Breakast Club at Doughnut Plant

When was the last time you had a doughnut for breakfast? 

Or... five?

For me, it had been much too long. So I was very happy when Ben agreed to meet at Doughnut Plant, the newer Chelsea location, for Breakfast Club.

Even though they just do doughnuts, the choices are not easy.

But we did well.

Peanut butter and jam.

Vanilla bean.

Tres leches.

 Oatmeal.

And, for good measure, a wee creme brulée doughnut.

So good. So gluttonous. If I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat.

One Girl Cookies

My crush on Brooklyn deepens. My awe and envy of girls who have made their sweet dreams reality make me nearly weep. It happened a couple months ago at Sugar Shop, the bright, poppy, delicious candy shop just off Court Street opened by Jen Bischoff and Sara Houchins. And it happened this weekend at One Girl Cookies.

Just look at this place. Opened a couple years ago by Dawn Casale and Dave Crofton, it’s the essence of a neighborhood gem.

Adorably decorated…

…with café seating with a view of the tree-lined street. Sigh.

And simple, beautiful homemade baked goods.

Trays and trays of cookies, many named after special people in Dawn’s life.

Dangerously spiked cupcakes.

A rotating roster of moist coffee and layer cakes.

And… whoopie pies.

Old-fashioned yet modern. Comfortable, authentic, original, heartfelt. This girl wants her own One Girl Cookies!

Fancy seeing you here, Eric Kayser

It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?

All those rows and rows of pretty, petite gateaux.

I was thrilled to hear Eric Kayser arrived in New York last week. I have les souvenirs heureux of his bread, chocolate chip cookies, viennoiserie and cakes.

I don't if all these people do too, but it sure seems the rest of New York is excited for the boulangerie's arrival.

The selection is smaller here than in Paris. They do have cookies, financiers, croissants, pain au chocolat and pain aux raisins. Plus a whole restaurant.

But for now they seem to be focusing on les gateaux individuels.

So, in addition to a pistachio brioche with an airy center...

... we tried a Paris-Brest. 

The créme praliné was plentiful, oozing from the pastry ring.

Some golden almond slivers and a wee tile of dark chocolate stamped with his initials.

It could be that my memories are better than reality will ever live up to. Or that things taste different 3600 miles away. All I know is that I'm going to have to return to see if I can experience that over-the-moon feeling I used to have in Paris because I didn't taste yet here in New York.

Oh my sorely neglected sweets

You’d think that I’ve given up sugar. Lost my appetite for cake. Am shying away from all things fudgy, crunchy, creamy, chocolaty, gooey and otherwise so sublimely satisfying.

Trust me. Nothing is further from the truth.

While I haven’t had any good hauls at new bakeries, I have been stuffing my maw with morning pastries…

… cookies…

....cakes…

...decadent breakfasts…

....and, especially, ice cream…

More important, I am planning on getting out in the field more these upcoming weeks to give my sweet tooth some proper exercise.

From top to bottom: pastries at The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO; almond croissant from Ceci-Cela; walnut chocolate chip cookie from Levain; salted chocolate chip cookie from Ovenly, BK; wedding cake from Lot 2, BK; homemade three-layer strawberry cake; french toast from Homemade, BK; peach ice cream from Old Lyme Ice Cream Shop, Old Lyme, CT; Dairy Queen goodness from Old Saybrook, CT; homemade gelato sampler from Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria.