Black & White Cookie

[nuraman00]

What bakery carries a black and white cookie? That's a cookie with half chocolate frosting, half vanilla frosting. (I hope it tastes more like vanilla, and less like cake frosting).

Someone told me they got one at a Raley's, but I tried my local Raley's and they said they only have their pre-made cookies.

I then tried another local bakery. They said they couldn't make one.

I'm preferably looking for one on the East Bay, or near Palo Alto or Mountain View. As close to those locations as possible. Thanks.

-----
Raley's
3360 San Pablo Dam Rd, El Sobrante, CA 94803

[cheesecakeking]

House of Bagels in Mountain View has them. $1.95 each, 4 1/2 inches in diameter, lavishly frosted. Earlier in the discussion, someone reviewed them and gave them a 7/10 rating. I would agree. They are a tad too spongy. The frosting tastes like donut frosting. The one drawback is that they're not lemony as they should be. There seems to be a hint of lemon but not enough.

-----
House of Bagels
1712 Miramonte Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040

[rblomq]

If you go to Market Hall on College they have them sometimes. If they don't have them you can ask who the baker is that they buy them from. I asked one time and they gave me the name but I forget. I just make these cookies at home now when I have the craving. There isn't enough demand for them on the west coast so they typical go stale.

[Pei]

whatever you do don't get one from David's on Geary (Union Square). Stale and overpriced. Something like $4 "after takeout discount."

[manraysky]

I was talking to friends from NYC recently about Black and White cookies. And then by chance we happened upon them yesterday, at the cafe at the de Young Museum, in Golden Gate Park.

Their Black and White was bigger than any I'd ever seen, about 7" across. It also had icing on both sides (top and bottom), as if it had been dipped as opposed to iced with a spatula. It was determined to be not exactly like a NYC black and white, but certainly a very good version.

[Windy]

How's the rest of the food at the museum cafe? I saw a bunch of people having lunch outside there recently and for the first time was tempted to check it out.

[manraysky]

It's pretty good. They have a couple of items that are made to order, and the rest is grab and go. I've never tried the made to order items. I've had a few of their grab and go sides, and also coffee and a pastry.

The cafe at the California Academy of Sciences across the way is actually quite good. They have a bunch of different stations and make food to order. It's way better than typical museum cafe, served out of a hot line fare.

[drewskiSF]

The Academy Cafe is co-owned by Charles Phan of Slanted Door fame, but I won't hold it against them ;-)

-----
Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111

[adelgadorey]

I don't know who makes theirs, but Toy Boat in the Richmond gets black and white cookies that are pretty good. Also I think House of Bagels on park presidio might have them… God, I miss those cookies from NY

[Steveberkeley]

Saul's in Berkeley generally has them. You can get them to go at the front counter or eat them there.

[lmnopm]

I thought I saw some at Bette's on 4th today - I didn't pay close attention as I was focused on something else (and had no idea I'd see this post) but I think they were on the left side of the case, looking at the cash register.

[absc]

I've had them at Bette's. I'd say good but not great.

[zunzie]

Yeah, the Bette's are meh.

I'd kill for one from the East Coast.

[wolfe]

What about the ones from Grand Bakery? I suggested them to a transplanted New Yorker at my office and she returned the next day with a Black and White hangover she late so many.

[Bria Silbert]

House of Bagels does carry them as noted above.

Both Whole Foods and Piazza's sell mini version of black and white cookies. They will be no means cure your hunger pains for them but they will do in a pinch.

[myst]

I had some in New York (Lower East Side Bakery) and to me they tasted lemony? Is that the correct flavor?

Can't say I would choose a black and white over other cookies (snickerdoodles, chocolate chip), but was curious if I missed a really good version.

I also don't like whoopie pies though, so maybe I'm too California. :b

[Windy]

Yes, the white frosting should be lemony.

[adelgadorey]

the sponge-cakey cookie also often has some citrus flavor to it, all recipes I've seen add orange extract to them…god, now I'm so craving one. I need to chekc out this Grand Bakery!

-----
Grand Bakery
3264 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

[wolfe]

Be sure you call first. I am unsure what their Passover product list is.

[daveena]

I'd only had corner bodega versions when I lived in NYC, and thought that maybe I just hadn't had a good version, so every time I go back for a visit I bring some back for a black-and-white loving coworker of mine. At this point, I've tried Zabar's, William Greenberg's and Junior's, and I'd have to say I would also prefer a really good chocolate chip cookie to even the best black-and-white (per my tasting, probably Junior's, which was the moistest and cakiest of the three, and I think may have had the chocolatiest icing).

