Chelsea Market

After a fun morning at the park on Thursday, the kids and I wandered into Chelsea Market, and I was once again reminded how much I love this place! I just enjoy walking around, but it's also perfect for any visitors that want a New York tasting tour in a single location.

There are so many things to love about Chelsea Market, not the least of which is their wide selection of delicious treats. Here's a quick run-down, highlighting the chocolate chip cookies, of course:

1. Sarabeth's. This is just a middle-of-the-road classic chocolate chip cookie. This is just a Sarabeth's bakery, but if you ever have a chance to go to their restaurant, the lemon ricotta pancakes are to die for!

2. Jacques Torres. We know how I feel about these chocolate chip cookies - always #1 in my book.

3. People's Pops. This is a little popsicle and shave ice stand with some really interesting flavors. We had a peach and mint popsicle that had chunks of fresh peaches and little pieces of mint. The flavor combination worked surprisingly well; the mint was very subtle and fresh. Great popsicle, but not really worth $3.50.

Don't mind the grimy 3-year-old fingers holding the popsicle! I'd like to say they just look like that because we had been playing at the park!

4. The Lobster Place. Not a treat place at all (unless you're asking my dad), but don't miss the lobster roll. It's awesome. A real palate cleanser between treats! And the kids love to see the fresh seafood selection.

5. Amy's Bread. I've tried a bunch of great things here. The bread never disappoints (including the cinnamon roll - wow! Moist the whole way through.). As far as desserts go, the compost cookie wasn't my favorite. The idea is fun - oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, nuts, chips, and whatever else thrown together. But it was too dry and needed more butter. The chocolate chip cookie was good, but not real noteworthy (just go to Jacques Torres). The real winner is the chocolate cake. All I can say is best cake ever!

6. Ronnybrook Dairy. This place has the highest quality milk we've found in the city (my husband is a milk snob, having grown up in a dairy family in Utah) - almost Winder Dairy quality (I might be disowned from the family if I say otherwise!). Incredible shakes. And they've given Hannah free ice cream just for being cute. I don't blame them!

7. Fat Witch. I LOVE these brownies. And thank you Fat Witch for often having free samples. And for not judging me when I take extras "for my kids." And for being another reason why Hannah was really into witches. I love all of these dense, buttery, perfect brownies, but you can't beat the classic witch.

 8. Eleni's. They have some of the best decorated sugar cookies I've ever seen. Very creative, detailed, and fun. But their chocolate chip cookies are not good at all. Too floury and very dry. I took Hannah and  Grandma Winder to Chelsea Market on Halloween for some trick-or-treating. Great option for celebrating Halloween in the city, but beware, the decorations are SCARY! Even for me! Hannah still talks about the tall dead guy...nightmares.

Sweet girl. Dry cookie.

Thanks, Chelsea Market. We'll be back!

And the winner is...

There is no better place to start than with the very best. Despite trying countless chocolate chip cookies in the past year, one of the first cookies I tried in New York City remains my favorite. This cookie is large enough to feed a family for a day (or me and my daughter Hannah for an afternoon snack). It is soft and chewy in the middle with a crispy exterior. But it's the chocolate that makes the cookie. Giant discs of the best very dark chocolate are layered throughout the cookie so that every bite has the perfect balance of the sweet cookie and slightly bitter chocolate. It totally melts in your mouth (especially if you have them warm it up!). And the winner is...

Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookie!

I'm sure this doesn't come as a shock to many of you. Jacques Torres is a famous chocolatier, so it's no surprise that these celebrated chocolate chip cookies are very well known. And thanks to the New York Times, you can make them at home by going here. But beware, they are only as good as the chocolate that you use!

There are 5 locations: Upper West Side, Rockefeller Center, Chelsea Market, Hudson Street, and under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn.

 One last tip: if you go to a location that serves ice cream (UWS and Brooklyn), go for an ice cream cookie sandwich. You get to choose two full-sized cookies and a scoop of ice cream for much cheaper than buying all three separately! And at least try a sample of the wicked ice cream...it's chocolate with ancho and chipotle chili peppers that give it a great kick.

And introducing Hannah, my sidekick (this picture is almost a year old...she knows better now than to smile for a picture and leave her cookie unprotected!). Notice that the cookie is roughly the size of her head!