fantastic and it was a tough choice! I started anyway with a double espresso, my drink of choice for brunch...

Then, Jodi got the baked eggs:

The baked eggs were served with grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant, tomatoes and feta cheese, topped with some salad. It came with two slices of buttered bread.

The eggs were perfect: the yolk was slightly runny like I love it! I was even surprised to see Jodi eat them as she usually do not like runny yolks! Also, having all these vegetables made this dish very earthy. 

I decided to order the Tres Leches French Toast:

It looked fantastic and the French toast itself was good with the bread perfectly soaked. I just wished it has more tres leches taste, similar to the one at The cuban in Hoboken!

We definitely had good food and a good time at Sunshine Co and it was great that we found this little gem just walking desperately around!

Then, after the museum, we wanted to see if there was a bakery around. Same modus operandi to find a place: cell phones...And we ended up at Joyce Bakeshop!

It is a nice little place, perfect for a coffee in the afternoon to catch up with your long time friends. Their pastries looked delicious and very tempting and what I liked was the fact that they propose a large and a regular version of most of their cakes!

Gary and Jen had a Woopie pie and a black and white.

We ordered a chocolate chip cookie

and an almond and pear tart:

It looked better than it tasted! The almond and pear tart was dry as was the cookie, despite all the chocolate in it. The crust in the tart was a bit salty too: it definitely needed butter!

Look, we tried and you never know: sometimes you find great places just walking around, like the Sunshine Co!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A trip to Montreal - Part 6: French Patisserie Boulangerie O Gateries in Longueuil

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

When my friend Malika came to New York, we told her that we were going to Montreal for a week end and she suggested to visit her friends Jean-Francois and Lise who own a Pastry shop in Longueuil, a suburb that is a few minutes from Montreal. 

Jean-Francois is a French pastry Chef who was trained by Les Compagnons du Devoir, a companionship that originated in the Middle Ages, during the construction of Cathedrals. The goal was to  teach and train very skilled workers during many years of apprenticeship. They then expanded to more traditional jobs. Being part of Les Compagnons du Devoir is not a small thing and not everybody can be part of it: you have to be dedicated, motivated and skilled. It is during his apprenticeship that Jean-Francois ended up in Canada, where he met Lise, and together, they opened O Gateries, that will celebrate 20 years this year, in July.

Besides talking about personal stuff with Jean-Francois and Lise, we spoke about being a boulanger - patissier and I could really sense a passion that I always like to find in people. One thing that I still remember that Jean-Francois said, was about technique: when making something, what matters is not the ingredients, but the technique. It makes sense, otherwise, each time I follow a recipe, I should have the same result as anybody, no? No.

To give you an idea of O Gateries, now: I was expecting a smaller place, but it was of a good size, with a terrace and a dining room. In fact, O Gateries is not only a bakery and pastry shop: it also does some catering (apparently their duck confit pie is a big hit) and serves meals. 

But, because of all the work, Jean-Francois decided to hand over part of the products he sells to local artisans: for the bread and the chocolates (at the exception of the truffles that he makes). This way, he can focus on making viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissants called in Canada "Chocolatines" and in France, "Pains au chocolat",...) and pastries. He tries to stay traditional and looking at the pastries, we saw the classic ones: eclairs au chocolat, mille feuilles, religieuses...

As we were there for breakfast, they proposed us to try few things. Jodi ordered the chocolatine or Chocolate croissant.

It was very good: flaky and buttery!

Lise suggested to me to get the Eggs Benedict: I could not refuse, especially as I love that dish! But the way they prepare it is with a French twist!

It was composed of a slice of French bread, sauteed mushrooms that were fantastic, brie and a perfectly poached egg topped by Hollandaise sauce. They added some moutarde de Dijon / Dijon mustard that gave a nice kick. 

We also got the opportunity to try the palmier or elephant ears that were delicious: fresh, flaky, crunchy and buttery.

As well as the religieuse that is one of my favorite pastries!

I really appreciated the fact that it was not too sweet and we could really taste the chocolate in the custard that is inside the puff pastry. 

We definitely had a good time there whether it was for the food or the company! O Gateries is definitely an address to know!

Enjoy (Id did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A trip to Montreal - Part 4 - Ice Cream at Chez Catherine!

Walking around near the Vieux Port, we saw this place called Chez Catherine that was packed! It is a cafe with a terrace that serves a menu as well as crepes and ice cream. Most of the people who lined up inside were there for the ice cream though!!!

They had plenty of flavors like cookie dough, bubble gum, black cherry, but there was no coconut for Jodi. So she ended up with vanilla ice cream in a sugar cone:

I ordered praline and cream in a waffle cone:

The ice cream was rich for sure! The vanilla was flavorful and the praline and cream delicious, although a bit sweet. We paid $12 for both of us (one scoop each), but there was a lot of ice cream, down to the tip of the cone!

It was fantastic and surely a destination to know in Montreal!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Mini Doughnuts at The Doughnuttery in Chelsea Market - NYC, New York

Chelsea Market is definitely the perfect place for food lovers: there, you can eat all sort of delicious food that will make you want to come back or even stay there...One of my last discovery there is the Doughnuttery, that replaced People's Pop weeks ago (see my review of People's Pop). After the success of doughnut joints like The Doughnut Plant, one may wonder what makes the Doughnuttery different. First of all, they make fresh mini doughnuts using a small doughnut machine, where you can see these small delicate cakes form.

The machine will drop some dough in the hot oil and the doughnut will cook, navigating from right to left, until being dropped in a plate. Then, the doughnuts are either dipped or filled with the flavor you pick. They either propose elaborate doughnuts such as:

• The cacaoboy (Cacao nibs, sea salt, black),
• The Urban Monkey (Green coffee, banana, coconut) or
• The PBCP (Peanut Butter, cayenne, pretzel).

Otherwise, you can simply get a cinnamon sugar, a powdered sugar or a sprinkles one. We decided to go for 6 doughnuts for $6. Originally, we thought we would be able to try 6 different flavors, but the not so nice person serving us, said that it was not possible.

So we went with two cinnamon sugar, two powdered sugar and two sprinkles doughnuts. They came hot and fresh. They were pretty good, but were a but doughy. They were decent, but I prefer The Doughnut Plant; in fact for $6, you can have much better doughnuts there! Even for $6, you can get bigger and better doughnuts at Dunkin Donuts!!!

I think I will pass next time!

Enjoy (the post)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A Taste of The Cake Boss Cafe at The Port Authority of NYC, New York

I am not going to lie: I am not a big fan of the Cake Boss. I think he is very talented in making these elaborate and artsy cakes, built mainly with rice crispy treats and fondant, but except for a tiramisu, I have always been disappointed when I tried something there (see the review of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, NJ).  So it appears that now he is going mainstream by opening cafes in NYC! I saw a first one next to Guy Fieri's restaurant on 44th and then, he got the genius idea of opening a place on the corner of 42nd and 8th (Port Authority). At the beginning, similar to his shop in Hoboken, you could see staff at the door to regulate the traffic of customers, but it does not seem to be the case anymore...

For sure, they designed the place around his TV personality.

The place offers a large choice of pastries that look pretty good but are a bit overpriced ($2.50 for a mini cannoli for instance). I wanted to surprise Jodi so I asked them if they had anything with coconut as it is her favorite flavor. Unfortunately, they had nothing! Interesting as coconut is pretty common nowadays!

So I ordered a linzer tart and a chocolate brownie.

I chose the raspberry linzer tart instead of the nutella one as I wanted to try the more traditional one, although I think it is a great idea to propose a nutella version of it. The cookie itself was good, but the raspberry jelly was a bit too sweet.

The chocolate brownie was disappointing: it was not as fudgy as it should be and I think I can make a better one with a Betty Crocker mix!!!

This was a disappointing experience and you could really taste the fact that the product they offer is manufactured and not made anymore by the hands of a passionate pastry Chef. Sorry Cake Boss, but I am still not convinced!

Enjoy (the post)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Italian Doughnuts at Bomboloni in NYC, New York

I think there is a misconception in Europe about doughnuts! Yes, There are always associated to the US, thanks to number of movies were you see people (shall I say mainly from the police force?), eating them. They have nothing unique in the sense that many countries have a similar treat, but a different name. You do not believe me? Check this out:

- The sugar twist is called chichi in South of France. I had quite a few when I was a kid...

- Germany has the Berliner.

- Italy has the Bomboloni!

If you are curious to try a Bomboloni, go to...Bomboloni on the Upper West Side! This joint offers these delicious filled doughnuts with plenty of mouth watering flavors: coconut, nutella, creme brulee, tiramisu, apricot, strawberry...

Jodi decided to order the coconut one:

I ordered the Nutella one!

The doughnut itself was nice and airy. The fillings were good, although I would have liked to taste more of the Nutella! I certainly appreciated the fact that this was not too sweet!

It is definitely a nice treat and the creativity they show with their fillings makes me want to try more flavors...

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Cookies at City Bakery and Rocco's in NYC, New York

I guess this past week end was a cookie discovery, in the sense that we got to try some cookies for snacks. The first joint we went to is City Bakery; not that we went there for their cookies, but more for their hot chocolate. The second one, is Rocco's on Bleecker street.

City Bakery is supposedly known for their hot chocolate and I read recently an article ranking it best hot chocolate in the US. It said: "Made from pure melted chocolate bars and topped with homemade marshmallows, this thick hot chocolate is F&W editor in chief Dana Cowin's favorite version in the country". 

So, here we are at City Bakery: the place is packed! We can see lots of people with a cup of hot chocolate, food and cookies. As we ordered, we could not miss the chocolate room behind us...Promising!

As well as the rack full of freshly made cookies in front of us!

That was so tempting that we decided to get a chocolate chip cookie!

It was a nice size and you could definitely see that there was a lot of chocolate! Not the type of cookies where you are looking for chocolate chips! This cookie was one of the best I ever tried! It was not too sweet, was chewy and heavenly buttery. The photo below will show you that they do not cheat their customers when it comes to chocolate:

The hot chocolate however was a bit disappointing...

It started well though! Imagine a cup full of melted chocolate with a homemade marshmallow in it. I was so expecting something scrumptious...It was not the case. I am not sure what chocolate bar they use or if it is because I ate some cookie before, but I found it just ok. It is not like the hot chocolate at Max Brenner where I drink a bit and then will finish it in few minutes. In fact, I left some of it, that is very rare with me. 

The second bakery is Rocco's.

We were just walking in the street when we saw all these big cookies at the window!

Look at the size of the cookies next to the Linzer tarts! They had plenty of them: s'mores, twix, chocolate chip, dark chocolate chocolate chip, chocolate peppermint... And inside, it was as if we found heaven for sweets!

I ordered a twix cookie and Jodi a chocolate chip one. I took a photo of each of them next to a lemon, so you can see the size of it!

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Twix Cookie

I love twix and was pretty excited to try a twix cookie! Unfortunately, you could barely taste the twix. The cookie was not soft and not chewy, too sweet and lacking butter. The chocolate chip one was not better and tasted more like a crumbled vanilla cookie than anything else. They were disappointing. 

I think the mistake with Rocco's is that it is an Italian Bakery, so we should have tried some Italian specialties such as cannoli or Napoleons. As for City Bakery, I would go back to try their other cookies or just get again their chocolate chip cookie!

City Bakery - 1

Rocco's - 0

Enjoy (I did)!