It took me almost two months to turn my oven on.

After the upheaval of a move, a new city, and a new job, I’ve found little energy to do much beyond cereal and toasted bagels for myself at home. For a few weeks I’ve thought about turning that little dial and crossing fingers for proper calibration. In preparation, I have slowly been building up my kitchen arsenal.
Perhaps the death knell of the weekend finally roused me. Because it was a Sunday night of all times that I decided to take the plunge and bake. Cookies.

Quick to drum up and certainly not complicated-how come cookie recipes are never listed under “One Dish Dinners”?-these peanut butter and chocolate chip gems have all the cookie attributes I prefer: soft, not too sweet, and guaranteed to please workmates the next day when they’re left in the office kitchen.
That is, it’s one thing if I like my own cookies, but if others do as well, I’m a very happy girl. I’m sure I have said that before.

Did I mention that they are also topped with fleur de sel?

You’re not something these days if you haven’t been topped with fleur de sel.

First we welcomed fat back into our lives, then salt. Thank god.

Whenever I think of food trends, I think of that line in When Harry Met Sally when Jess says that he wrote about how pesto is the quiche of the 80s. Is fleur de sel the quiche of 2008 or 2009? Truffle oil had to be the year before that, no?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel

The recipe is from Whole Foods.
This was the second time that I’ve made them and I made one tweak: milk chocolate chips instead of dark.
I also think it’s important to use a natural peanut butter (simply peanuts and salt, such as the Adam’s brand). I always have chunky on hand.

The beauty of a big city is choice.  Especially a big American city.  When it comes to food and restaurant choices, New York is very comfortable assuming a Top Dog place. Having been there a few times now, I must admit that New York is less of a foodie heaven for me now.  Not because there isn’t good food, but because you know it’s everywhere.  So, it’s simply about making a choice.  I tend to get more excited searching and trying to separate the wheat from the chaff—that’s the Edmontonian in me, I think.  And because visiting there for me is now more about spending time with good friends and feeding off New York’s unrelenting energy, I’m less concerned with my choices.  With so many, you make good, you make bad, but in the end, you’re always in a city that is a feast for the eyes. This visit, some previous favourites solidified their status in my life more because of nostalgia than for what was served.  Some new tries were fun, but not necessarily requiring a return or recommend.  I’ll make a giant leap to say that perhaps it’s a sign of the economic times that the best tastes of the week were the comforting ones that came from Dumont in Williamsburg; pear and parsnip soup, a burger and fries, and an amazing mac ‘n’ cheese warmed some souls on a lovely fall evening.

The seeking out of specific spots happened more often during the day when I was wandering alone.  And this seeking out was about two things:  sandwiches and ice cream.  I’ve been craving these a lot lately (or always) and being in New York meant that I could easily find some delicious options.  I find great pleasure in a good sandwich.  Nice bread, fresh fillings, the right amount of chew, two-fisted without being insurmountable.  It’s surprising to me how hard getting these attributes can be at times.  Not in New York, however. In addition to Bread and Snack for some yummy sandwiches, I made a trip to the Hampton Chutney Co. in Soho for what essentially is a South Indian sandwich:  the dosa.  Since being introduced to Hampton Chutney a few years ago, it’s become a place I must make my way to when in New York.  Although nowhere near authentic in terms of fillings, the crepes themselves are as crispy and chewy as they should be and the accompanying chutneys always fresh.

Fontina & grilled veg at Bread

Seasonal dosa with mint and pumpkin chutneys

I have no problem admitting that I’m a big fan of Tasti-D-Lite.  I never say no to soft-serve treats and because I grew up in the 80s around all things sugar-free, my palate is completely immune to chemical aftertastes.  That being said, I had none this journey because I had my sights set on more exciting options.

At the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, I had my first try of frozen custard.  It’s correctly described as the meeting of soft serve and hard ice cream:  the give of hard ice cream with the texture of soft serve.  I loved my cone of that day’s flavour, salted caramel.

