When I go to a street fair or food festival I try not to have a preconceived notion of what I am going to eat. I like to walk around, survey the scene and if something looks tasty I’ll give it a whirl.

I certainly didn’t foresee that I’d be eating a “Kronie” when I ventured down to Little Italy for the San Gennaro Festival a couple years ago. I’ve been going to the traditional Fall Italian celebration since the 1990s and though it has become increasingly overcrowded with slow walking tourists, there is still plenty of delicious street food to be discovered.

My favorite discovery in recent years has been Jolie’s Sweet Creations. In the middle of the expected vendors selling sausage and peppers heroes, Sicilian rice balls, and canolis I spotted a stand with rows of colorfully frosted doughnuts that seemed to have the flakey crust of a croissant.

French pastry chef Dominique Ansel has received a great deal of attention and accord for his “Cronut” desert, but if you don’t want to brave the 7:00 am lines at his Soho bakery, Jolie’s Sweet Creations version, the “Kronie” is an excellent alternative.

Created by Joe Floriano of Enrico’s Pastry shop and named for his sweet four-year-old daughter Jolie, the “Kronie” has great doughy texture similar to a really well made French Cruller with an exterior that is light and flakey like a croissant. 

The “Kronies” are filled with a variety of delicious icings, jellies, and custard fillings.  Every flavor of “Kronie” that I’ve tried has been terrific, but two that really stand out for me are the Raspberry and Salted Caramel.

I’ve been lucky enough to spot a Jolie’s Sweet Creations stand at two different Manhattan street fairs this summer.  If I lived closer to either of the Enrico’s Pastry Shops in the Bronx or Hartsdale I would likely have a serious “Kronie” addiction. 

I will definitely be feasting on Jolie’s “Kronies” soon at this year's Feast of San Gennaro, which kicks off today. You can also try one by visiting one of their storefronts or ordering from their website.

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Chris Sandstrom - Is a graduate of Columbia University and the author of the debut novel, "Reality TV and Hookers" a satire on the reality TV industry. You can keep up with Chris on Twitter at @ChrisSandstrom8.

Finding Food in NYC Is a series highlighting how Chris discovered some of his favorite food spots in New York City.

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I have a little treat for you this Friday. Today I'm excited to announce the kick-off of a new guest series I will be featuring by my other half, Chris Sandstrom. In this series Chris will highlight how he discovered some of his favorite food spots in the city (Spoiler: He has pretty good taste in food). So without further ado, welcome to Finding Food in NYC.

Photo Credit: Grubstreet

The combination of Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony has yet to lead to many wins, but it did lead me to American Cut.  Last year when the Zen Master was trying to convince the then free agent Anthony to stay in New York I read an article describing their meeting at the Marc Forgione steakhouse. Apparently Carmelo had the Filet Mignon and the Caesar Salad.

I decided that my next fancy dinner would take place at the restaurant where Phil (and $124 million) persuaded Melo to stay with the Knicks.  It was a decision I did not regret. The meal was excellent from start to finish. For my steak I went with The New York City Cut, a 20 oz Bone-In Rib Eye with pastrami spices and smoke. It was as good as it sounds.

Photo Credit: American Cut

I have long been a devotee to the Caesar salad and American Cut’s version, listed on the menu as the OG 1924 Hotel Caesar. It may be the best I’ve ever eaten. It features Parmigiano Reggiano, Soft Egg, and Pullman Crouton. Nothing revolutionary, but remarkably effective when chopped tableside and combined with the perfect amount of an absolutely delicious dressing. If Melo chose to stay with the Knicks only for regular access to this Caesar I couldn’t fault him.

My girlfriend and fellow burger enthusiast recently alerted me to an article on Eater touting American Cut’s off the menu In-House Burger. We knew instantly that we had to try it while at the same time getting another taste of that Caesar.

One can't simply walk into the restaurant and order a burger at anytime. Only a finite number are made each day. At 4:20 each afternoon American Cut tweets how many burgers they will have for the evening.  The number seems to usually be in the 10 to 15 range. They can only be ordered at the bar and once those dozen or so burgers are sold, that’s it for the night.

We arrived a little before the kitchen opened at 5:30 pm and had little trouble securing burgers.  There are only four elements to the burger (meat, cheese, onions, bun) and they compliment each other perfectly.

Photo Credit: American Cut Twitter

The meat is a savory blend of short rib, dry aged rib eye, and brisket. The onions are caramelized in bourbon and topped with right amount of a melted cheddar and fontina beer cheese. All of this tastiness sits in sesame seeded pretzel bun that is baked in house. The pretzel bun was so good that I could have eaten it with nothing more than a little butter and considered the meal a rousing success.

I sincerely hope that Carmelo Anthony’s tenure in New York ultimately brings me more joy than just the discovery of a great restaurant, although that is more than many Knicks free agent acquisitions have done (I’m looking at you Jerome James.)

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Chris Sandstrom - Is a graduate of Columbia University and the author of the debut novel, "Reality TV and Hookers" a satire on the reality TV industry. You can keep up with Chris on Twitter at @ChrisSandstrom8.

Finding Food in NYC Is a series highlighting how Chris discovered some of his favorite food spots in New York City.

This week’s Friday Favs is getting the gift guide touch! Here’s a look at some of my NYC-inspired picks for the holidays!

1. For your NY-loving friend: C. Wonder has the cutest NYC heart coasters that are the perfect combination of cute without being overly touristy looking. Plus, everything at C. Wonder is 40% off all weekend long! I’m going to have to hold back some serious self-control to not pick up a thing or two for myself ;-)  
2. For your friend who still loves snail mail: I seriously LOVE this shop based in Brooklyn named appropriately, Hartland Brooklyn! I’ve been buying their cards for the last few years (which my best friends have probably received one). On top of their adorable cards, they also offer stationary and other cute desktop essentials. 
3. For your boyfriend: “Reality TV and Hookers” by NYC author Chris Sandstrom is your book. The title might throw you for a loop, but it’s a seriously entertaining satire on the reality TV industry. If your man was a fan of Tucker Max’s books, then this book is definitely up his alley. Bonus, you can score 50% off paperbacks all day today for Black Friday with the code: X7EEZZU2 and 40% off ebooks until Monday with the code: PN34S.
4. For the foodie in your life: We’re serious about bagels in the city and you should be able to enjoy the real thing no matter where you live! Which is why the New York Bagel of the Month Club is the perfect gift. You have quite the selection of varieties to pick from as well as the duration.
5. For your stylish friend: This one is a little bit of a splurge, but Kate Spade sells a NYC map scarf that is a lot of fun. Plus they’re offering 25% off everything on the website all weekend.

Happy shopping everyone!