J. M. Rosen Cheesecake

Cheesecake.  A fairly common dessert, one that is generally pretty good, no matter the source.  One that has some unique styles, e.g. lighter Italian style with ricotta, decadent dense New York style, fluffy bouncy Japanese style, and more recently deeply caramelized Basque.  It can have a sour cream tang, a fruity topping, incorporate Asian flavors like matcha, or be seasonal with pumpkin.  A pretty diverse dessert, when you think of it.  I've definitely had my share of cheesecake over the years (you can read about them all here), and, although I don't do much cooking nor baking myself, cheesecake is actually something I learned to bake as a teenager, using my mom's no fail recipe (that uses a box of vanilla cake mix, part for the crust, part for the cheesecake itself).

Since it is so common, and so generally average, it takes a lot to impress me with a cheesecake.  Particularly a mass produced cheesecake.  But J.M. Rosen cheesecake did just that.

"Unlike any other desserts you will ever experience. While others say that about their own desserts, we don't. It's our customers who say those words and flock to our wholesale bakery to knock on the door and hope someone will answer to grant their wish for a whole cheesecake to take home. This is our inspiration and continued success. We've been a wholesale bakery for years, now anyone can order online. It's our pleasure to share these fantastic desserts known to Californian's for 35 years. Surprise your family with a new tradition this year, something special, order the best desserts available online."

J.M Rosen is a wholesale cheesecake distributor, based in Northern California.  So, sadly, you can't just walk in to one of their stores to order one, but, you will find them around the area, as they distribute to many restaurants (such as Joyride Pizza, where I had it).  J.M. Rosen is probably most known for their classic New York Cheesecake, a hefty, rich creation, but they also make a "Chocolate Fantasy" version with a layer of regular cheesecake, chocolate mousse, AND chocolate cake, all in a chocolate shell, a Neapolitan cheesecake with a layer of regular cheesecake, plus layer of strawberry mousse, and a chocolate cake layer (yes, just like the ice cream), and a mocha cappuccino variety (plus seasonal eggnog, cranberry, and pumpkin).  They also make a epic looking many layered carrot cake, and a chocolate fudge cake.

I've only tried two of their products, but I'd gladly try more.

Classic NY Cheesecake.

"The best "New York Style Cheesecake'' outside of NYC! Made by master baker J. M. Rosen right here in Northern CA. The same cake Frank Sinatra would order when he toured SF. Luscious, velvety textured cheesecake filling makes this the perfect meal time finish, celebration treat -- or anytime snack." -- Joyride Pizza

"Our "New York Style Cheesecake" is the best cheesecake recipe you can buy. This is the infamous New York Cheesecake with the original Shortbread crust New Yorkers flock to when they visit California. It's our Cheesecake. It's that good! This New York Cheesecake is filled with pounds of the most luscious, thick, dense, velvety textured cheesecake filling you have ever tried. It's dense texture is divine cheesecake lust so we've been told. The dramatic impact of the the robust size, thickness, and original flavor of this New York Cheesecake does not compare to any on the market. NO KIDDING. You don't need a topping but there's always variety in life. Once you try it, you decide how and when you like it, we mean LOVE IT. Honestly, Frank Sinatra ordered (this exact cheesecake from exact baker and company) when he would come to California!" -- J.M. Rosen

I started with the simple, basic, classic NY cheesecake.

Ok, so, this cheesecake gets some accolades.  This I knew.  And I've had very good cheesecake before.  I expected this to be good, but perhaps not quite as magical as everyone seems to think it is.

But, wow, this is very, very, very good cheesecake!  I was blown away by just how smooth and creamy and luxurious it was.  Shockingly smooth.  Shockingly creamy.  Absolutely incredible.  "Velvety" as they say.  The flavor was fairly, well, classic NY cheesecake, certainly cream cheese flavored, and sweet, and sorta vanilla (they use quality Nielson Massey vanilla), and just, well, simple and delicious.  There isn't much more I can say.  

The crust was also notable, not a dry, crumbly, cardboard like graham crust that I so loathe, but rather, a shortbread crust, sweet, just the right thickness, easy to cut through with a spoon but didn't break apart too easily.  The crust extended up the entire backside.

This is certainly one of the best classic cheesecakes I've ever had.  And yes, it is a hefty creation: the 6'' cheesecake weights 3-4 lbs (6-8 slices), and the 9" is 6-8 lbs, 16 slices, so, definitely not a light and fluffy and airy style, for sure.

****+ and I'd gladly get it again and again.

I got a slice for $9 at Joyride Pizza, you can purchase a full 6" cheesecake from J.M. Rosen directly for $79.95, or 9" for $119.95.

Snicker's Cheesecake.

"Guittard Chocolate shell, caramel, perfect shortbread crust, nuts and Snickers Bar chunks... this cake makes your mouth smile and your heart sing. Amazing quality, flavor, and mouthfeel. You'll definitely want to order more than one slice!" -- Joyride Pizza

"What do you get when you cross a Snickers Bar with our Secret Recipe Cheesecake Filling, Guittard Chocolate Shell, Caramel, Famous Shortbread Crust, Nuts and Chunks of a Snickers Candy Bar? Your looking at it! It tastes better than it looks. Certainly, enough to change anyone's mood from "bad" to "great". Bet you can't have just one piece. Try it now! When you wake up looking like Marilyn Monroe you know, it's authentic snickers and you ate too much cheesecake last night! Order while it's hot!" -- J.M. Rosen.

Next, I moved on to the Snicker's cheesecake.  

Here we had the same shortcake crust, along the bottom and the full backside.  Again, far superior to standard graham cracker crusts, sturdy but not too hard, sweet, not too crumbly.  A nice base.

The cheesecake itself was sweeter, I believe it was actually caramel cheesecake.  Still incredibly creamy, insanely smooth, but definitely sweeter, and richer, from the caramel flavor.  On top was a reasonably thick layer of nice quality dark chocolate ganache (Guittard), and little bits of chopped Snickers for a bit of crunch and additional caramel and peanut elements.  There was a thin inner layer as well with some chocolate, nuts, and maybe Snickers.  It definitely was true to the candy bar nature, even though these elements looked fairly minimal at first glance.

