I have an upcoming family wedding that I could not be more excited about. My cousin is getting hitched and I can’t wait to watch her walk down the aisle. Plus, my dad will be marrying them so cue the tears! As we head to New York for this exciting family affair, I can’t help but be really excited about one other major thing. Besides the wedding of course.
The New York Thing I Love The Most
When you go to New York, no matter what part, the city, the suburbs, whatever, there’s something that exists there that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. It’s a fantastic Jewish or Italian bakery and deli. You just don’t see them anywhere else as you do in New York. And I know, you’re going to leave a comment saying how dare I because there’s one by you that’s great. I’m sure there is. They do in fact exist in special corners of the world I’m sure. You are right. But there’s simply nothing like being in a real New York deli and bakery. Between the smells, the authentic recipes, the New York attitude and of course, the water that hands down makes a New York bagel, a New York bagel. There’s just something about it all.
As soon as you step in, I instantly feel like I’m home.
It just feels so nostalgic to me and where so many of my childhood memories were. We went all the time to Rockland Bakery whenever we visited our Grandparents in the suburbs of New York. We visited Remsen Farms to get the best sandwiches, and don’t forget to pick up an apricot fruit leather and Wise potato chips for the perfect post-pool day fun at Grandma’s. And of course, a trip to New York for the weekend wouldn’t be complete without a fresh bagel with cream cheese at Bagel Boys. Don’t even get me started on the pizza. We’ll stick to delis and bakeries for this post only.
Whenever we visit family up North, I can’t not pick up a few treats to bring home with me.
I can pretty much guarantee to eat my weight in rainbow cookies. They’re an Italian tri-color cookie with almond paste and if I try to explain it to you, you’ll be turned off. But just trust me that if you’re from the area, you know these are the superior cookie. Followed by a classic black and white cookie. Some bakeries even do just white or black cookies (I’m partial to the white side, it gets hard and cracks versus the softer chocolate frosted side). And another favorite that I could live off of, bowtie cookies which are also known as egg kichel. They’re addicting and make the biggest sugary mess wherever you eat them. There’s simply no eating these in secret, you will leave a sugary trail.
So yes, while I’m excited to see my cousin get married, there’s no denying I can’t wait for my visit to the bakery, to the deli and the bagel shop. And we will pack it all into the barely 72 hours that we’ll be there. Because there’s simply nothing like it from the atmosphere to the heavy New York accents surrounding you, and the intoxicating smells of my childhood.
Photo by Hannah Lozano for my NYC Travel Guide
