CakeSpy Undercover: Rebel Donut, Albuquerque NM

When, with a rebel yell, she cried mo', mo', mo'...I'm pretty sure she was talking about donuts.

And if she was in Albuquerque, she was probably talking about Rebel Donut, a very cool place for donuts in the Land of Enchantment.

As their website entices, "Rebel Donut is Albuquerque's premier artisan donut and pastry shop specializing in designer donuts, baked goods, coffee and more. We pride ourselves in using quality ingredients to create worthwhile indulgence. Our menu consists of over 30 flavors that change daily. Come in and try our Maple Bacon, Rocky Road, Red Velvet Rebels, Raised Glazed, Fritters and much, much more. Come on....be a rebel."

Avec plaisir!

And it's not hard to love them from the get-go, with a donut counter filled with holey treats as bountiful as this:

Ranging from the old standards to the new and funky, Rebel Donut has a lot of choices.

And of course, because it's New Mexico, they have a flavor inspired by the Official State Cookie, the biscochito:

As well as a donut containing green chile, a staple food in the state.

And with a nod to the famous TV show which takes place and is filmed in Albuquerque, a "Breaking Bad" themed donut, complete with blue rock candy to resemble crystal meth (it's actually pretty cute):

Well. After much deliberation, we decided on a few flavors: a "birthday cake", glazed vanilla cake, and maple walnut. The donuts were affordable--I forget exactly how much each one was, but the total was less than $4 for everything.

These donuts, while not so rebellious in the taste department, were quite good and fairly traditional donuts. And that is a good thing, people! Slightly on the soft side (not as much of a crispy "crust" as some donuts). Nice and cakey and soft inside. Delicately vanilla-scented dough. Very nice icings and frostings.

A very nice pit stop for holey treats if you find yourself in Albuquerque, and the shop's decor is fun, too.

Rebel Donut, 2435 Wyoming Blvd., Albuquqerque NM; online here.

Pastry Profiles: Almond Croissant, La Boulange, San Francisco

I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm an expert on almond croissants.

But as someone who has eaten many almond croissants in life (it's kind of my job, you know), I have sampled enough to know what works and what doesn't. 

And the version from La Boulange in San Francisco works.

In case you don't know the establishment, La Boulange is a small bakery-cafe chain in the San Francisco area. Well, it was a small chain. Until it was purchased by Starbucks last year for $100 million. 

Yes: One Hundred Million Dollars. Pardon my pun, but that's a lot of dough.

I have been a big fan of La Boulange since before the takeover--one of their locations is just a few blocks away from SpySis's apartment. So far, not much has changed following the purchase. The pastry offerings seem the same, and that is a good thing, because in my opinion, they are exquisite. Especially the almond croissant. I mean...look at this.

Almond croissant is possibly the cleverest and most delicious use of day-old croissants, wherein you split the buttery treat, coat the inside with almond paste, and re-bake. At La Boulange, they not only use a nearly obscene amount of almond paste inside of the croissant, but use more on top, which not only makes it almond-y heaven but also acts as "glue" to hold on an armadillo-like coating of almond slices.

Those almonds on top crisply crunch when you bite into the treat, giving way to a soft, pillowy interior, gooey with almond paste, and then another light crunch when you reach the toasty bottom of the croissant. 

Just looking at the pictures make me want to cry, just a little, because I don't have one right now to eat.

But I'll always have my memories. And hopefully, following the Starbucks takeover, not one thing changes about this recipe.

La Boulange, various locations in the SF Bay area; find one online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Dominique Ansel, NYC

The photo above documents the beginning of a supremely sweet massacre that happened not so long ago at Dominique Ansel in SoHo in New York City.

It's a very sweet spot in the world, being run by a fellow of the same name who earned his chops acting as Executive Pastry Chef for Restaurant Daniel under celebrity chef Daniel Boulud. As I learned from the Ansel website, "During his six year tenure at Daniel, the restaurant won its first 3-star Michelin rating, a 4-star New York Times review, and James Beard’s Outstanding Restaurant of the Year Award in 2010." He's also been called one of the top ten pastry chefs in America.

But back to the sweets. A mere few minutes before the massacre, me and my friend Erin were surveying the pastry case. We looked at all sorts of fancy Frenchy treats, such as:

and these...

 

and these.

 

I mean, seriously. How does one choose from such a bounty of amazing sweetness? 

On my last visit, I had sampled the "DKA" - Dominique Ansel Kouign Amman. As you probably know, I am a very large fan of the strangely-named treat known as Kouign Amman. I've sampled it in Seattle and Paris and Salt Lake City. And I've enjoyed each variation. This was a fine one indeed--I'd say that next to the one I had in Paris, it was one of the best. 

But on this trip, Erin chose the rosewater religieuse. Look at this thing. 

Delicate choux pastry filled with vanilla-flecked cream and gently rose-scented icing. It tasted as pretty as it looks. 

It's one of those things that is a pleasure to devour. 

But I will tell you the truth, possibly even better than the pastry was the fact that one of the employees RECOGNIZED ME! She told me she loved this site. I must tell you, the fact that I had gone in to buy a pastry and unexpectedly ended up feeling like a celebrity was sure a nice treat. It made me smile for the rest of the day!

