“I have frequented Deerfields Bakery for about 12 years. Most cakes pass the eye test, but rarely do they taste good too. Deerfields’s cakes do both, especially the vanilla cake with buttercream icing and strawberry filling, which I order for my kids’ birthdays. Their cookies are special, too: subtly crispy outside but soft inside. My favorite is the traditional chocolate chip — with macadamia nut chocolate chip a close second. I’ve never had a bad experience there, and I’m not just saying that because they slip me extra cookies for my kids every now and again. When they do, my kids get a half-bitten cookie.” 813 N. Waukegan Rd., Deerfield