Handheld Series 3: Sweet Dreams

Get ready for the exciting third installment of the Handheld Series!

A never-ending quest to extol the wonders of handheld food has led to the the Handheld Series. We've visited Chinatown for steamed pork buns, we've braved Brighton Beach for real knishes, we even sunk our teeth into some mystery meat Grey's Papaya hot dogs, and questionable mass produced Popeye's chicken; but now, savory no longer, I give you, the sweets!

First up. A New York favorite for rich and poor, native and tourist alike. A shady side deal that gets better every time it happens.
The little Spanish lady and her cart full of CHURROS!

These are freaking awesome. One dollar buys you 2 - 3 deep fried sugary sticks of happiness. Underneath her strange plastic tarp, held in the old lady cart to end all old lady carts, this wonderful woman commands years of culinary tradition and the secret to a very satisfying train ride home.

If you don't know what a Churro is, my friend, you are missing out on one fantastic finger food. Sugary and crisp, fried and doughy, Churros are always a welcome treat. I've almost never passed up on the dollar Churro lady. These ladies are one of the best underground food scores in NY.

I ran into this lady at 14th st. switching from the 2 train to the F train. I don't know what her regular route is, but she was with a friend with an equal amount of churros (divide and conquer!) and I imagine they were headed to different places.

If you ever see one of these ladies, do not feel skeeved out about her lack of a food handler's license, or that she is toting this cart full of fried food through the subway. Just hand her a dollar, and tuck into some homemade Spanish-style dessert (or breakfast!).

I guess she felt bad that one of my churros was a little guy, cause I got three!

In following the handheld theme, and the sweets desired, I fell upon these little cake gems. Have you heard of Baked? 

Baked, out in Red Hook, Brooklyn, is hard to get to, but worth the trip. Said by some to be the Best Cupcake in NYC it is certainly a phenomenal cupcake. This one in particular is chocolate with salted caramel butter-cream frosting.

First, this cupcake must have crack in it. It is immediately addicting. Close your eyes on the first bite, because you are about to be transported to a part of your brain that only responds to pleasure. This has said to be a life-changing cupcake.

The cake to frosting ratio, and the sweet salty rich butter-cream is unbeatable. The cake is moist, and the frosting is decadent. The flavor profile is a smooth ride through magical territory.

Salted caramel is relatively new for me, but it seems everybody has had a hard-on for it for quite a while.

This edition of the handheld series was particularly satisfying, as I don't eat a lot of sweet things. I don't have a sweet tooth, I've got a pork tooth.

You can grab these delicious morsels from any churro-cart lady on the subway (you don't get to use that phrase everyday); or you can make your way to Baked in Red Hook. Some places sell Baked goods other than in Red Hook. Give them a call and find out if the deliver to any stores in YOUR neighborhood!