Don't these plates look like the AT squiggle? We think so.

There is plenty to buy at Pearl River besides plain, white plates and bowls. But those are always what we end up taking home. Click below for more photos of basic, beautiful dishes. More

This weekend marked the debut of the Brooklyn Flea, purported to be NYC's largest outdoor market selling new and vintage furniture, artwork, clothing, and jewelry. For cooks, this meant loads of cute and collectible vintage kitchen accessories, and new artisan glass and stonework bowls and serving dishes, along with many delicious ways to fortify you for shopping. More

In the winter, we don't go to the greenmarket that often. Instead, we mostly just sigh as we look at the farmer's market reports from California, and occasionally stop by for some hardy root vegetables.

But as soon as the spring flowers arrive, we become like stalkers, anxiously anticipating the first rhubarb and asparagus, and waiting to pounce on the painfully short ramps season. More

We admit it. We have a cookbook addiction. Our bookshelves are overflowing, and yet we keep buying them. In New York, our favorite place to feed that delicious addiction is Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks. This tiny Greenwich Village shop is a must-see destination for cookbook lovers and anyone interested in culinary history. More

Last week we sang the praises of Arthur Avenue, that bastion of authentic Italian food in the Bronx. Today, an option for those of us living a little farther south. Buon Italia is just one small store, but it can fill quite a few Italian culinary needs, starting with these huge cans of San Marzano tomatoes. You can see the normal, 14-ounce cans to the left... More

We're like magpies this week, gathering ingredients and treats from all our favorite specialty food stores in anticipation of company this weekend. After all, the only thing better than making a great new food discovery is sharing it with loved ones. A little schlepping is worth some delicious meals.

As we flitted from store to store, adding to our shopping bags, we wondered if there are even more great foodie shops that we're missing out on. What are your favorite NYC specialty food stores - the places where you never fail to walk out with something intriguing and lovely?

After the jump, some of ours. More

When it comes to the Park Slope Food Coop, unbelievers are everywhere. They say that there are too many rules, which are too stridently enforced. They complain about crowded aisles and long lines. They resent having to work 2 1/2 hours once a month. They even go so far as to call the Coop a cult that only crazy people would join.

We admit it. There is some truth to these complaints about the members-only Coop.

So why is it still our favorite place to buy groceries in Brooklyn? More

For the casual-yet-discerning wine drinker, perusing the jumbled aisles at the liquor store can be an antiseptic and uninspiring experience. And yet it's easy to feel intimidated and tongue-tied when approaching specialty wine retailers.

Enter our new favorite wine store: Best Cellars. More

Almost every article about New York deli Russ & Daughters begins by talking about the iconic trio of smoked salmon, bagels, and cream cheese. And truthfully, this Lower-East-Side institution does all of that very, very well, but that's hardly the whole story.

First of all, thanks to the glory of the internet, they have expanded past their classic New York origins... More

When Poland's first free elections were held in 1990, more than 7000 absentee ballots were cast from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint. So it makes sense that cooks wanting authentic kielbasa, pierogi, and sauerkraut flock to this Polish enclave. More