This was a slight letdown from the classic NY, but, if you are a Snicker's fan in general, you might really enjoy it.  And don't get me wrong: it was a good cheesecake, I just thought the extra embellishments detracted from the cheesecake goodness.  ***+.

I got a slice for $11 at Joyride Pizza, you can purchase the 6" for $89.95, or 9" for $109.95 from J.M Rosen.

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Crumble & Whisk Pâtisserie

Update Review, 2018 Tastings

Crumble & Whisk is a local cheesecake company that I've been tracking for some time. It wasn't until a catering event last year however that I finally got to try them, took one bite of the Pumpkin Spice with Bourbon flavor, and realized just how much I had been missing out on. That was some seriously good cheesecake (go read that review, and company history, first).

But, as I noted in my previous review, Crumble & Whisk does not operate a storefront, so, acquiring these delights is a bit harder.  They do sell at Farmer's Markets (in Oakland!), and used to sell on Good Eggs, but finally I discovered that they also sell on Munchery.  Munchery is was a meal delivery service that offers meals designed to be reheated by you at home (aka, they aren't delivered hot).  I've watched Munchery grow, pivot, and change, as I was one of their original customers in San Francisco, their first city.  Since then, they've added cooking kits for those who like to do some meal prep and kid's meals, and they've partnered with local juice companies and coffee makers to offer interesting beverage options.  And ... they've added some amazing desserts from local merchants as well.  The other food is all made by their chef team, but they've chosen to outsource desserts, which has worked remarkably well.  They offer incredible mini Pies from Pietisserie (which I've reviewed before), puddings from Petit Pot (review coming soon), and, swoon, cheesecake from Crumble & Whisk.  You can read all my Munchery reviews using the label on my blog, but, they have shut down since I wrote this, so, alas.

I Love New York Cheesecake: Finally!

Anyway, back to Crumble & Whisk.  Munchery clearly only carries a limited number of these cheesecakes, and they seem to *always* been sold out, particularly on weekends when I want to order.  They also only offer one flavor at a time.

I watched Munchery menus daily for ages, and finally, finally managed to catch them.  (Protip: Order as soon as you see them on the menu, even if you don't end up ordering anything else.  Yes, this cheesecake is worth the delivery fee alone.  I'm not joking. )

The first time I finally managed to successfully order, the flavor was the most simple of all: I Love New York, a classic New York style cheesecake.  While not nearly as exciting as any of the exotic collection (which aren't available on Munchery), or even the strawberry or lemon versions which do appear from time to time on Munchery, it seemed like the perfect way to judge a basic cheesecake.

Munchery Packaging.

The packaging is different from anything else I've had from Munchery, perhaps provided by Crumble & Whisk directly?  The clear plastic domes make it easy to see the beauty of a cheesecake inside, but I did find the hight of the dome a bit strange ... why did I need such a big thing?  It also had a Munchery label stuck on, but unlike other Munchery items, it did not have ingredients nor nutritional information.  Which, given what I know about cheesecake, is probably a good thing.

I Love New York Cheesecake. $5.95.

"This is classic New York-style cheesecake with just a hint of tangy lemon and a smooth, creamy texture." - Munchery

"My version of the classic features madagascar bourbon vanilla and velvet sour cream and lemon juice." - Crumble & Whisk

This was cheesecake perfection.  Honestly.

It was light and fluffy, yet incredibly creamy and rich, all at once.  The flavor was deceptively simple, yes, a plain cheesecake, but, it didn't taste just like sweet cream cheese.  It had subtleness from the sour cream, the vanilla, and the lemon juice.  I couldn't pick any ingredient out, and if you were to ask me what was in it, I couldn't tell you.  They complimented each other in a way that just created an absolutely balanced flavor.

I Love New York: Cross Section.

And then the crust.  It did not seem like a classic graham cracker crust (always kinda a throwaway crust in my mind).  Instead, it was more compressed, more sugary, almost like a sugar cookie or shortbread?  It too was delightful, and I appreciated the thickness of that layer.

This was stunning, simple, and stunning.  Seriously, cheesecake perfection, and it needed nothing else.  No topping, no drizzle of sauce, no whipped cream.  Just a spoon, a moment of silence, and complete happiness.

You can purchase these in different sizes from Crumble & Whisk as well: 3" ($8), 7" ($35), or 9" ($45).  The Munchery price of $5.95 was fantastic for an individual cheesecake that was perhaps just a little bigger than you knew you *should* eat on your own, but there is no way I was about to share even a single bite of this one.

Beet & Berries (3"). $8.

"Roasted organic baby beets infused with blueberries and hint of lemon, swirled in, topped with blueberry red wine reduction compote."

Crumble & Whisk also sells their cheesecakes at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market, and one day they had two of their more interesting sounding flavors on display: one was green (!) and had matcha and avocado in it, and the other with this, an innocent looking blueberry topped creation.  I love matcha but since I'm allergic to avocado I couldn't try that one, so I got the Beet & Berries, which actually sounded more interesting anyway.

I love blueberries, and I wasn't afraid of a little beet in my dessert, so this sounded like a winner.  It was ... fine.  Same creamy cheesecake, same buttery amazing crust, and lots of flavor from the blueberry elements, but I didn't taste the beet.  I wanted it to taste more special.  This was fine, but, well, not special.

Original Review, March 2016

Artisan cheesecake.

Those were the only words I needed to see.   I like cheesecake.  I like fancy cheesecake.  So when I learned about Crumble & Whisk Pâtisserie, an artisan cheesecake maker, I couldn't wait to try the goods.

Crumble & Whisk was started in 2013, I believe mostly as just a catering business.  For a while the cheesecakes were sold on Good Eggs, which is where I saw them.  I think I recall seeing them at the farmer's market once or twice as well.  But, for the most part, the business is catering.

Cheesecakes are available in several sizes, generally round (individual 3", full size 7", or large 9"), but they also are available as 2" squares for catering only.

