What a sweet way to start my Saturday...

More goodies from Jane Greene, baker extraordinaire from Chappaqua, NY.
Repeat after me:
Lemon Squares, Rugelach and Cupcakes, oh my!
Lemon Squares, Rugelach and Cupcakes, oh my!
Lemon Squares, Rugelach and Cupcakes, oh my!

Then finish off with one of her perfect Caramel nut bars.
And remember: never paraphrase "The Wizard of Oz" with your mouth full, no matter how happy you are.)

To see how absolutely delicious they are for yourself, contact Jane at jlgreene@optonline.net

There's way more to life than Wild Mushroom Ravioli...like Mascarpone Cheesecake and Warm Chocolate Ganache Cake

Yup. I had to go back to Karma Lounge (two nights in a row means this place is super-extra-special). Wanted to introduce more friends to this local hidden treasure. The teenaged kids that were part of the party are a typically cynical and emotionless bunch but not here. Wish I had pictures to share of their teenaged faces lighting up after trying one incredible dish after another. (Teenagers rarely show this much emotion unless I am asking them to pose for me and then it's the wrong emotion.)

So have a little visual taste of Chef Miguel's Mascarpone Cheesecake with Strawberry Compote and Kahlua Espresso Sauce or if you prefer decadent chocolate desserts, his Warm Chocolate Ganache Cake with fresh berries and Raspberry Sauce is to die for.

Important to note is that we had none of the issues from my previous post because everyone got their own dessert and refused to share. I am proud of myself for not publicly licking the plate for it was crowded and I didn't want to give the other guests the wrong idea.

And a huge shout out to owner Alison D'Elia for her fabulous martinis. No, really fabulous martinis.

And last but certainly not least, while the waitstaff overall is pretty damn terrific, I'm totally partial to Jessica who is perfectly attentive, delightful and just friggin' awesome.

Tiramisu Profiteroles, Cheesecake and home-made Mallomars

Everyone needs a pastry chef for a friend. Especially an uber-talented one who happens to be french. That he's about 6'6" and looks like he could kick anyone's ass in a 3 x 3 street basketball tournament makes it even better. Did I mention he trained in Belgium? And plays with liquid nitrogen, dreams about pomegranate creme fraiche and thwarts my every attempt at dieting with trays of home-made mallomars?  So allow me to raise a tiramisu profiterole toast to Gael Viotty, pastry god extraordinaire.

Cookies to die for.

As a creative person, I learned very early that often the simplest of things can be quite difficult to perfect. When there are just a few elements in a composition, every single one counts and proportions are critical.

I suppose this is why I have such respect for bakers, especially bakers of cookies. What you can't see in my photos (but I ask that you take my word and trust me) is that these cookies are pure perfection.

They are from Jane Greene of Chappaqua, NY. I met her at the Chappaqua Farmer's Market as she was sampling her creations. You had to see the smiles and hear the groans of delight from the surprisingly large crowd who had braved the icy drizzle to spend some quality time at this wonderful indoor market. Jane was the star of the show. According to my daughter and her friend who were with me, they were the best cookies they've ever eaten. And 12 year olds know their cookies.

To see how absolutely delicious they are for yourself, contact Jane at jlgreene@optonline.net