There is nothing better than one freshly baked cookie, well, maybe two. I can actually eat one cookie and stop but that cookie better be really good. Don’t try to pass off a mass produced preservative enriched package cookie on me!
I am very fortunate know Kathleen Tate and live in close proximity to her bake shop, Tate's. There's no mistake why her cookies happen to be world famous. Even those who bake will admit to having a sleeve or two on their countertop for an instant cookie fix, like her Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Macadamia, Oatmeal Raisin, or Shortbreads.

I’ll borrow the description of Tate’s Bake Shop from Kathleen’s website because it describes Tate's best.

If you're in the Hamptons and walk around the charming little Atlantic coast town of Southampton, you'll see a charming sage green Victorian structure with white shutters, framed in flowers, that seems to attract people like bees to a hive. It's Tate's Bake Shop, the fairytale culmination of a dream that got started when 11-year-old Kathleen King began baking cookies to sell at her family's farm stand not far out of town. Today, those amazing cookies have attracted a loyal following from coast to coast. Crispy and buttery, rich but not overwhelming, they simply melt in your mouth… and just one is never enough!

But, lucky for those who can't visit Southampton, New York or the many food markets across the US where her cookies are available, Kathleen also ships! I’m a traditionalist and her Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorite with the perfect ratio of chip to cookie with a crunchy consistency. Tate's also bakes cakes, pies, muffins, and quick breads.

image: George Hirsch

You know it’s Autumn when Big Apple Wine is released. It is made by my friend, Roman Roth; who is the winemaker for Wölffer Estate Vineyards in Sagaponack, New York. This seasonal specialty wine is made from such aromatic apples such as Fuji, Braeburn, and Jonagold - all from the East End Halsey Family Orchard, which dates back to the 17th century.

Watch my TV segment at Halsey Orchard in Watermill, New York.

Big Apple Wine is a wonderful transition to fall, this seasonal wine is made from a blend of seven different varieties of locally grown apples produced at Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack. Outstanding on its own with a light chill, Wölffer Big Apple is also a harvest-ready “Fall Refresher,” a light drink that that makes a great companion to antipasti and other light fare for fall picnics and tailgating.

Chill slightly, BAW pairs perfectly with roasted poultry or even with a pumpkin dessert!