1 Chelsea Market is located in West Chelsea. The building was originally the National Biscuit Company complex, producing such familiar snacks as Saltines, Oreos, and Barnum's Animal Crackers. http://chelseamarket.com/

2 Now the building is home to a variety of shops ranging from specialty food to housewares.

3 The Lobster Place is a wholesale and retail seafood market. Big gurgling tanks hold fresh lobsters from Maine, but there is so much more! http://www.lobsterplace.com/

4 The variety of fish is astounding! On any given day, they feature 30 to 40 different types of fin fish.

5 And they have a dozen, or so, different kinds of oysters.

6 Octopus, squid, and cuttlefish

7 Beautiful jumbo scallops - Perfect for pan-searing!

8 There is also an amazing array of smoked and cured fish.

9 And of course, lobster! These have been freshly steamed for eating pleasure.

10 For those who want to grab a seafood lunch, there is prepared food to enjoy at the 'Shack in the Back.' They offer seafood rolls, chowders, and sushi.

11 Lucy Kazickas opened the first Lucy's Whey in East Hampton before opening the Chelsea Market location. http://www.lucyswhey.com

12 The shop features a wide variety of American-made cheeses, as well as complimentary items like jams, chutneys, and honeys.

13 The shop also hosts classes, like an upcoming Chocolate and Cheese pairing class.

14 The Filling Station specializes in a number of items, which are sold in reusable containers, like specialty oils, vinegars, salts, and more. http://www.thefillingstationnyc.com/

15 The products are all natural and affordable and you receive a discount when you bring back your container. When you buy a refillable glass growler, you can choose a craft beer straight from the tap - a great way to sample new flavors!

16 There are many interesting oils and vinegars. These flavored balsamic vinegars really get a cook's imagination going!

17 There are many types of salt, both traditional and infused. A dash of a new type of a salt can add a whole new flavor dimension to a familiar dish.

18 Jacques Torres, known as Mr. Chocolate, has been working in pastry arts since he was 15 years old. He is also the Dean of Pastry Arts at the French Culinary Institute after designing the curriculum. http://www.mrchocolate.com/

19 His recipes have been featured on my show and in my magazines for years. In his shops, he sells various chocolate delights, from truffles and bars, to hot cups of indulgent drinking chocolate.

20 Torres covers everything in chocolate, like Cornflakes, Cheerios, and other breakfast cereals.

21 His Wicked Hot Chocolate has an extra kick to keep you warm, with added allspice, cinnamon, ground ancho chili peppers, and smoked, ground chipotle chili peppers!

22 The Nutbox started as a small store in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and has expanded to three stores plus online ordering. http://www.thenutbox.com/

23 Here, you can get a wide variety of nuts, dried fruits, and other snacks.

24 Their selection ranges from the very basic raw or roasted nuts....

25 ...to the more exotic flavored, like these wasabi coated peanuts.

26 Bowery Kitchen Supply has long been a favorite of chefs for their amazing array of cookware, cutlery, and specialty items. http://bowerykitchens.com/

27 A great selection of cast iron cookware in all shapes and sizes

28 You'll find wooden butcher's block cutting boards in every size imaginable.

29 And wooden spoons galore!

30 Chelsea Market Baskets is a fun place to visit and a great place to find gifts. http://www.chelseamarketbasket.com/

31 Here, you can choose from a selection of pre-made gift baskets or you can pick up a basket and customize it yourself.

32 The store is organized by theme, making it easy to create a professional looking gift basket.

33 They also have an interesting selection of fresh Belgian chocolates, cheeses, and other food items. You can also order pre-made gift baskets online.

34 Sarabeth's Bakery is an offshoot of Sarabeth's Kitchen, which opened in 1981 on the upper west side of Manhattan. http://www.sarabeth.com/

35 That store started out as a bakery and jam shop, where customers could see the jams being cooked.

36 In addition to preserves, Sarabeth's at Chelsea Market sells all sorts of baked goods and yummy sandwiches.

37 Buon Italia is a great source for all things Italian. http://www.buonitalia.com/

38 There is an excellent selection of Italian foods at reasonable prices. Plus, there's a café in the back, in addition to an espresso bar at the front of the store.

39 Many kinds of delicious home-made fresh pastas

40 Many varieties of Italian honey

41 And, of course, beautiful marzipan

42 Ronnybrook Premium Farm Produced Dairy Products sells wonderful organic dairy products produced in New York State. http://ronnybrook.com/

43 Their milk is bottled on the farm in returnable glass bottles. It is pasteurized but not homogenized, so the thick cream floats to the top - It's wonderful to spoon on top of your latte!

44 In addition to a variety of milk, Ronnybrook Farm produces yogurt, drinkable yogurt, butter, cheeses, and eggs.

45 There is also ice cream with toppings.

46 The walls at Ronnybrook are lined with stacked wooden milk crates.

47 If you're looking for something sweet, try Eleni's. Eleni's is also a nut-free establishment, so those with allergies needn't worry. http://elenis.com/

48 This handcrafted bakery specializes in unique decorated sugar cookies and sells them in themed packs, like these I Love New York cookies.

49 These Lady Gaga cookies were created by owner, Eleni Gianopulos, for Lady Gaga's Holiday Workshop at Barney's.

50 These snowmen cookies are decorated with royal icing with a process called flooding—the cookie is outlined first and then filled with a runnier version of the icing, resulting in a smooth finish.

51 Eleni's doesn't stop at cookies - these cupcakes have a beautiful rosette flourish on top.

52 If you are looking for a friendly neighborhood butcher shop with local farm-fresh meats, then you must go to Dickson's Farmstand Meats. http://dicksonsfarmstand.com/

53 Their meat is grass-fed and organic and raised without added hormones, antibiotics, or animal by-products.

54 Beautiful, top-quality meats of every cut

55 The butchers carve the meat right in the shop so you know that the cuts are fresh. It's amazing to watch them at work!

56 Just across the way is Amy's Bread, which as you can see, is a very popular place! This bakery makes hand-made breads, pastries, and other baked goods. http://www.amysbread.com/

57 Their bakery features large glass windows so you can watch everything being made. Amy's Bread is also used by some of the restaurants in Chelsea Market.

58 The Green Table is an organic restaurant owned by the Cleaver Company and features fresh and local produce. http://www.cleaverco.com/

59 Some of the offerings on the menu included Roasted Local Beets – with fennel, ricotta salata & fines herbs

60 Baked Farm Eggs – two eggs with roasted potatoes, chèvre & thyme, and Amy’s toast

61 Grilled Cheese – raw milk cheddar cheese & autumnal chutney on Orwasher’s Miche with a bowl of the soup du jour, potato leek

62 Green Table Burger – dry-aged Wrighteous Organics beef, kimchi, bacon & tomato relish, on Amy’s roll

63 Free-Range Chicken Pot Pie – with organic vegetables topped with a flaky pâte brisée crust