The Cookie Quest

I’m getting pickier with age. I used to like most everything sweet. Well, okay that’s not even true. I’ve always been a little picky. But as the years pass, I have become more adept at spotting what I’ll like and what I won’t. And I don’t waste my time on the maybes anymore. Today I’ve already searched two places for chocolate chip cookies. I came up empty handed and have instead ordered a bowl of oatmeal. Crappy substitute for a cookie, I know. But my hopes for a great bowl of oatmeal are nil so I’m not disappointed that this is semi watery and has too much maple syrup. I’m with my little guy and the music is good. So even though it’s another cookieless day, it’s all good.

I love Jesse. I love birthdays. I love chocolate chip cookies. So when Jesse made chocolate chip cookies (plus a 3 course dinner!) for my birthday yesterday, it was just perfect. 

And don’t those look delicious?! Well they were. And lucky for me, there are loads of them in my house now. They had the perfect ratio of cookie to chip. The edges were crispy and the middle was soft. They had a slight hint of salt. Yum. I’m going to get another one right now. 

Special thanks to Jacques Torres and his yummy cookie mix that made this awesomeness possible. 

looks like a soft cookie, was it? How was the chocolate?

This cookie almost didn’t make it home for the photo. 

I stumbled upon Paradis to Go with the little one yesterday while strolling around Union Square. This cookie was fresh out of the oven and there are few things that can compete with a warm chocolate chip cookie. 

It had crispy edges and a soft middle. Mmmmm. The texture was a little cakey but the flavor was good. The staff was super friendly and there was a long line of people waiting to order —  yummy things are going on in here. 

I realize that cookies are not the ideal post-workout snack but I suppose I don’t fully buy into the whole ‘no pain, no gain’ philosophy. So after today’s workout, I found myself at Ted & Honey, a neighborhood spot where I bought myself a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie.

Yay, Ted & Honey! This cookie has the right amount of salt and great little pockets where sugar has caramelized next to an oat. Overall it had good consistency and the addition of the oats gave it a nice texture. The combination of endorphins + sugar + salt packs a powerful punch. I just wish that the chocolate was better - maybe bigger, darker and more flavorful chips. There were enough of them - it was beautifully freckled with chips - but they didn’t have enough chocolate flavor. 

This leaves me wondering - what are the best chocolate chips out there to bake with? Where can they be found?! 

Some habits cannot be broken. 

There’s a little spot in Tribeca called Columbine that I used to frequent for lunch and every visit included a chocolate chip cookie. While in the neighborhood yesterday, I decided to stop into Columbine and could not leave without the requisite chocolate chip cookie (officially known as Sadie’s Soft and Chewy Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie). 

YUM. I love their chocolate chip cookies (and their soups are among the best ever). They are perfectly thick and chewy with slightly crisp edges and are moist without being greasy. The ratio of cookie to chip is terrific. The only drawbacks of the Columbine cookie are that they need a hint of salt on the finish and I wish they were made with darker, less sweet chips. Having said that, it’s a damn good cookie.