Another soft-serve adventure was to Milk Bar, of the Momofuku clan.  Essentially the clan’s dessert outpost, the Milk Bar has quite a following for its cakes and pies, delicious cookies (the Compost variety I tried were crazy good), and inventive soft-serve flavours.  On offer were sweet and salty cucumber, watermelon, horchata, and cereal milk—and guessing what flavour of cereal it is that day is part of the fun.  I sampled what I’m sure was Corn Pops.  I think my afternoon treat of horchata soft serve was one of the highlights of my trip.  Especially as it complemented my walk around the East Village on a warm, fall day.

Gelato is a form of frozen milk I can never say no to.  So, knowing that I would be on the Upper West Side one afternoon, I made my way to Grom, a chain from Italy.  Creamier than most gelato I’ve tried, I was happy with my cone of vanilla and seasonal cinnamon.

After a turn at the Atlantic Antic, I got my first scoops of gelato from my most favourite gelateria—Il Laboratorio del Gelato—at One Girl in Brooklyn.  Ricotta and caramel.  Later that week, I celebrated/bemoaned my last day in New York by heading to their Lower East Side shop to partake in fresh mint, rum raisin, and malt.  There is never enough.

And there is never enough time in New York.

Fresh from a New York holiday of gastronomical delights, I find myself in food heaven withdrawal. After a week of the best of everything, where striking two items off of  “Anthony’s Bourdains Top Thirteen Things to Eat Before You Die” in a matter of one afternoon, between bagel and lox at Russ and Daughter’s and a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Deli was a breeze, it’s not easy coming home. With some remnants of culinary NYC delights that happily fit in a suitcase such as Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and the object of my chocolate obsession, Michael Recchiuti delivered to our NYC hotel from San Francisco, the transition was made easier. ( I couldn’t resist taking advantage of the US only shipping opportunity to enjoy what I believe to be the BEST chocolate in the world. I do not make this statement lightly. Between the rose caramel, fleur de sel caramel, varietals, fruit jellies, and the many other offerings in the burgundy box, I am so far ruined for all other chocolate. Period.)

Now don’t get me wrong, here in Edmonton we have some delightful culinary spots that I am fiercely loyal to (Tree Stone Bakery, Cafe Leva, Culina, Viphalay, The Red Ox Inn, Acajutla to name a few), but we certainly have had some gaping holes and can’t expect to find the same variety that a populated city like New York can offer (like a counter service shop that has dedicated itself to turning out perfect porchetta sandwiches, cleverly called Porchetta). That is why I could not be more delighted to have intersected with friends on the same mission for sweets, and to have enjoyed a chilly October Saturday afternoon right here at home in the newly opened Duchess Bake Shop on 124th Street in Edmonton.

After treats at NYC’s Balthazar Bakery and the post-Paris constant craving for Pierre Hermé macarons, I am in a constant state of lusting after proper French sugar delights, and I am rejoicing in the fact that they have finally arrived in grand form in Edmonton. Duchess Bake Shop is a simple and elegantly decorated space with high gilded ceilings, a shabby chic chandelier, clean white lines,  and a well appointed pastry case that highlights their beautifully executed creme tarts, croissants (almond croissants and pain au chocolat which they were sadly sold out of….I will be back to sample the almond paste filled double baked almond croissants with a secret wish that they will be as delicious as their counterparts at Thomas Haas in Vancouver), duchess signature petit gateaus, madeleines, florentines, and of course, macarons.

With anticipatory glee, we ordered a plate of macarons in all four of the remaining flavours of the day: chocolate, strawberry, pistachio, and lemon. With word that they had sold out of the lavender and salted caramel, and with a rose flavour in the works, I knew I would be back soon for more. For those who have not had the pleasure of enjoying a macaron before, do not confuse these with the sugary coconut and chocolate bonbon that we call a macaroon here in North America. Wikipedia describes the macaron as “dating back to the 18th century, macarons are a traditional French pastry, made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar,  and sugar. This sweet pastry came out of the French courts’ baker’s oven as round meringue-like domes with a flat base. Macarons are sandwich-like pastries made with two thin cookies and a cream or ganache between the cookies.”

The crisp, chewy, soft goodness of these well executed macarons, combined with the excellent ganache fillings that are not too sweet, and are naturally flavoured, was just the post-holiday medicine this girl needed. Add to that excellent cafe au laits and a nice selection of black teas, and Duchess Bake Shop gets two sugar coated thumbs up. Exquisite French Pastry Shop? Check. Now if only someone would open a good Jewish deli……