This Chica Met Dorie Greenspan

That's right folks, I met Dorie Greenspan today and as a result, I was in heaven for most of my lunch hour. For those of you who don't know who she is here's the scoop.

Dorie Greenspan is an incredible cookbook author and winner of numerous awards. She authored Baking with Julia, which won a James Beard Award and an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award. Among others she also authored Desserts by Pierre Herme, which was named IACP Cookbook of the Year.

Because I was living under a rock for most of my life, I only learned about her right before starting this blog in relation to her popular book Baking: From My Home To Yours. The recipe for my last cupcake post came from this book and for the last two years, every Tuesday food bloggers are baking their way through the book via Tuesdays with Dorie.

Last week I learned that Dorie and her son would be setting up a pop up shop as a trial run for a possible cookie shop in NYC and I knew I had to stop by not only to meet the legend but try some of her stuff. It's called Cookie Bar and if you are in NYC and did not stop by today please, please, please go tomorrow (or the day after). I promise you won't be disappointed.

Because I am a true believer in trying multiple items before reviewing a food establishment I bought at least one of every cookie Dorie was selling today.  (I had to buy two of the ones I knew my husband would like because when it comes to cookies, we are not too good with sharing) I don't have photos of the actual cookies because by the time I got home my lighting was all off. But here are my thoughts on them in the order they appear above:

• Peanut Butter Crisscrosses - quite frankly this is the best peanut butter cookie I have ever had; the peanut butter flavor is prominent without being overpowering and the chopped salted peanuts gave it awesome texture
• Molasses Spice Cookies - I didn't think I was going to like this one but the spices worked great here; thin and chewy; could definitely taste the molasses but they didn't have that "molassesy" flavor that is often a turnoff (for me at least); very warm and inviting
• Best Chocolate Chip Cookie - the name says it all; it is the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever had, which is probably because Dorie used hand chopped premium chocolate - Valrhona; thin and chewy and definitely packs the flavor
• World Peace Cookie - these have Valrhona cocoa, Valrhona bittersweet chocolate and fleur de sel which equals AMAZING FLAVOR; salted chocolate is incredible and it is definitely the chocolate that takes this cookie over the top
• Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread - with more of a crunchy texture, this is a great cookie for coffee lovers
• Chocolate Chunkers - if you like a cookies that different flavors and textures, this one's for you; with Valrhona bittersweet, semisweet and milk chocolates, salted cashews and dried cherries you are definitely going to want more than one
• Sable - this sugar-topped sugar cookie was my least favorite; but that's because I'm not a sugar cookie fan; still tasty though
  
• Coconut Lime Cookies - but add coconut and lime zest to a sable and helllloooooo - absolutely incredible flavor combination and texture; this was my favorite of all and I will definitely be stopping by tomorrow to grab a couple of these; in the meantime, I will have sweet dreams about it
  

Hope those of you in NYC get a chance to stop by and try some of these for yourself. CookieBar will be open until Saturday so if you are looking for something special to get your loved one for V-Day, ditch the box of chocolates for a few of these cookies.

And Dorie (if you're reading this) - I hope this turns into a full-time shop for you. You are incredibly talented and NYC needs a real baker to de-thrown all of these sub-par cupcakes that have taken over the city.