Crumble & Whisk breaks the cheesecake menu up into 3 categories: "classic", "exotic", and "holiday".  The classics include:

• "I love New York", Madagascar bourbon vanilla and sour cream
• "Strawberry Fields", strawberries swirled inside and on top
• "Puckered Up!", lemon curd and candied citrus
• "Triple Chocolate Threat", with a chocolate crust and chocolate ganache

The exotic lineup does get a bit more interesting, including:

• "The Dirty South", with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and bourbon
• "Beet & Berry", with yes, beets and blueberries,
• "Madagascar Vanilla-Bourbon", with mmm, bourbon glaze
• "Banana Spice", caramelized banana and caramel
• "Spicy Mexican Chocolate" with cayenne and chili powder
• "Vegan Delight", made with tofu instead of cream cheese

It was the holiday menu that sounded the best though:

• "Pecan Crumble", with pecans, maple, and streusel topping.  (OMG, I love all of those things!)
• "Winter White Chocolate", with cranberry and orange
• "Apple Spice", with apples and brandy
• "Pumpkin Spice with Bourbon", pumpkin, bourbon, and caramel drizzle

By now, you may have noticed how many have bourbon.  I did, and I approve.

I always planned to order Crumble & Whisk cheesecakes the next time I made a Good Eggs order, but, alas, they were removed from Good Eggs before I ever did.  A few weeks later, I attended an event, and it had amazing cheesecake.  I eventually tracked down the caterer to learn where the cheesecake came from.  The answer?  Crumble & Whisk!  I was so glad I finally got to try the cheesecake I had been eying, but also so sad that I never took advantage of it when it was on Good Eggs.

Anyway, wonderful cheesecake, and I'd really, really love to try some of the other varieties.

Pumpkin Spice with Bourbon. Catering size.  $3.50.

"Organic fresh roasted pumpkin, with spiced pepita (pumpkin seeds) with bourbon caramel drizzle."

My encounter with Crumble & Whisk was at a catering event, so I had a 2" square piece, rather than a signature round item.

I took one bite and I was sold.  Wow, this was great cheesecake.

The texture was perfect, creamy, but well set.  There was clearly plenty of pumpkin puree in it, as it tasted almost like a regular pumpkin pie, just one that was a bit richer than usual.  So, so creamy.  It was also nicely spiced with cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg, and clove, standard "pumpkin spice" seasonings, but very balanced, none overwhelming.  I am always disappointed when "pumpkin spice" means an overdose of nutmeg or cinnamon.

So the cheesecake itself was great, but so was the bourbon caramel drizzle over the top.  It wasn't necessary, the cheesecake stood up fine on its own, but I'll never turn down a little extra sweet drizzle.

Oh, and the crust.  Sugary, buttery, crumbly, delicious.  A nice thick layer.

Put it all together, and you get a fantastic bite.  I wanted more than a 2" square!

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JetBlue Flight 615, JFK-SFO, Mint

As you read last week, I flew JetBlue Mint class for the first time from San Francisco to Boston, and I was ruined.  It was so amazing that I booked it again a few months later when I traveled home for the holidays.  You can read those two reviews here first.

For my return flight to San Francisco, from New York (yes, I flew to Boston, but returned from New York), I got to experience JetBlue Mint for the second time.  And this time, in an even better way.  I had seat 2A, one of the single suites.  I thought the experience was great the first time, but this was even more insane.  I'm really, really ruined for all domestic air travel now.

My flight was a daytime flight again, this time departing at 11:50am, so lunch was the main service.  Crew were friendly as always on JetBlue.

The Seat and Amenities

The cabin is 3 rows of pairs, plus 2 rows of single "suites", all of which sell first-come, first-serve.

My Seat, 2A.

This time, I was able to snag one of the coveted single suites

As you can see, it had ample space on either side, which I'll get more into in a moment ...

Right Side.

The right hand side of my seat was the same as before, with a power outlet (with USB), a light, a bottle of water waiting for me, a remote control for TV, and a perfect little pocket for my phone.

Extra Storage and Bigger Side Tray.

But the suites also have an additional area on the right, with another net area to fit little things, a much bigger storage compartment (which fit my purse and additional beverages I brought on board), and a much bigger area for drinks and other things to set down.

The paired seat I had on the first flight was fine, but these are clearly enhancements, particularly having the extra space for all my drinks, and not needing to share with a neighbor.

Door!

The singles not only don't have someone next to them, but they also come with a private door (!!!), which I could close once I was underway.  Necessary?  Nah.  But wow, it really was private.  I haven't even had that experience in international Business or First Class, much less domestic!

Large Side Area with more plugs.

Along the window was a huge area next to the seat to place more things, like my laptop when my tray table was out.  It reminded me of the extra space next to upper deck seats of a 747, but even more usable since it was actually flat and intended for things to be set on it.  The downside however is that it isn't an additional storage area inside, not that it was really needed.

This area also had 2 more outlets, with power and USB.  So yes, my seat had 3 full outlets and an incredible amount of space to set down basically anything.

Hayward Amenity Kit.

Once underway, our amenity kits were distributed.  I flew on Nov 2, the second day of the new partnership with Hayward, rather than BirchBox.

While less exciting, this selection made a lot more sense for being on an airplane.  It had an eye mask, ear plugs, little scented towelette, a mint, lip balm, a cloth to wipe my screen, and a card describing the curated contents.  Like I said, not nearly as interesting as the BirchBox, but more relevant, particularly for an overnight flight.

Also at our seats were the large blankets and pillows, and I was able to ask for headphones, this time they got delivered before we even took off.

Food & Drinks

Pre-departure

As on my previous flight, as I settled into my seat the FA stopped by to introduce me to the seat, this time only telling me about the additional features in my single suite, since I had flown on Mint before.  She also offered the signature cocktail, and provided me the menu.

RefreshMint (with Vodka).

I gladly accepted the signature drink, with vodka.  Just like before, I really liked it.  Refreshing and really so much better than standard sparkling wine.

Menu

As before, the menu was available online on JetBlue's website (the menu changes monthly).   I appreciated this, as if I really didn't like the selections on the main menu, I could pre-order a special one if I choose (which I didn't).

Food Menu.

The wine and other drinks did not change, and the format was the same as my past flight: appetizer, choice of 3 "delish dishes" out of 5, and ice cream and fruit for dessert.

