Sipping in the City: Part 2

As promised, Cafe Fashionista is back to guide us around the cafes of New York and tantalize us with some truly decadent recipes! Start perking your coffee and settle in; this post, like a really good cappuccino, deserves to be savoured.

“No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils.”

Henry Ward Beecher

Financier Patisserie – Stone Street

Please ignore the fact that Brooks Brothers reigns within the four walls of Stone Street’s Financier Patisserie. You really can’t be surprised; after all, it’s located in the heart of the Financial District. At the same time, whenever I so much as glance upon the exterior of this Wall Street wonder, I feel as if I’m transported to picturesque Paris or idyllic Italy. While many cafes embrace dark color schemes, Financier Patisserie sets itself apart by flaunting light and airy hues, outdoor tables, and elegant windows – all of which work as one to create an adorable atmosphere perfect to indulge in two of my favorite things: mochaccinos and madeleines. A word of warning…since Financier Patisserie is known for their scrummy pastries please, please, please do not walk out that door without at least a chocolate croissant or brownie in tow. They are a heavenly complement to any warm drink you happen to order. 62 Stone Street (between Mill Lane and Hanover Square), New York, NY 10004.

Pumpkin Pie Latte

Ingredients

-1 tablespoon canned pumpkin

-2 tablespoons vanilla extract

-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-1 cup milk

-1/2 cup strong coffee, or ¼ cup espresso

In a saucepan, heat milk and pumpkin until steaming. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Put mixture in a blender and blend for 15-20 seconds until thick and foamy. Pour into tall glass, then add coffee (or espresso). Top with a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice or ground nutmeg. Makes 1 serving.

“The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

B Cup Café – East Village

If given the choice between moving into the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, or residing at the East Village’s B Cup Café for all of eternity, darlings I have no qualms about proclaiming that I would not even hesitate before announcing my decision…the B Cup Café, of course! While the free WiFi, Caramel Café Mocha, White Chocolate Café Mocha, and Hot Chocolate have lured me into the charming hot spot time and time again, these are not the main reasons for my frequent visits. Mais non! The truth of the matter is that I am convinced that one could find love in this enchanting East Village nook.

There’s something about the ambiance found within that makes you feel as if you will meet the cute boy of your dreams while standing in line awaiting your Frozen Vanilla and White Chocolate Café Mocha, or cozily perched upon the olive green couch flipping through the latest issue of ELLE. Perhaps your eyes will lock between sips of splendor, leading the two of you to share a Bagel with Cream Cheese before strolling into the sunset, destined to live happily ever after. It sounds outlandish, but I truly do believe that there is potential for such a tale to take place within the alluring atmosphere. 212 Ave. B. (Corner of E. 13^th St.), New York, NY 10009.

Toffee Hot Chocolate

from Rachel Ray

Ingredients

-4 cups whole milk

-1/2 cup water

-1/2 cup sugar

-6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

-2 ounces butterscotch chips

-1 canister whipped cream

-1 toffee bar, crushed (recommended: Heath bars)

Heat milk, water, sugar to a boil, remove from heat and stir in chocolate and butterscotch chips until they melt into milk. Pour into small mugs or cups and top with whipped cream swirls and crushed toffee. Makes 4 servings.

Fashionably yours!
Erika
Cafe Fashionista