Thanks for posting this! I just made a slight variation for a green salad with fig and goat cheese.
Used fig balsamic vinegar, reduced maple, as you did, to 3 Tbsp, also upped the dijon to 1 tsp. and reduced the oil just a bit.
YUM!

Bay Ridge is probably more diverse than most of the other neighborhoods mentioned. Putting it bluntly, the gentrified neighborhoods are just as white as bay ridge in the hip centers. BR is less cool because it is in fact not too close to manhattan. people who live here get more space for less money. plus, BR has some of the best restaurants in bk, followed i think by smith street. there are lots of singles in this area, just not hipster types. yes, some of them stepped out of the sopranos. and yes, many grew up in working class families and now work in white collar jobs. this area is earthy and real.

I made the Jacques Torres recipe for Buche de Noel this year and WOW!. It is great! Yes, it takes a lot of steps. Plan ahead; do what you can in advance. It is simply a spectacular holiday cake. It looks and tastes beautiful. I recommend this most for experienced bakers or at least patient new comers, who can follow a recipe carefully. The recipe can be found in a google search and it is in Torres' cookbooks.

I so agree that this recipe is not worth the work. I like the Libby's recipe just as much and it takes a fraction of the time. Don't bother with this one.

These cookies are amazing!!!! Letting the dough sit and sprinkling with salt were real taste enhancers. Also, I made them as directed-- enormous-- and found that people just ate less. I think part of the flavor and texture did in fact come from the size. If you just break them down the middle, it will be a fairly normal sized serving and will allow the taster to experience all of the flavors. Let's face it, chocolate chip cookies are fattening. If one is dieting, they either need to pass on them or eat a small piece. Also, this recipe really isn't meant for the average 6 year old. Children will be just as happy with the standard toll house, unless they are chefs of the future. If you are searching for the ultimate chocolate chip recipe, I think this may be it.

healthy option--gourmet grill-- right on your corner and they also deliver. great design your own salads

healthy option--right on your corner and they deliver too--gourmet grill, salads are really good--make your own way.

kossars bialys on the lower eastside of manhattan--grand street. yum and historic

Ebinger's closed when i was 8 and I have very only a faint memory of their cake. But this recipe recently appeared in a best of Cook's illustrated, and it is wonderful. It was perfect except for one thing--the cakes stuck in the pans and broke too much to make three layers. They say to butter and flour the pan; I would add some parchment next time. Go for it!

Could you offer you opinions on the best kosher bakery in Brooklyn? Thanks.

This cake was great. The recipe worked perfectly, always a good sign, and the cake both looked and tasted wonderful. I was particularly happy with how moist it was and I found the frosting to be particularly good. In response to an earlier poster's comments about the lack of chocolate flavor and the problematic coloring, I recommend she/he consider buying professional grade things from a place like NY Cake and Baking (on line too). The owners are not nice to say the least, but they sell the right ingredients.

I know a lot of time has passed since you posted; but here is some info. anyway. There are no vegetarian places in Bensonhurst. But there are a lot of Asian and Middle Eastern places where you can probably be accomodated--assuming you aren't a strict vegan. On 86th and 18th there is a large Chinese Buffet. I suspect you should be able to find something here. On Bay Pkwy and 86th St. there is a Middle Eastern place, falafel, hummus, etc. Its called Istanbul.