I don't love citrus with chocolate, so am not a huge fan of versions with lemon or orange flavoring as well... I can't say for sure, but I think the bodega versions I've had all had citrus, and the three places I named above had vanilla cake/cookie. B&Ws are all about lightness and sweetness, without the deep toffee and chocolate flavors I crave, but I'll get one every once in a while in a fit of nostalgia.

[nuraman00]

Thanks. I'll try Saul's in Berkeley, and House of Bagels in San Carlos.

For Grand's, it looks like I'll have to drive there, doesn't look accessible via BART.

[nuraman00]

I've tried the black and white cookie at a few places.

House Of Bagels:

The vanilla frosting tasted more like cake frosting.

Overall, the cookie was ok. I'd give it a 7/10. It was too spongy IMO.

Saul's Deli:

* Black and White cookie. This one was good. The chocolate side was good. and the vanilla side tasted like white chocolate, not like the fake "cake frosting" taste.

I'd give this a 9/10.

Interesting that when I asked if they made their desserts fresh everyday, the waiter said the cookies came from somewhere else, but every day (if the bakery was honest). I asked him from where, and he said Artisan bakery.

I looked up where Artisan bakery was, and called them and asked if they carried a black and white cookie.

They said they used to make black and white cookies, but not anymore. I guess I'm calling the wrong bakery, or I don't know the exact one. There could be more than one Artisan bakery.

I found a few wrong numbers on the internet for Artisan, this one was more correct (it didn't go straight to the bakery, but it was at least the same store):

http://www.quickr.org/Alameda_Artisan...

[phone]

* Chocolate babke. This one wasn't as flaky as the Green's store-bought chocolate babke. It held together better.

It was good, but I actually prefer the Greene's babka.

-----
Saul's Deli
1475 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709

[stanbee]

The choclate in Green's choc Babka is unnecessaritly gritty. Nostalgic , from the East, but not very good unless your bubbie made them with sandy seized chocolate.

I grew up on B&W's. The white icing on House of Bagel's ok B&W cookies taste like confectioner'sglaze, not frosting. East Coast deli's are fine. This cookie is made from a simple cake batter and is slighlty dry and spongy compared to a cookie.

[stanbee]

chocolate

[nuraman00]

Where are some of your favorite B&W cookies in the Bay Area?

[stanbee]

Best = my own. Break with tradition using choc and orange glaze with rind instead of wht glaze.

This cookie seems to have travelled West unscathed compared to other Yiddish foods, with few variations.

Have had versions with butter and also shortening depending whether served after a meat or dairy meal. Prefer the butter because that's what I grew up with.

East Coast Deli's and House of Bagles' are fine.

[nuraman00]

I've been to a few more places:

* Miller's East Coast Deli

It as good; it was better than the House of Bagels, but not as good as Saul's Deli IMO. I think this had the loudest chocolate taste.

* Grand's Bakery

I liked it, I thought it was even bigger (almost twice as big) as the other ones. And still only $1.75, like the other ones. For this one, the white side had a light tangy citrus taste.

I give this one a 9/10 too.

So I would say my two favorites are Saul's Deli, and Grand's Bakery.

* Market Hall:

I went there but they said they don't carry them anymore. They used to get them from somewhere else, but don't anymore.

-----
Miller's East Coast Deli
1725 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Saul's Deli
1475 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709

[Windy]

That's encouraging. I noticed in some research on the Best of NYC board that no one there knows where to find a good black and white cookie any more either.

[nuraman00]

Is Grand's Bakery only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday? No other days?
That's what it says according to Yelp, but would like conformation.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-grand-bak...

[daveena]

It's definitely closed for the Sabbath, but I could swear they're open on Sundays... will double check if I'm in the area and report back.

[daveena]

Open Sundays from 8:30-4.

[nuraman00]

Thanks daveena!

[wolfe]

Grand Bakery Oakland.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/20286#69909
http://www.dishtip.com/r/ca/oakland/t...
Question:Do they make them during Passover?

-----
Grand Bakery
3264 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

[Windy]

East Coast West on Polk has them, but I haven't tried them. Haven't had a good one outside the east coast ever.