photo via The New York Times

It's really almost ridiculously simple: some butter, some flour and salt, sugar, eggs, a mess of chocolate, and you've got a cookie that is elegant in its simplicity, and perfect in its proportions. A little crunchy-sweet, a little melty-chocolate-rich, altogether a symphony of what could be the perfect dessert. It is true that my idea of the perfect dessert so often changes, but I realize that no matter how far I roam, I always come back to the humble chocolate chip cookie, ruler of them all.

The New York Times, which knows an important story when it sees it, sings the praises of the chocolate chip cookie this week, and sets off on a world-changing voyage to track down the very best chocolate chip cookie recipe the world has ever seen. It is crazy, how something so simple ends up being terribly complicated, but so worth it in the end. It's a chronicle of hope, of deliciousness, of great determination and discerning palates. It is a love story and an ode to the cookie with the chips in it, and best of all, it has got a happy ending. With chocolate chips in.