pastrami from Katz's, a square pie from L&B, and for something sweet...maaaaybe strawberry shortcake from Veniero's

If there's any space around that Veniero's cake, you can use their pignoli cookies as packing peanuts, please. Then head over to City Bakery for a couple of pretzel croissants.

Most of my favorites won't travel or ship well: thinking of you, most of the menu at El Paso Taqueria on E 97th, and you, crack-like $2 steak tacos from any of the "frescas tortillas" places you see around.

As I write from NC you're probably expecting a tone poem about bagels and pizza. But you know what I really go for when I'm back home? An honest-to-goodness fresh kaiser roll that's never seen the inside of a package of any kind, schmeared with cool butter. Or the same with bacon and egg fresh off a deli griddle.