New Yorkers have all the luck. The food here is amazing — great restaurants, a cool food truck/cart scene, authentic specialty markets, and festivals year round. But it’s the social events which make me the happiest — gatherings like Pie Party Live and Brooklyn Swappers — because they bring people together. It’s the community which makes these events so nice, meeting with friends old and new, and sharing in a love of all things “yum.” So when I heard about Cookie Swap NY 2011 (being put together by my buddies Maggy Anderson Keet and Jackie Gordon, among others), of course I got excited. It’s only the second time they’d held one of these events, but it was my first time attending, so I felt like I had to go the extra mile. I decided to bake three different cookies. First I made the lime-cornmeal cookies from Flour by Joanne Chang, possibly the only recipe left in that book which I hadn’t tried yet — it’s another winner, although I might experiment with the coarseness of the cornmeal if I made them again.
I also made the double chocolate cookies from Flour, which I’ve raved about before. Seriously, these cookies are sleepers, meaning that they look kind of normal, but they’re astounding in texture and richness. They’re for chocolate fiends.
Lastly, I made Homesick Texan’s chipotle-spiced chocolate-pecan chewies again. I felt like something was different this time about the texture, but they were still great. Add to that, I got to put them on the gluten-free table at the event.
Baking just for fun is nice, but the event itself, held at Hill Country BBQ, was put together to help raise money for a charity you might know I feel strongly about, Cookies for Kids Cancer. Wiley donated some cookbooks for a giveaway, along with other sponsors like KitchenAid. The book, by the way, has become a little hard to find this holiday season, but I’d recommend Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Williams-Sonoma, and soon the book will be at all Bed Bath & Beyond stores!
I didn’t count, but there must have been something like 75 different kinds of cookies there. This round-up is by no means authoritative, and I would have taken more photos, but it was a little dark inside the restaurant for snapping pictures. Some highlights I noticed (and yes, these people are almost all my friends) included Hazel’s adorable bacon shortbread, cut in the shape of little piggies!
Cookbook royalty was in attendance including Dorie Greenspan (seriously), Pam Anderson (love her), and Abby Dodge, who made these delights.
My friend Louisa baked these, perfect for the holiday season.
Gluten-free gingersnap candy cane sandwiches from Glow.
Oh my god, Anna, how did I not get to actually taste these? Wow.
Jess’s cool bullseye cookies.
Speaking of cool – Debbie’s Nutella raspberry pinwheels — I love how these look.
My sweetie made these stunning snowflake cookies. It’s a good thing she likes to decorate cookies, because it’s not my thing. I guess we’re sort of “yin and yang” about baking — a nice balance to each other.
Speaking of Jen, here she is with Domenica Marchetti, a great cookbook author and friend of mine who I had no idea would be in town for the event. What a nice surprise.
As if hundreds of cookies weren’t exciting enough, there was a BBQ feast too — Elizabeth Karmel and Hill Country BBQ went all out. The corn pudding and brisket were my favorites, so I went back for seconds of both.
Possibly the best thing about Cookie Swap NY 2011 was something I didn’t expect — the secret stash cookies and special deliveries. Cathy started me off when she offered me some bacon rugelach… nice. Then Jackie passed me these mandarin-flavored sandwich cookies (in the photo above). Lillian gave me some insanely good macarons to take home. Ken slipped us some special treats as well. So next time I’ll know — save the really good stuff for handing out on the sly. Maybe next year I can be one of the “cool kids.”
Great recap Justin…pretty sure you’re already one of the cool kids!
Next time I need to get in line for cookies way sooner…looking at your photos I realize how many containers were empty by the time I got there
Always great to see you at these events.
ha, clearly i’m not cool because i had no idea about the secret stash! and yes, i missed out on trying a lot of good cookies too.
I devoured one of those double-chocolate cookies last night–didn’t realize they were yours! The pile of cookies was so vast, I couldn’t keep track of whose were whose. My husband had to fight me to get a tiny taste of yours, it was so good.
Really bummed we didn’t get to say hello yesterday. Maybe next time!
definitely next time
I am so warmed by the incredible generosity of my blogging colleagues. Cookies for Kids Cancer is an organization near and dear to my heart (just as Liam, it’s inspiration, is). I am only sorry I couldn’t be there with all off you. Unfortunately, I was out of town (I just hate when work interferes with the important things in life!)
I am salivating with envy over all the goodies– and thrilled by the success of the event.
oh, too bad you missed it… such a great event
loved LOVED this event, such a great recap too. i’ll be the yin to your yang any day xo
awww
Psssssssst Justin…. YOU definitely are the cool kid! Gorgeous recap! New York really does have it going on with the all of it’s riches, especially this amazing community. Thanks for letting us hang out with you.
We are very lucky to have you.
Even if you won’t steal a cookie for me…
XXXOOOJAX
ha, thanks… so many of our local events are thanks to you
Great pics! Looks awesome! Glad everyone had a great time and for a good cause! Your cookies look amazing by the by. Mmm, lime.
thanks… i liked those very much
I did get one of Cathy’s bacon rugelach (fabulous). Does that mean I am on the verge of cool? Love the pic of Jen and me. And I didn’t realize those lovely snowflake cookies were hers. Don’t tell anyone, but I took TWO of those. How cool is that?
ha. i think Jen would be flattered, by the way.
OMG, I didn’t know about the secret cookie stash either! …even though I went last year. At least I got to eat the secret cookies but next year, I will contribute too!
ha, then i don’t feel so bad, because i know how cool YOU are
secret cookie stash?! i guess i missed that too!
then i don’t feel so bad
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I’m so sorry to have missed this. Followed along twitter. Great photos and great recipes for a great cause. Wonderful.
that’s the nice thing about twitter, for sure
This is making me even more excited for the upcoming Boston Cookie Swap. Also, I love that you made Joanne Chang’s cookies! My boyfriend lives about a block from Flour, so we’re their all the time. LOVE her baked goods!
if i lived a block from Flour, i would have to go to the gym 10 times a week to work off all the sticky buns i’d be eating
So nice seeing the two of you! Your GF cookies we’re really really good!
thanks… i loved those too
i absolutely ADORE the Cookies for Kids Cancer Cookbook! And everythign I have made from there thus far has resulted in thumbs up. Also, the book is very well written!
Love the cookie pics!
thanks. i love the recipes in that book too.
Wish, wish, wish I’d been there. Did a double take when I saw the pic of Jen with…. Domenica–she’s here in DC, not in NY, how can she be there I was thinking! And I didn’t know you knew her–but then, why not!
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