What a wonderful article, Ruth. It was fascinating to read more about your famous black and white cookies. We don't have them here in Australia, but we have a similar sweet treat called a Neenish tart which has two-tone icing (pink and white). They are too sweet for me, but my husband loves them. Your article prompted me to find out more about them so you might be interested in this link.
I also loved your musings on the definition of a foodie. I would hesitate to describe myself as a foodie for the reasons you outlined. I would not pay a lot of money to eat at a high-end restaurant because I feel more comfortable in more down-to-earth surroundings, but I love eating and I love good food.
Thank you also for the shout-out. I feel honoured to know you. xxx
Thanks for the description of the Neenish tart, which does sound quite close to the black and white. I actually agree with you that these types of cookies are a bit too sweet for my taste, though my husband, like yours, adores them. I much prefer a big dollop of whipped cream or ice cream to frosting any day of the week!
I’m also completely with you on feeling more at home eating good food in down-to-earth surroundings rather than in a ritzy restaurant with a high price tag. Anyway I wouldn’t have the correct wardrobe!
And, of course, honored to know you too, Marg! So grateful that it’s possible to discover friends, even on the other side of the planet.🤗
Your cookies look great, Ruth, I wish I had one right now! I remember that Seinfeld episode so well! Thanks for another great post and for your kind words about me and TTK! We are foodies in this together, Ruth! 🤗
Thanks so much, Jolene! It would be an honor to share black and white cookies (or any other!) with you too—maybe one day… Yes, Foodie Friends Forever: FFF! I think that’s a club I’d be happy to join. 🤗
Thank you so much for sharing Dash of Prosecco, Ruth!!
I believe you're a true foodie at heart, your passion is contagious. Many times I felt inspired and energised by your letters, which I feel very grateful for.
Thanks, Sìnu! What a lovely comment! I’m so glad if anything I said was helpful. I’m moved and inspired by what you do. Thanks for the New Year’s wishes and many of the same to you. Please do stay in touch. 🤗
Black and Whites are my favorites. My mom took me to WM Greenberg Desserts in NYC once for black and white cookies and I fell in love with them. One of my husband's colleagues described them as "more like small cakes than cookies". I've used the NY Times recipe, and Ina Garten's but despite Jeff thinking that they may be on the smaller side, I think the traditional deli ones are too large for most people unless shared on the spot since I don't think they keep well.
Thanks so much for your comment, Ellen! You are actually the one who inspired me to want to try making black and whites in the first place a few years ago. And I remember you talking about Melissa Clark’s recipe. I’ll have to check out Ina Garten’s as well. I agree completely with you about making them smaller unless you’re going to eat them immediately. That may be one reason some folks don’t like them—they’ve never eaten a fresh one!
What a nice surprise when I read to the end of your post! Thank you so very much for the link to my Substack. I think that food is a topic that we can all relate to and has such deep ties to feelings of family and belonging as well as exposing us to different cultures. Also, food is so important to our health and taking good care of our loved ones. I always enjoy your newsletter. I am also imperfect at icing!
Thanks, Vicki! I love your newsletter also, as you can tell. Totally true about food being so central to health and also caring for those we love. I'm sure those are really the reasons why I write about it so much. Also, I'm always in the kitchen! 💕
It's time to reclaim foodie status from pretentious people (mostly blokes, honestly) who worship pretentious chefs (again, mostly blokes, with tats, ponytails, and bullying personalities) Food IS life, and women make most of it, from legions of home cooks to the retired Oscar Meyer assembly line worker I met in Wisconsin. Btw, I'm only tempted by the cookies because Melissa Clark and you are involved. Otherwise, they seem to be a NY nostalgia food, and too much trouble! 😀
Amen to everything you said, Annette! The snobbish side of the food world is very off-putting and a far cry from what happens in most home kitchens. As for black and whites, I'm not sure I would have been into them except for Jeff always having to have one whenever we visit a deli and realizing how iconic they are in Jewish bakeries. But honestly, if I was to pick favorites, I'd go for a chocolate chip cookie or a rugelach any day of the week.
What a wonderful article, Ruth. It was fascinating to read more about your famous black and white cookies. We don't have them here in Australia, but we have a similar sweet treat called a Neenish tart which has two-tone icing (pink and white). They are too sweet for me, but my husband loves them. Your article prompted me to find out more about them so you might be interested in this link.
