Instant Comfort

Some of the most coveted comfort foods in the country can now be delivered to your doorstep overnight. This is especially useful when you have a ridiculous craving for time-honored classics that are always better when you get them from the source. It's truly the ultimate in immediate gratification if what you want most urgently is the perfect slice - and not the kind that you have in a box in your freezer.

An overnighted cheesesteak might send you into a rhapsodic fit.

Philadelphia is synonymous with brotherly love and, almost as importantly, cheesesteaks. Jim's Steaks, a Central Philly family-owned staple (it's been in operation since the 1930s) will miraculously overnight you a cheesesteak hoagie that'll send you into a rhapsodic fit with the first bite. (Tip: Order two; you'll finish both in one sitting).

Standing transfixed in front of the window of the Little Pie Company in New York City watching the storybook-perfect bakers (complete with white hats) whip up an endless supply of golden brown pies is one of life's true pleasures. Well, good news: You can order up some cherry or sour cream walnut apple goodness no matter where you live. It even arrives sweetly nestled inside a extra-sturdy bakery box.

Though the deep dish vs. thin crust debate rages on, the fact remains: Finding that inspired four-inches-of-crust-to-one-inch-of-cheese ratio outside of Chicago is nearly impossible. Luckily, a few of the most famous spots, from Lou Malnati's to Gino's East will overnight a pizza ingeniously packed in dry ice. All you have to do is heat it up in the oven.

What better way to top off a pizza dinner than with the perfect brownie? There's nothing more satisfying (or more aesthetically pleasing) than Fat Witch Babies. No, they're not really babies - they're brownies that are bigger than bite-sized, individually wrapped, incredibly moist and fudgy but still cakey. And the adorable pen drawing sticker on each makes it all seem a little more special.

And once you finally feel completely sated, you can put in your order for the South Beach Diet book. Reading it is optional. Using it as a doorstop to expedite your next brownie delivery, however, is a must.

Posted on February 06, 2006