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Look to the cookie.

I know I’ve posted that video before. It’s from one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes. I’m also pretty sure I’ve mentioned my Seinfeld addiction. I spent the weekend with my NY Husband, and when I got to his house Thursday evening, he had a Seinfeld all cued up and ready for us to watch before bed. That’s love.

Black and white cookies are the epitome of nostalgia for me. You know how you have certain foods that remind you of certain relationships in your life? Like the way my dad is still always buying me white chocolate kit kat bars because they were my favorite when I was a kid. They still remind me of my dad. The first time I ever had a black and white cookie was when my friend Lisa and I split one at Chompies.

It was pretty much as cliche as you can get–2 Jewish girls at the Jewish deli eating black and white cookies. What can I say? It’s in my blood.

It was love at first bite. The soft, cake-like cookie was absolute perfection. It was so huge we had to eat it with a fork! Ever since, any time I’m in NYC, all I want is a black and white cookie. I had my heart set on one when I was there in November, but it never happened, and so I decided I was going to need to make it happen in Arizona.

I made these cookies with the intent to wait until either Lisa’s baby shower (in March) or when she delivers her baby girl (in May-ish), but I just couldn’t wait.

The homemade version of this deli classic was everything I dreamed it would be! Soft, fluffy, cake-like cookies topped equally with light, white powdered sugar glaze and its rich, chocolatey counter part. It truly is the ultimate flavor combination.

So in honor of Lisa, Mac, and my latest (9 hour) trip to the city, make yourself some black & whites.

Black & White Cookies

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

yield approx. 3 ½ dozen

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
1 and 1/4 cups whole wheat cake flour
1 and 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1 and 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp hot water
1 and 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and applesauce and extracts until combined.
In medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cornstarch and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients into applesauce mixture, followed by milk, then remaining dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
Use a small cookie scoop to drop the dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 15-18 minutes until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.
To make the frosting, place powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly, mix in hot water 1 tbsp at a time, until icing has reached your desired consistency. Be careful—a little bit of liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar!
Spread icing on half of the flat (bottom) side of each cookie. Once all cookie halves have been half frosted, add melted chocolate to remaining frosting. To make the “black” darker, you may add in 1 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa if desired (I did). If icing appears too thick, add an other tbsp. of hot water.
Frost the remaining half of the cookies with the chocolate frosting. If icing becomes dry, just whisk in a little bit of extra water—it can dry up pretty quickly, and I had to do this a few times.
Let frosting set and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

I ♥ my team

I’ve talked a lot about how this trip felt, but here’s some photos of the highlights.

Meeting Bart Yasso

The Soup Nazi “NO SOUP FOR YOU!”

The view from my uncle’s awesome apartment

Fall

My people

Puppies

I finally saw the Seinfeld diner. I’ve been wanting to go there for years!

We were trying to be Elaine and Kramer. We’re really talented actors, okay?

Okay, let’s talk about marathon morning. Well, maybe it’s better if I show you.

The incredible energy began the moment we entered the hotel lobby. Groups were cheering and chanting, and it was NUTS! The energy was contagious, and I couldn’t help but still feel excited. I met my team in the lobby and we headed down to Central Park where there must have been thousands of runners who all decided to run anyway, and for the first time, I felt like a real runner. Race or no race, we were all out there together purely because we love running. Sometimes I wonder if I actually love it, or why it is I do this crazy thing, but I really really do love it. Not at every second, and not even every run, but running has changed my life. It has changed the way I view food, and aided so much of my food related anxieties. It has brought me friends, and even a second mom 😉

I ran through the park with tears streaming down my cheeks, and the dopiest grin on my face. Suddenly, it all made sense. I will get to run a marathon someday (soon), and I will even get to run the NYC Marathon someday, but only those of us that were here on this very day will ever get to experience this display of passion and perseverance by thousands of runners.

Everything happens for a reason, and I needed this moment in my journey. I needed it to inspire me, to reaffirm what I deep down already knew, and to make me feel like I belonged in this community. It would be so easy to say “My marathon was canceled” and give up, but that is not who I am. I wasn’t planning to make this my last marathon, and now my first will just be that much more special.

After a week of so much negativity, this morning was exactly what I needed. People still came out to cheer. They held signs, they had cow bells, and some were even passing out water. I tried to thank every single person on those side lines, I got plenty of high 5s and you better believe I accepted the water from a stranger. I wasn’t even thirsty, I was just so thrilled that they were spending their morning passing it out!

There were teams from all different countries. Brazil was pretty loud, so I distinctly remember them. We ran a loop of the park, then down to the hudson river for a total of 10.6 miles for the morning. It was exactly what I needed, and I’m so grateful I got to be a part of it.

Disclaimer: Please don’t take this as insensitivity to those affected by Sandy. I am simply explaining my experience.