The full menu:

Welcome Taste

It’s app-y hour!

Caramelized eggplant tartare with roasted red pepper & toast points.

Delish Dishes

Step up to the plate(s) & choose three. Please note: The first two dishes listed below are chilled. 

• Grilled ahi tuna with quinoa salad, pickled fennel, pickled red onions & cherry tomatoes
• Grilled escarole salad with baby gem, sourdough croutons, parmesan cheese & garlic aioli dressing 
• Asparagus & artichoke risotto with salsa verde, goat cheese & fresh parsley
• Pumpkin soup with confit chicken, caramelized apples & amaretto biscuits
• Braised beef stew & black bean rice with olives, capers, roasted peppers & stewed tomatoes 

Sweet Bites

Don’t desert dessert—enjoy both options, along with a hot espresso drink.

• Seasonal fruit salad
• Organic ice cream: Blue Marble Ice Cream, Brooklyn, New York
• Cappuccino & espresso: Brooklyn Roasting Company, Brooklyn, New York

When You Re-Treat

An edible parting gift – worth the wait!

Freshly made confections: Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery | A Colicchio Discovery, New York, New York

It was again easy for me to pick two of my options (the grilled ahi salad and the escarole salad), and the third was a bit harder.  Since I don't like goat cheese I ruled out the otherwise decent sounding risotto, and since I don't really like rice and beans I ruled out the beef stew, so the pumpkin soup was sorta all that was left, which sounded good, minus the chicken of course.

Welcome Taste: It’s app-y hour!

The "Welcome Taste" was delivered with our drinks.  As before, no option here, besides if you wanted it or not.

Failla Pinot Noir, 2014, Sonoma Coast.

"Ehren Jordan makes some of California’s most sought-after Pinot Noirs, including this blend from some of the most exclusive vineyards on Sonoma’s far coast. The quintessence of modern Pinot Noir, with subtle berry fruit, a tea-like spice and a cool, piney tinge reminiscent of the coastal forest."

The wine was ... fine.  It was a bit acidic, a bit harsh for my tastes though.

Caramelized eggplant tartare with roasted red pepper & toast points.

This was shockingly good.  I didn't like the eggplant mousse from last time and only liked the taro chips, so I didn't expect to like this at all.  I was sad that the taro chips had been replaced with toast points, and had little hope for the eggplant element.

But ... the eggplant tartare was delicious!  Chunks of eggplant, mixed with pine nuts (which I don't normally like), really well seasoned and flavored with perhaps some citrus?  It was very oily, the eggplant was slimy, and I don't normally like pine nuts or citrus, but ... yeah, for some reason I really enjoyed it.

The toast points were better than I expected.  They were cold, dry pieces of toast, but, they reminded me of some toast crackers I used to eat.  Certainly not great, and I greatly preferred the taro chips, but these weren't awful.

My favorite dish of the flight.

Delish Dishes

And as before, lunch service is designed as small plates.  The menu again had 5 options: 2 cold, 3 hot, two vegetarian, one chicken, one seafood, one beef.  I could pick up to 3.  Which of course, I did. 

Grilled Ahi, Grilled Escarole Salad, Pumpkin Soup, Bread, Oil, Salt & Pepper.

All were served together, along with the same bread and oil as last time.  The bread was again not very good, cold, stale.

Grilled ahi tuna with quinoa salad, pickled fennel, pickled red onions & cherry tomatoes.

This had 3 very large slices of grilled ahi on top, with a few chunks of each of the promised veggies, over chilled quinoa.

The pickled red onions were much like those from the cauliflower salad I had on my last flight, tart, fine.  I liked the pickled fennel even more, a fairly unique element.  The cherry tomatoes weren't particularly ripe.

I didn't care for the multicolor quinoa salad, chilled, mushy, with some golden raisins mixed in.

The tuna itself was ... fine.  I'm not really one for seared/grilled ahi though.

My least favorite of my savories.

Grilled escarole salad with baby gem, sourdough croutons, parmesan cheese & garlic aioli dressing.

This reminded me of the baby gem caesar from my previous flight, although I liked it less.

The baby gems were about the same, fresh, crispy, but just lettuce.  The large shreds of Parmesan were also the same.

This time, the breadcrumbs were replaced by more standard croutons.  The menu said sourdough, but, luckily, as I don't like it, I didn't taste sourdough.  They were fantastically garlicky though, and nice and crunchy, my favorite part of the salad.

The grilled escarole was interesting.  It had a nice smoky nature, but, it was relatively slimy, and kinda looked like wilted, brown lettuce.  I liked it, but, it certainly wasn't appealing.

And finally, the dressing.  I didn't taste the garlic in here, and it wasn't really like an aioli to me.  The dressing was thin and kinda just flavorless, but there was plenty of it (the salad wasn't overdressed necessarily, but, lots of dressing).  

I like the cute little 3 small plates serving style, but this was a bit difficult to eat inside the small container.

My second to least favorite of the savories.

Pumpkin soup with confit chicken, caramelized apples & amaretto biscuits.

And finally, the soup, the item I kinda randomly picked.  It was certainly different from what I was expecting.

On top were 3 chunks that looked like croutons, but were the amaretto biscuits.  They were sweet and yup, basically a amaretto cookie.  The flavor did go well with the soup but they quickly got soggy.

The soup itself was kinda bland, but to be fair, I didn't eat the sliced apples or little bits of confit chicken, since I don't like those things, but they probably added quite a bit to it.

Overall, a warm, comforting, light option, with the interesting elements of apples and amaretto.  My favorite of the main small plates, second favorite savory overall.

Sweet Bites

As before, we were offered ice cream and fruit salad, and I skipped the fruit due to melon.  I do love the ice cream on the flight, but I wish they would mix it up in some way, perhaps offering a topping of the month?

Pumpkin Blue Marble Ice Cream.

"Celebrate the holiday season with some Blue Marble Pumpkin. This sweet and spicy treat is packed with real pumpkin and a warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves."

