Baking runs in Amy Berg’s family, going all the way back to her great-grandfather, so it was not too surprising when, about a decade ago, she decided to switch careers – going from photographer to home baker while studying for her fine arts degree at Pratt Institute.
Her inspiration was one part love of baking, one part craving for all things sweet and one part artistic desire to create something both beautiful and edible. As an entrepreneur in a city and borough full of home cooks and aspiring food retailers, though, how did Berg stand out from the competition?
“I went straight to Dean and DeLuca,” she chuckled while showcasing a range of her homemade goodies at the 2014 Brooklyn Eats trade show in Williamsburg in June. “I lucked out because the person who had been pastry manager was leaving and the new manager was very accessible and asked me for samples.
“Then I called her once a week for three months and offered to make anything she wanted, but couldn’t find,” Berg said. “She was looking for beautiful product with good shelf-life that was really tasty. We’re perfectionists, so that’s how we started out.”
That perfectionism and creativity shows in every delectable morsel produced in Amy’s kitchen, of which there are 39 varieties of cookies, at least four types of brownies and bars, and a wide range of seasonal/holiday gifts such as gingerbread valentines and Easter bunny gift boxes.
For example, the ever-popular Viennese Crescents ($25 for two dozen) are light, airy almond flour cookies dipped in cinnamon sugar; the new Caramel Brownies (not listed; regular brownies are $4 each) are rich and sweet; and the Cheesy Bites (ask for prices per pack) can be addictive, whether you’re snacking on spicy chili with harissa, rosemary or the white cheddar and parmigiano reggiano.
Also addictive are the Valrhona Chocolate Wafer ($18 per order of 30), which uses French chocolate flavored with espresso, Chocolate Ginger Sandwich ($26 for two dozen), and Lemon Sandwich ($18 per dozen), which incorporates both lemon oil and fresh lemon zest in the cookie and the white chocolate ganache.
“Everything is natural,” explained Berg, who lives in Windsor Terrace but produces her treats in Sunset Park. “No preservatives or trans-fats. We always use butter.”
Amy’s cookies and confections can be purchased online at AmysCookies.com and shipped nationwide. They can also be found at various New York City retailers such as Dean and DeLuca, Grace’s Marketplace, Butterfield Market, Blue Apron, Greene Grape and Tazza.
Amy’s Cookies
225 34th Street
718-797-1513
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