Local food lover and Beaucoup Bakery owner Jackie Ellis has just returned from a short, whirlwind trip to New York City, a place she call the foodie-land of milk, honey and abundant pizza.” As with her trip to Paris last winter, before she left she promised us that she’d snap some shots of the best edibles that she came across. “By no means is this an all-conclusive list,” she cautions. “It’s just the best of what I tried, and mostly it means I need to go back for more research.” And so behold, the food porn of one of our best bakers…

1. Peanut Butter & Jelly Croissant – NoMad Hotel | I’m often skeptical of traditional pastries with decadent additions like bacon or PBJ. Don’t get me wrong, they can be amazing, I’ve found it’s incredibly hard to find the balance without relying heavily on a novelty. When a pastry-lover friend recommended Pastry Chef Sarah Rosenberg’s PBJ and Boston cream croissants at NoMad, I knew they had to be good. Let me just say, it was INSPIRING! The PBJ croissant was filled with a raspberry pâte de fruits, enrobed in a light glaze scented with peanut butter and topped with roasted peanuts and cubes of the same pâte de fruits. It was elegant and comforting all at once. A must taste!

2. Famous Original Pizza – Roberta’s | Tomato, mozzarella, oregano, chili, caciocavello. It’s simple, flavourful and the crust is perfectly thin and chewy. It rivals the ones I’ve tasted in Naples. There’s usually a long wait so put your name down, go next door to their bar, order some small plates and beer, and sit beside their wood burning fireplace to keep warm. Or do what I did, get one to go and eat it on the street right in front.

3. DKA (Dominique Kouign Amann) & Canelé – Dominique Ansel | During my visit, the pastry Dominique Ansel was most excited to share was not his new Cronut flavour. It was the DKA and his canelé. He is sure to slip these into every tasting as these are his personal favourites. He perfected his version making them for the kitchen team during his time with Daniel Boulud. He knew he was on to something when everyone fawned over them. I could see why! The DKA is a lot lighter and fluffier than a traditional Kouign Amann, while still maintaining the essence of the original. The best part, there was a great salt/sweet balance in the pastry.

4. Kobe Beef – Bouley | I don’t think I really understood the hype around Kobe beef until the moment I tasted this dish. It was the most tender, flavourful and juicy strip of beef I’d tasted and changed my mind about just how good beef could be. It was served with ricotta gnocchi and a caramelized onion jam.

5. Cookie – S’mores Bakery | Some call me a cookie snob…I usually just whistle and pretend to be looking at something in the sky. Don’t hate, I’m just passionate about good cookies! I don’t discriminate either, gourmet or of the Oreo variety. I absolutely loved this cookie from S’mores Bakery in Brooklyn. It was all about texture and was much like a cross between a cookie and a brittle.

6. Prime Rib Sandwich – Eataly | This is a “prime” example of simplicity at its best (sorry for the pun, had to do it). Imagine this: a crusty baguette, the soft middle drizzled in grassy olive oil, stuffed with warm, finely shaved prime rib and finished with crunchy sea salt. That was it, great ingredients, done properly! Mark of a great sandwich. Eataly is also Italian food heaven and must be visited.

7. Toro & Wild Mushrooms – Bouley | The edges of this charred toro had the most lovely texture and taste, it was slightly crispy and caramelized from the fat of the belly. Yes, just like pieces of caramelized pork belly but in tuna form. They were nestled amongst wild mushrooms and a garlic foam, which added a contrast in texture and classic compliment in flavours.

8. Halva Spread – Brooklyn Sesame – Smorgasburg | Brooklyn Sesame is doing delicious things with this halva spread, particularly the roasted sesame. It’s a stand-out addition to all the nut spreads on the market with its thick, creamy texture and fragrant flavour. I sampled this halva spread at Smorgasburg, a food flea market in Brooklyn which showcases around 100 food vendors. It’s a food destination that cannot be missed and is only on the weekends until November 24th.

9. Bread Basket – Il Buco | The food is amazing at Il Buco with a menu of seasonal and classic dishes. Among the ones I tried were a burrata salad with radicchio and persimmon and a white truffle pasta. However, the bread…crisp, shattering crust and airy, chewy crumb. Everyone knows a good bread is hard to find!

10. Freshly Squeezed OJ – NoMad Hotel | No, really. How good could an orange juice be? Good enough for me to be dreaming about it a week later. If you’re there, or even just passing by and happen to be thirsty, please try it. I do warn you though, it will ruin all other orange beverages for you.

An extra just for good measure (top left). If you’re in the area, Saxon + Parole has some impressive cocktails and beautiful wine room. I’ve heard the food is just as satisfying. Judging by their well-balanced cocktails, I wouldn’t be surprised! Shown here is the fall spice sazerac with house made marshmallows.