I loved the sea salt ice cream last time, and was worried I'd get only vanilla or chocolate this time.  But ... seasonally appropriate, we had pumpkin.  Now, I'm not really one for "pumpkin spice all the things!", but, pumpkin sounded much better than the more plain vanilla/chocolate options.

It was served very hard, so it took a lot of willpower to let it melt, but I knew I'd enjoy it much more once it was more melted.

The ice cream was good, but, again, I'm not a huge pumpkin fan.  The spicing was aggressive but not bad, all the spices were balanced, and it didn't suffer from too much nutmeg, resulting in a soapy taste which can happen with pumpkin spice too often.

Overall, good, but, I preferred the salted caramel.

Dunkin' Donuts Decaf Coffee.

The coffee was ... fine.  Not remarkable in any way, although I did appreciate the mug.

When You Re-Treat

My parting gift was the exact same as my previous flight, a packaged blondie and cookie from Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery.

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Sirabella Cheesecake

Cheesecake.  Not exactly the item that comes to mind when you think "vegan", yet, vegan cheesecake has become more and more of a thing lately, like that made by Sirabella.  

“We taste tested non-vegan and non-lactose intolerant consumers.  They could not tell the difference between our dairy free cheesecake and regular cheesecake.  Our Italian bakery will still provide that rich creamy filling with the golden brown graham cracker bottom.”

I was told by members of our catering team, who had tried this cheesecake before, that it was good.  I didn't really believe them, and never ordered it for my team.  And then one day, the vendor was doing a pop-up event at my office, and had samples.  Now that I was willing to try,  As a dessert lover, I'll admit that I was kinda a jerk and did not believe the claim, and just wanted to "prove it".

Sirabella makes many flavors, mostly based on a classic New York, with assorted fruity toppings.  They don't have a bakery storefront, but ship nationwide, and are found at many grocery stores and the like, available wholesale as well.  We only had the classic New York.

Vegan New York.

"Vegan, Dairy Free, New York cheesecake, direct from New York."

I was really, really pleasantly surprised.  Did it taste like standard cheesecake?  No, not at all.  But, it was a good product.

The texture and consistency were right - smooth, creamy but firm.  The crust was not a throwaway, not mush nor too hard, rather, a slightly caramely soft-firm base, better than most cheesecakes.  And the cheesecake itself?  It had a interesting flavor, a bit hard to describe, not soy forward, not plastic-y ... just, different.

If you wanted classic cream cheese flavor, you wouldn't' find it here, but for a nice, sweet, creamy, vegan treat, this truly was tasty.

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Nuovo York Pizza

I moved to New York, and became a cliché.

After years of not caring about pizza, I suddenly crave it, all the time.

"We focus on delivering authentic New York style pizza built on consistency, quality, and precision. Every slice is designed to meet a clear standard with balanced flavor, proper texture, and a reliable experience you can count on every time you search for great pizza near you. Our process starts with carefully selected ingredients and a dough that is fermented for optimal flavor and structure. From the sauce to the cheese to the final bake, every step is controlled and repeatable. We do not rely on shortcuts or guesswork. We rely on systems, measurements, and constant refinement. That is how we maintain the same quality across every order. Rooted in classic New York pizza tradition, our approach is focused on improvement, not imitation. We aim for a clean and well balanced slice with the right crisp, the right chew, and a flavor profile that stands out without being overwhelming. "

In particular, what I've been craving is classic New York slice shop slices.  Yes, I've also had all the fancier well known places (e.g. L'Industrie Pizzeria, where I was completely blown away, finding their crust to be exceptionally crisped and lightly chewy, and their signature burrata slice to be totally flawless and well worth the hype, Slicehaus Pizzeria, that I noted that while it is far more accessible than its peers with no crazy lines and great 48-hour fermented dough, and Mama's Too!, where I found their heavy Sicilian-style square focaccia bases to be far too greasy and spongy, though I did enjoy the toppings and sauce on slices like the upside-down and poached pear). But lately I've been into trying out random slice shops (ok, not totally random, at least ones that have good reviews, just not ones I see anyone really talking about much).

Setting

Nuovo York Pizza is one such place, located in the East Village.

Slices.

The setup is pretty standard slice shop, with mixed pies on display, and slices plucked from there and heated up to order.

Seating.

They had a reasonable amount of seating, with a few seats at tables, and high chairs along a counter.  Oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce available to garnish.  Slice shop style, so no table service or anything.

Food

Pizza comes in two styles: round or square.  Round has the largest selection with 8 styles by the slice (your standard cheese, pepperoni, margherita, plus common white or vodka, then three more unique ones: pepperoni pesto, "cherry charm" (with cherry tomatoes and fresh burrata), and their signature spinach and mushroom white pie), plus two more that are whole pizza only.  Squares are either plain, pepperoni, or bbq chicken or buffalo chicken by the slice, or a few more whole.  No custom orders.  Pizza is available by the slice, one size only round pie (18"), or one size only square pie (16").

For sides, they offer 3 kinds of dough based products: garlic knots (orders of 3 or 6), parmesan bread bites, or cheese sticks. There are no salads, fries, wings or other options for sides, just more pizza dough based items.

Garlic Knots (6).  $4.

For a side, I went for the garlic knots, not really wanting more cheese along with the very cheesy pizza. 

The garlic knots were great.  Puffy, nice golden edges, great garlic flavor.  Buttery but not overly oily.  I really enjoyed these.  3.5/5.

The marinara sauce was fairly standard, a sweeter style but not overly so, nicely seasoned.  Some small chunks of tomato.  Not necessarily better than a really good jarred sauce, but still good. 3/5.

These are available as a trio for $2 or half-dozen for $4.  I actually ordered just 3, but got 6.  One dipping sauce is included, choice of marinara/ranch/blue cheese.

Spinach Mushroom White Pie. $33.

I'll admit that a white pie was an odd choice for me, as I usually do want the marinara.  But I saw so many reviews raving about this pizza, and I knew it was their signature thing, so, hey, why not try it.

My pizza was ready right as I walked it, plucked from the pizza oven and boxed up on the spot.  Can't beat that freshness.

