CO-OP Food & Drink
It's not often that a room leaves me speechless, but this sunlit event space in the back of CO-OP Food & Drink did just that last weekend. I was there for a friend's bridal shower and though the room — with its scaling wall of portraits and wood accents — didn't quite scream "Under the Sea" (the theme of the day), it certainly was a gorgeous place to throw a party.
CO-OP Food & Drink, 107 Rivington St. between Essex and Ludlow Sts. (212) 796-8040.
Winding down this gorgeous weekend with the molten lava cake from Joy the Baker's cookbook. It may sound incredibly fancy, but this cake only took a handful of ingredients and less than half an hour to make. Easy, chocolatey and oh-so-indulgent.
I first met TJ and Vera, the lovely husband-and-wife owners of Du Jour Bakery, while covering their opening last fall. I knew from the moment I stepped into the airy Park Slope shop, it'd be the kind of place where people would linger. I did just that earlier this week with a set of buttery Linzer cookies. If only I had time to stay longer.
Du Jour Bakery, 365 Fifth Ave. between Fifth and Sixth Sts., Brooklyn (347-227-8953)
Send me out to run errands and I'll inevitably make a pit stop for dessert. That's how last weekend's trip to Target lead to a slice of peanut butter chocolate pie from Betty Bakery.
The Boerum Hill bakeshop has become quite well-known for its versions of Hostess treats (food writer Rachel Wharton featured their Ring-A-Ding and Twink in our Eating Along the Q column last summer), so I was pretty disappointed that the one I got was crumbly and overly sweet.
The pie was much better, but still not as good as the one at Billy's Bakery. Topped with a chocolate syrup and crumbled bits of peanut butter cup, Billy's version is about as decadent as they come. Though their location is far more out of the way, I'd much rather trek to Chelsea than get the one from Betty's again.
Betty Bakery, 448 Atlantic Ave. between Bond and Nevins Sts., Brooklyn (718-246-2402)
I spotted this on Gail's Instagram yesterday — she's the fabulous baker and decorator behind One Tough Cookie — and suddenly had a craving for shaved asparagus pizza.
The original recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorite food blogs. I had the pleasure of interviewing Deb, the writer behind all of the deliciousness, last fall when "The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook" came out and she's the same in person as she is online: cheerful, witty and incredibly humble.
