Comfort in snack food

Bloomington has Baked!; New Canaan, Conn., has Crumbs Bake Shop.

The two bakeries are similar in so many ways. One has cookies; the other has cupcakes. One is cheap; the other is expensive. One bakes in-house; the other mass-produces. One delivers late; the other closes early.

OK, they are very different. But the stores, hundreds of miles apart, give me exactly what I want from time to time — a decadent, unhealthy injection of sugar into my bloodstream. And they are now staples in my separate residences.

Crumbs opened in my hometown last year, and my friend Penelope was hired there this summer. The store, part of a small East Coast chain, has an overwhelming variety to choose from. Red velvet, cappuccino, watermelon — even “Twilight”-themed cupcakes, aptly named “Jacob” and “Edward.”

Penelope said the “Edward” is delicious, but I’m skeptical.

The store also offers coffee, tea and other savory goods. It’s cute, small and clean-cut.

Baked!, the well-known, late-night cookie joint on Third Street, is always a phone call away. From good old chocolate chip to vegan choices, it, too, has it all. Add some milk, and the best late-night snack is ready to go.

The store is eclectic — loan away your student I.D. for markers and a pizza box to color on. Take a seat on a couch out on the store’s front porch.

After frequenting Baked!, it was only logical to be drawn toward Crumbs when it opened in New Canaan. The cupcake store is a reliable source of comfort food. The treats can easily be shared, and the store is downtown, right off our main commercial street.

My love for Crumbs and Baked! is a clear sign that eateries are an integral part of our communities. They are just a small reason why we love to live where we do.

What would Bloomington be without Baked! or Pizza X? I would transfer schools if Jiffy Treet closed.

Well, that might be drastic, but you get my point.

Restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries and coffee shops, in turn, reflect the communities they serve. I imagine the motto must be pretty simple — cater to your clientele, and you’ll reap the benefits.

Crumbs, with its overpriced but delicious goods, would struggle to survive in our college town — and trust me, Baked! wouldn’t fly in New Canaan. I can’t imagine white-collar men and women ordering delivery cookies at 2 a.m.

What I love so much about Bloomington and New Canaan will always be the comforting foods I can enjoy with friends and family. While it’s cookies or cupcakes for me, maybe it’s pizza, noodles or sandwiches for you. Whatever it is, spend this summer enjoying it.