It was a well executed pizza: NY slice thin crust (not fancy thin crust), thick enough to hold up to being eaten without utensils, but not overly bready.  Nicely crisp, slight char on the undercarriage.  Back crust was sufficient for holding but not bigger, so you didn't fill up on crust.  Fairly classic New York slice, executed pretty well.  The slices were massive, 8 to a pie, and 18" diameter, so these were very big, although not very evenly sliced (which I preferred actually, but for a brand that talks about precision, the slicing was not).

The cheese was a very thick layer, and it had nice cheese pull to it.  The white sauce ricotta was creamy under it all.  Definitely some garlic and seasoning in it.  The spinach wasn't dominant, and was barely noticeable, but I suspect it did add a bit to the flavor, even if I didn't quite detect it.  I liked the hearty style of mushrooms used, but they weren't particularly evenly applied.  The toppings came together well, and I liked how creamy it was, but it was pretty heavy with all the cheese.  I think I'd prefer a little less of it.  

So overall, a reasonably well executed slice, and a slightly unique offering, but, not completely assembled with care, and probably not something I'd get again.  I still enjoyed it though.  3.5/5.

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Petee's Pies

Petee's Pies is, you guessed it, a pie company, located in New York city.  They have two locations there.  They also ship nationwide.  

"We're based on a simple concept: make the best pie money can buy using real ingredients. We make our pies using seasonal local produce and natural fair-trade sweeteners. Our crust is made with organic flour and grass-fed butter from New York State.  In other words: we make damn fine pie for damn fine people."

Petee's full pie lineup is pretty lengthy: all your expected fruit pies (apple, sour cherry, blueberry), all of which are available with either full double crust or crumb topping, cream/custard pies (banana cream, chocolate cream, key lime meringue, coconut custard - note: not coconut cream, lemon chess, salty chocolate chess, black bottom almond chess), and then some more unique offerings like their signature guava mascarpone and brown butter honey pecan, along with seasonals like "spring cordial" with elderflower lemon meringue and rose crystals.  All use all butter crust.

Petee's has been on my radar for years, as they get pretty good reviews and are well known in the pie scene in NY, but somehow they hadn't made it to the top of my list.  Luckily, I didn't need to seek them out: they came to me, as many desserts and baked goods do, as surplus from another team's event at my office.

  

I had my eyes on the more unique ones, plus the banana cream of course, but since I only got to try the pies when they were leftover after someone else's event, I didn't get to pick the flavors.  I really did enjoy all the pies I tried, and would gladly get them again.

Banana Cream. $45.

"Old-fashioned vanilla pudding topped with fresh banana slices and dolloped with whipped cream."

Of course I went straight for the banana cream pie, even though it was looking slightly worse for the wear.   

I started with a bite of crust.  Oooh, this was good crust.  Super rich, buttery, flaky.  Very good crust, the butter level in particular was fantastic.  **** crust.

I moved on to the filling, pretty thick, smooth vanilla pudding.  Definitely on the sweeter side.  No strong vanilla flavor (nor banana flavor to it), just sorta basic (but good) pudding.  Standard size banana slices, not too mushy.  Lots of (also sweetened) fresh whipped cream.  Pretty classic banana cream pie contents, well made, but borderline a touch too sweet for me.  No twists or deviations from the classic here.  ***+ filling.

Overall, a very good banana cream pie, and wow, the crust, it made me very excited to move on to the fruit pies.  I think low **** overall, I just wish the sweetness was slightly tamped down.  My favorite of the pies, but only slightly.

NY Sour Cherry.

"We use Montmorency cherries from upstate New York in our Sour Cherry Pie-- and we don't sugarcoat 'em either. We let their vibrant, tart flavor take center stage. This bright red cherry pie with a nice big scoop of ice cream will knock your socks off."

I moved on to fruit pies.  I again started with the crust.  It was a slightly different crust than the banana cream, definitely darker, thicker, likely due to the fact that this one is baked with filling compared to the blind baked cream pie.  It was again quite good - very flaky, strong buttery flavor.  Definitely bakery quality pie crust (compared to say grocery store, or often, restaurant quality).  What you want from a standard pie crust really.  Low ****.

The sour cherry filling was good - slightly tart, slightly sweet, some goo but not much, soft whole cherries that were cooked down.  I could indeed taste the sour element, slightly tart, definitely not too sweet.  Clearly made with real cherries not canned pie filling.  As they say, definitely even better with a scoop of ice cream.  Another low ****, it was certain a good pie, but not memorable beyond being "hey, that was a good classic pie".  

Also, please don't mind the very odd itty bitty mini slice that some previous monster left in this pie ... this is how I found it (seriously, who does that?!).

Wild Maine Blueberry. $40.

"A fresh and delicious pie made with scrumptious organic wild blueberries from Josh Pond, Maine. Only a quarter cup of sugar in a whole pie to let the natural sweetness and flavor of the blueberries shine through."

The blueberry was fairly similar to the sour cherry, although a bit sweeter, and with smaller fruit.  But very similar pedigree of great crust, not much goo, and not overly sweetened. I think the sour cherry was slightly better as I liked the pop of tartness it had, but this was pretty close behind.  Low ****.

Hudson Valley Apple. $40.

"Our apple pies feature individual varieties of apples sourced from local orchards. New York State grows more apple varieties than any other, and our apple pies are a celebration of classic New York and heirloom varietals."

I don't frequently pick apple pie given other pie choices, but I tried this since it was there and took just a sliver, and then immediately went back for more.  The crust was again very very good, as I now knew to expect.  The apples were really nicely cooked, not too soft, not too al dente.  No skins on.  Lightly spiced, but not aggressive in any way.  Again not much goo.  It was quite enjoyable, I think my second favorite, above even the cherry and blueberry pie, which really surprised it.  I think this one would be fantastic with their crumble top too, but alas, we had only the double crust pies.  Another low ****, one of the better apple pies I've had in few years.

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Cookies from Momofuku Milk Bar

Update Reviews, 2017 - 2019

As always, please start with my original reviews from 2015, and prior update reviews from 2017, for context on the bakery.

Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie (July 2017).

I've had this one before, as it is one of their most popular flavors, and is often served on JetBlue flights (where I had it).  I liked it, for a cookie.

