Sweets Spotlight: Sir, There's no Egg in my Eggcream.

Hiding somewhere in the evolutionary chain between the cocoa bean and the chocolate milkshake lurks the Egg Cream. Having fallen out of fashion, this treat is often forgotten. Luckily for people in Bay Ridge, Hinsch's Confectionery is a veritable time portal. Step through the door, arrive in the 80s and enjoy a sip of this hard-to-find but easy-to-enjoy beverage. For the low price of $1.50, the only excuse not to is laziness.



For those of you unfamiliar with the elusive egg cream, it's fairly simple. First, there's no eggs or cream. It consists chiefly of chocolate syrup, seltzer water and milk. Don't be intimidated. It sounds like a cheap milkshake and it is, but it has a taste all its own. Featuring a light, frothy head, each sip is bubbly. There's a mild chocolate taste, with the carbonation from the seltzer mostly flattened out. In the end, it touches your palate like coffee; The first sip is bitter, the second sip is better and the third produces an out of body experience.

Five Dollar Feasts: Imagine if Bacon Were Good For You

Looking for something tasty, but cost effective? Tired of the dollar menu? Five Dollar Feasts is here exclusively to highlight the middle ground which separates expensive and cost effective without falling into the fast food trap.

Bacon will never be good for you, but it will always be tasty and relatively cheap. This makes it a prime candidate for meals which cost less, but still tickle the palate. Nothing captures the very essence of bacon like breakfast does and not a thing summarizes breakfast in New York City like the Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich.
Five Star Bagel on 5th, between 86th and 87th has challenged that notion, however. Not by just making the best Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a bagel in the neighborhood, but by making it affordable and available all day. At $3.00 a piece, it's a marvel that people in Bay Ridge are as healthy as they are with Five Star Bagel around.

The secret is in the bagel itself. While best in the morning, the firm, slightly crunchy shell and soft, puffy inside are appealing at any time.

Hannah, Are You New Here?

If you spend a lot of time around 86th street, you may have seen Hanna's Grocery Store, on 85th, between 4th and 5th. Perhaps, you passed by without giving it a second glance. However, that will be much more difficult now that it has evolved into a health food friendly fruit stand. With its new look (interior and exterior), Hanna's previously overlooked grocery store may now get some much craved attention.

Hiatus Haiku

Summer sun sets now
Winter looms ahead
Pancake with a smile

Translation: Over the summer, your local chew enthusiast took a brief break from the hustle and bustle of food writing. Fear not, however, for the baddest set of teeth on the block has returned to continue bringing the (chewed up?) chow you crave. Articles of all types and sizes are forthcoming. I know some of you just can't wait though, so I found a great recipe to play with in the meantime. It's a surefire way to help you start the day off with a smile. It's not local to Bay Ridge, but how could you say no to this?