Las Delicias Patisserie Chocolate Rugelach: Very tasty mini baked treats: pastry folded with layers of chocolate (spread but also in small chunks), all topped with sugar crystals. A bit sweet but good in small quantities. Made at NYC-based bakery Las Delicias and purchased at the Park Slope Food Coop. 3.5/5.0
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T. K. Foods Salted Egg Yolk Cookies: When my parents shared these Chinese salted egg yolk cookies with me and told me they were available at Costco, I was skeptical. Sure, Costco has a lot of Asian customers, but the idea of salted eggs as a sweet snack didn't strike me as having mass appeal. Fundamentally, though, eggs are a primary component of many baked goods, so if you think about it, the idea of a salted egg-based treat doesn't seem so foreign. These individually wrapped biscuits are flaky and buttery, easy yielding and c... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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Michel et Augustin Milk chocolate and melt caramel shortbread cookie squares: About the size of a candy bar, this snack consists of four 1.5" square-shaped shortbread cookies, each with a generous milk chocolate well and a thin layer of stretchy salted caramel sandwiched underneath. Definitely one of the best store-bought cookies I've ever purchased. The shortbread have a perfect snap, and the balance of sweet and savory is ideal. Even though the caramel is thin, it has a rich, buttery flavor and flakes of salt that add texture. The cookies are made in France and ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Rakki Cafe Black sesame ube swirl soft serve: This Japanese dessert shop next to Reckless Records, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has some of the best soft serve I've had. I got their black sesame and ube swirl, a super refreshing and balanced combination. The black sesame was especially great, with a deep nutty flavor that was as savory as it is sweet. Wish I could have tried the matcha This Japanese dessert shop next to Reckless Records, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has some of the best soft serve I've had.... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Firecakes Pistachio Donut: I was hopeful about this highly regarded donut chain in Chicago. The offerings looked enticing, and fresh donuts were taken from the racks rather than those left sitting on display. But this pistachio cake donut was barely better than Dunkin, with a slightly dry, crumbly texture and too-sweet shamrock-green glaze, all compounded by an unnecessary brown sugar crumble. At least it was reasonably priced, at under $3. 2.5/5.0
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People's Pop Melon Basil Popsicle: I got this popsicle from NYC-based frozen treat brand People's Pop for free at a pop-up. It had a refreshing concentrated cantaloupe flavor whose natural sweetness was complemented by fresh aromatic basil. A sweet and just a tad savory combination that worked really well in the summer heat. 4.0/5.0
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