It was soft, and very decadent.  So much butter, so much sugar.  You could tell how unhealthy it was, and, that was actually the appeal of it.

I liked the softness and sweetness from the marshmallow.  The cornflakes, which I didn't like when I had it before, as I thought they were soggy and a bad texture, I liked this time, and appreciated the crunch they added.

Perfect Ten (March 2019).

"An oatmeal cookie meets an energy bar! made with gluten-free oats, almonds, mini chocolate chips and sweetened with agave."

I would never normally go for a vegan, gluten-free cookie of all things, but I was very curious to see if Milk Bar decadence could make an item like this interesting to me.

I almost really liked this.  It had a interesting healthy taste to it, that made me believe I could possibly justify it for breakfast.

I liked the slivered almonds for texture, and found the mini mini mini chocolate chips adorable.  The texture was not standard, but it was not a bad thing, just slightly crumbly, soft but firm … if that makes any sense.  It certainly didn’t have any obvious gluten-free unappealing qualities to it.  It was pleasantly sweet.  

But.  And here is the big but.  The aftertaste was flaxseed.  I just don’t like flaxseed.  It wasn’t there as I first bit in, but the taste was unmistakable in the aftertaste.  I tried a second bite,  just to be sure, but …. same thing.  Flaxseed.  Sigh.  

If you don’t mind flaxseed, and want a more wholesome cookie, then this really was a nice item, just not for me.

Blueberry & Cream Cookie (July 2019).

"Meet the muffin top flavor masquerading as a cookie. Fudgy, sugar cookie dough, bits of our signature milk crumbs, sweet, chewy morsels of dried blueberries and permission to crush this cookie for breakfast (or any time of day really.)"

This is certainly one of my favorite Milk cookies.  So sweet, so buttery.  I do have memories of it being softer, and of the berries being bigger, but, I still enjoy this one quite a bit.

And I totally agree - breakfast appropriate, no question!  I'll continue to get this one whenever I have the opportunity.

Update Review, May 2017

By now you know that in October, I visited New York, where I experienced much that the Momofuku empire has to offer: dinner at Nishi (swoon, those butter noodles!) followed by soft serve and cake truffles at Milk Bar (seriously, the best sprinkles ever!).  We also each snag a cookie to take with us, for, uh, breakfast.  I've reviewed these cookies before, so, this is just an update.  

Blueberry & Cream Cookie. $2.25.

"Sugar cookie dough, bits of milk crumbs and morsels of dried blueberries transform into a cookie that tastes just like the top of a blueberry muffin!"

Yeah, oops, I took a bite first.  Sometimes even I forget to snap a photo before I dig in ...

In general, I do not like cookies.  Momofuku Milk Bar cookies however are an exception.  These things are so buttery, so sweet, so rich ... that they just aren't "cookies".  I had this in a hotel room, so I wasn't able to warm it up and make it slighly soft and gooey, but I can only imagine how much better it is that way.

So, the cookie.  Very sugary, buttery base.  The sweetness isn't *just* sweet though ... accented with brown sugar and white chocolate for a more complex experience.  The little bits of dried blueberry momentarily convince your brain that it is totally ok to eat one of these for breakfast, since, uh, its like a blueberry muffin?

I enjoyed my cookie (perhaps for breakfast) quite a bit, but I wished I had been able to warm it up, or crumble it on top of ice cream ...

Confetti Cookie. $2.25.

"Just like the milk bar b’day truffles and layer cake, this sugar cookie is full of birthday sprinkles, birthday crumbs and that familiar old fashioned vanilla flavor!"

The confetti cookie was the seasonal selection while we were in New York, and Ojan snatched it up for himself to try something new.

He may have beat me to it (ahem!), but at least he saved me a bite?  And a very, very good bite it was.

It may not sound like a very exciting cooking, particularly when compared with the other creative options, but I think it was actually my favorite.  A sweet, buttery, sugar cookie base.  Crunchy little sprinkles.  And then .... the birthday crumbs mixed in!  The crumbs were just fantastic and kicked it up a zillion notches.

I was pretty sad not to get more than a single bite though.

Original Review, November 2015

Many years ago, at least ... 6? 7?  I visited New York, and learned about Momofuku Milk Bar.  Being a dessert girl, I was drawn in by the creative offerings, including a pie that everyone raved about (crack pie), and soft serve ice cream made from the sweet milk left in the bottom of your cereal bowl (cereal milk).  These signature items from Momofuku Milk Bar are ridiculously well known at this point, but they were just becoming a rage at the time.

I don't recall exactly what we got on that visit, but I do remember both Ojan and I loving the cereal milk soft serve, and I was smitten by the cake truffles.  I didn't write a blog then, but I did rave about it to a friend over IM, saying, "Basically, everything I had a Momofuku Milk Bar was incredible.  If you are ever in New York, you definitely need to go!!!"

A few days later, we were at a party at a friend's house (still in New York), and someone brought Momofuku Milk Bar cookies.  I remember trying the blueberry and cream cookie and being blown away.  You may recall, I'm not really that big of a cookie person, but these were something else.

Flash forward a few years, to 2011.  Christina Tosi, the pastry chef, published a cook book, and went a book tour, stopping in SF.  I went to one of her talks, and found her to be really engaging.  She told so many stories about her work in the kitchen, how she crafted recipes, etc.  Her love of baking was infectious.  I really enjoyed her talk, per personality, and obviously, her treats.  She brought samples. 

The interesting thing is she didn't just bring finished products, she also brought "crumbs".  Crumbs are building blocks to many of her recipes, and the cookbook includes recipes for a number of types of crumbs.  You'll find the crumbs on top of, and in between layers of, her epic layer cakes.  You'll find them inside the cookies.  The cake truffles are rolled in them.

I started with the plain milk crumbs.  These are used for the "cream" element in the blueberry and cream cookies.  They were really tasty to just snack on, basically like buttery shortbread, with a milky, creamy taste.

I moved on to the cornflake crumbs.  These weren't as good to just eat on their own, but I see how they have their purpose in the cornflake cookies.

And finally, the birthday crumbs, like the milk crumbs, but, with rainbow sprinkles inside.  Ridiculously tasty just to nom on.