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/earshot/the-origins-of-the-neenish-tart/7585914
I also loved your musings on the definition of a foodie. I would hesitate to describe myself as a foodie for the reasons you outlined. I would not pay a lot of money to eat at a high-end restaurant because I feel more comfortable in more down-to-earth surroundings, but I love eating and I love good food.
Thank you also for the shout-out. I feel honoured to know you. xxx
Thanks for the description of the Neenish tart, which does sound quite close to the black and white. I actually agree with you that these types of cookies are a bit too sweet for my taste, though my husband, like yours, adores them. I much prefer a big dollop of whipped cream or ice cream to frosting any day of the week!
I’m also completely with you on feeling more at home eating good food in down-to-earth surroundings rather than in a ritzy restaurant with a high price tag. Anyway I wouldn’t have the correct wardrobe!
And, of course, honored to know you too, Marg! So grateful that it’s possible to discover friends, even on the other side of the planet.🤗
Your cookies look great, Ruth, I wish I had one right now! I remember that Seinfeld episode so well! Thanks for another great post and for your kind words about me and TTK! We are foodies in this together, Ruth! 🤗
Thanks so much, Jolene! It would be an honor to share black and white cookies (or any other!) with you too—maybe one day… Yes, Foodie Friends Forever: FFF! I think that’s a club I’d be happy to join. 🤗
Yes! Have a great weekend, Ruth!
Thank you so much for sharing Dash of Prosecco, Ruth!!
I believe you're a true foodie at heart, your passion is contagious. Many times I felt inspired and energised by your letters, which I feel very grateful for.
Also, Happy New Year :)
Thanks, Sìnu! What a lovely comment! I’m so glad if anything I said was helpful. I’m moved and inspired by what you do. Thanks for the New Year’s wishes and many of the same to you. Please do stay in touch. 🤗
Thank you Ruth so much for sharing! Also i love black and white cookies. Wondering: black and white muffin...hmmmm...yum!
Black and Whites are my favorites. My mom took me to WM Greenberg Desserts in NYC once for black and white cookies and I fell in love with them. One of my husband's colleagues described them as "more like small cakes than cookies". I've used the NY Times recipe, and Ina Garten's but despite Jeff thinking that they may be on the smaller side, I think the traditional deli ones are too large for most people unless shared on the spot since I don't think they keep well.
Thanks for all the additional blog links.....
Thanks so much for your comment, Ellen! You are actually the one who inspired me to want to try making black and whites in the first place a few years ago. And I remember you talking about Melissa Clark’s recipe. I’ll have to check out Ina Garten’s as well. I agree completely with you about making them smaller unless you’re going to eat them immediately. That may be one reason some folks don’t like them—they’ve never eaten a fresh one!
What a nice surprise when I read to the end of your post! Thank you so very much for the link to my Substack. I think that food is a topic that we can all relate to and has such deep ties to feelings of family and belonging as well as exposing us to different cultures. Also, food is so important to our health and taking good care of our loved ones. I always enjoy your newsletter. I am also imperfect at icing!
Thanks, Vicki! I love your newsletter also, as you can tell. Totally true about food being so central to health and also caring for those we love. I'm sure those are really the reasons why I write about it so much. Also, I'm always in the kitchen! 💕
It's time to reclaim foodie status from pretentious people (mostly blokes, honestly) who worship pretentious chefs (again, mostly blokes, with tats, ponytails, and bullying personalities) Food IS life, and women make most of it, from legions of home cooks to the retired Oscar Meyer assembly line worker I met in Wisconsin. Btw, I'm only tempted by the cookies because Melissa Clark and you are involved. Otherwise, they seem to be a NY nostalgia food, and too much trouble! 😀
Amen to everything you said, Annette! The snobbish side of the food world is very off-putting and a far cry from what happens in most home kitchens. As for black and whites, I'm not sure I would have been into them except for Jeff always having to have one whenever we visit a deli and realizing how iconic they are in Jewish bakeries. But honestly, if I was to pick favorites, I'd go for a chocolate chip cookie or a rugelach any day of the week.
I think you need to hand Jeff the recipe and let him have a go! That would be a fun video!
Love the black and whites!