I was pretty hooked at this point.  And then I had the Crack Pie for the first time.  My world changed.  Seriously, stop what you are doing now, if you somehow haven't had Crack Pie, go get some.  If you are in New York/Washington DC/Toronto, go to Milk Bar.  If you are elsewhere in the US, order it online.  Pay the ridiculous overnight delivery fee.  It is worth it.  It is an earth shattering pie, aptly named.

Anyway, I don't claim to have discovered Milk Bar early, but, it was long before they shipped nationwide, before Christina Tosi was on Masterchef, and before you could buy the cookie mix at Williams-Sonoma.  I loved it then, I still love it now, so I dug up these notes to share with you.

Oh, and if anyone is interested in sending me a cake, I've never had any of Momofuku's Milk Bar's cakes, but the Birthday and Dulce de Leche Cakes look like the best versions ever of these classics.  (I'd settle for a Crack Pie or any of the cake truffles too).

Cookies

The cookie menu at Momofuku Milk Bar has not changed in years.  The selection of 5 I tried on my visit many years ago is exactly what is still offered today.  They came up with some winning recipes, and haven't messed with them.

As I've said in many other reviews, I'm not normally a big fan of cookies, but these are truly great cookies.  The soft, gooey textures, the amazing flavors, just set them apart from all other cookies.

They are pricey at $2.25 each at the shop, but they are large, and, some of the most unique flavors I've ever had.  You can also order online for delivery nationwide, and, the cookies do seem to freeze pretty well.  Williams-Sonoma also carried cookies mixes for some flavors, although they seem unavailable now.

Compost Cookie®.

"Packed with pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch and chocolate chips, this cookie strikes the perfect balance between salty & sweet."

The Compost Cookie® may be Milk Bar's most famous, or at least, the name sure is (so much so that they registered it).  Does it sound appealing?  Well, not if you stop reading at "compost".  But if you read on to "salty & sweet", then, yes!

The base is ridiculously buttery, ridiculously sweet, ridiculously gooey.  It is a thin, gigantic cookie.  That alone is great, but then it is loaded up with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coffee grounds, graham crumbs, pretzels, and chips.  Yes, all of that.

Unfortunately, I didn't detect any chips or pretzels in mine, which resulted in it being more of a sweet overload.  I needed the salty, I wanted the crunch.  It was still pretty tasty, but you need to be in the mood for serious amounts of butter and sugar to enjoy it.  Coffee grounds did add a nice bitter component.  My 3rd favorite overall, and one I'd eat again, but not as special as some of the others. 

I froze several of these, but they were not as good post-freezing, as they lost their soft gooeyness.  In general, cookies freeze well, but this one I wouldn't recommend freezing.  The sugar and butter delicious flavor is still there, but the lovely softness is lost.

 Cornflake-Marshmallow-Chocolate-Chip Cookie.

"Our play on the classic chocolate chip cookie with crunchy cornflakes, gooey marshmallows & mini chocolate chips!"

There is a reason butter is the first ingredient listed for this one.

Another thin cookie, ridiculously buttery, ridiculously sweet, ridiculously gooey.  The base seems very similar to the Compost Cookie.

I liked it as a chocolate chip cookie, and I loved the addition of the marshmallow, it gave a really nice flavor and texture.  But, I hated the cornflake!  It was a super strange texture to have in the cookie, as it was kinda soggy, and flavor-wise it totally didn't work for me.  My least favorite of all the cookies.

Chocolate Chocolate Cookie.

"Chocolate cookie dough with cocoa powder, 55% chocolate, chocolate crumbs and a hint of salt- a cookie that’s dense and fudgy like a brownie and very, very chocolate-y!"

This was a thicker cookie, not thin like the first two, but still very soft and gooey.  I think the texture of the cookies is my favorite aspect of Milk Bar's cookies, and I'm sure it is due to the butter content.

This one, like the others, was very buttery.  Ir reminds me more of a brownie than a cookie. The  chocolate flavor was not very intense though, which surprised me given all the chocolate used, and the deep brown color.

I tried these a few more times, and always remarked on how the chocolate flavor just wasn't that strong.  They did freeze well, and were good, but just not amazing, and not really my thing.  4th pick of the 5, and not one I really wanted more of.

Corn Cookie.

"A milk bar cult favorite – the familiar flavors from cornbread transform into a sweet, buttery cookie!"

This was the thickest cookie, not nearly as soft, more crunchy.  In fact, not gooey at all.  It tasted like ... cornbread or a corn muffin.  Except a cookie.  And very buttery cornbread at that.

It was not very sweet.  It had a smaller diameter than others due to the thickness, but was still a massive cookie overall, and weighed a ton.  It was really strange to have cornbread as a cookie, but it was very flavorful.

It took a while, but this cookie totally grew on me.  Think of all the goodness of buttery corn bread or a corn muffin, but ... as a cookie.  Strange, but it totally works.  My second favorite, and I'd gladly eat more of these.  The thicker style, and less gooey, made it more amenable for freezing too.

Blueberry & Cream Cookie™

"A cookie that tastes like the top of a blueberry muffin- we take our sugar cookie dough, add bits of milk crumbs & morsel of dried blueberries!"

Speaking of muffins, the Blueberry & Cream Cookie™, like the corn cookie, is also muffin inspired.

This one was thicker than the Compost and Cornflake cookies, but thinner than the Double Chocolate and Corn, somewhere right in the middle.  Same with the texture, not as gooey as the thin ones, not as crisp as the thicker ones.

It had little dried blueberries and the signature milk crumbs throughout, as various size chunks.  I loved the chunks of milk crumb, and the intense pops of blueberry flavor.

This was like a blueberry pie or blueberry muffin ... but as a cookie.  Just like the corn cookie, it isn't how you traditionally expect to taste these flavors, but, it works.  Why NOT turn delicious things into cookies?

I loved this one, my favorite overall.  It was not as sweet or gooey as the Compost or Cornflake, but that just made it possible to eat more of it, and it was still plenty sweet and gooey.

But, like the other softer styles, it was not as good after freezing, as it lost some soft goeyness.

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