Dominique Ansel, 189 Spring Street, New York City; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Saratori's di Tully, Albuquerque NM

When you think of an old-school Italian bakery, you probably think...New York. Boston. Providence. New Jersey. Or at least I do. I don't have actual evidence, but I feel like there is probably a higher concentration of such bakeries in the Northeast. 

Albuquerque, New Mexico probably wouldn't even cross my mind in pondering old-fashioned Italian bakeries.

But as it turns out, such a place does exist--a bakery called Saratori's di Tully. 

It's next-door to Tully's, an Italian specialty market that made me feel like I was in Philadelphia or New Jersey for a few moments--big, fat sandwiches at the deli counter, homemade ravioli both in the deli department and freezer, and more types of pasta than you can count. A great place, but you'll have to trust me on that. I'm here to talk about the sweets.

Saratori's di Tully, I hear, is named after two girls in the family--Sara and Tori. If that is true, I hope that both girls are extremely proud to have this establishment bear their names, because it's chock full of  tasty stuff.

They make their cannoli to order, I should tell you that first. Although I have not tried one of these heavenly treats for myself, I have it on very good authority that they're good stuff.

I started with the "Spruzzare Biscotto", which was nice and tender and almond-y--a perfect cookie bite. The texture was very nice--slightly dry, but not like dry-out-yer-mouth. It would have been even better with an espresso, I think!

Next up was a fennel biscotto, which was lightly licorice-y (but not offensive to licorice haters) and not extremely sweet but more like a nice tea cookie. See the fennel seed? It added a nice little burst of flavor at irregular intervals. Sometimes it is nice to have your cookies challenge you a little, you know?

Finally, the "Nonna's Lemon Drop" cookie. It's a general rule that I hold that if it's named after Grandma, it's probably gonna be good. For me, this cookie led to several moments of nostalgia--not for my upbringing, but for the cookies I used to buy at Rocco's Pastry on Bleecker Street when I lived in New York City. If you've been there, you know what an excellent experience it is. Here's the cookie.

 

Very, very good stuff. And a charming and sweet staff.

For a taste of the East Coast in the middle of Albuquerque...dudes and dudettes, you've got to go to Saratori's!

Saratori's di Tully, 1425 San Mateo Blvd, Albuquerque; more info here.

CakeSpy's 50 Most Delicious Moments of 2012

In 2012, my New Year's Resolution was "get fat by eating cake". 

Don't act surprised. I mean, after all, you didn't think it was going to be "go on a diet" or "lose weight"...did you?

Now. As difficult a resolution as this was to keep, I think I did pretty okay. But don't just take my word for it--see for yourself! For your viewing enjoyment, I've put together 50 enjoyable snippets detailing some of the most delectable things I ate. 

Consider this a look back at CakeSpy's most delicious year yet. These are listed in no particular order; when it comes to sweets, I think we all win; they're really just listed roughly in order of when I ate them in the year. Enjoy!

1. "Valentine" Pie at Coal Creek Coffee, Laramie, WY. Memorable for its melange of tart berries during a cold and dreary time of year, this pie still sings to me whenever I look at its picture.

2. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie with Pecans by the Cookie Lady, Ogden UT: Nobody knows who exactly this lady is. Ok, that's a lie. She's a lady who bakes cookies and delivers them to local coffee shops and cafes, and I am so glad she does, because they're crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and packed with delicious cookie flavor. 

3. Caramel Cluster, Caramel Shop, Ocean, NJ: Sometimes simple and old fashioned is king. This confection from an old-school chocolate ship in Ocean, NJ, probably won't appeal to the "only dark-dark-chocolate" devotees, but to sweet tooths hungry for a taste of nostalgia (like me), this is a sticky-sweet and slightly crunchy fix.

4 White Chocolate and Chocolate Cheesecake(s), La Rosa Cafe, Los Angeles. When I was in Los Angeles, I asked the hotel clerk if she had a suggestion for breakfast. She suggested their continental breakfast. When I gave her a "hell no" look, she suggested La Rosa. I'm so glad she did. They had killer omelettes, and after a conversation with the owner about my love of desserts, I learned that they also have killer cheesecake. Even consumed at 9.30 in the morning, I managed to make a dent.

5. The "Southern Belle" Cupcake from Dream Cakes, Santa Fe NM: this was a highly memorable cupcake for me. You can read the full story here, but rest assured, it was one of those cakes that makes you feel very happy to be alive.

6. Bassetts Ice Cream, Philadelphia: I made Philadelphia my new home base this year, and one of the best parts of this relocation was my proximity to Bassetts Ice Cream, established in 1861 and still doin' it right. My favorite flavor of the moment is the Peanut Butter Swirl, but really, everything is good--almost too good.

7. Twinkie Milkshake, Lunchbox Laboratory, Seattle: Really, doesn't the name speak for itself?

8. Cupcake Royale Goodies, Seattle, WA: This one is a two-way tie for the Seattle purveyor of sweetness: first, their always perfect Deathcake Royale, and now, their new Ice Cream. Perfection.

9. Pumpkin Ice Cream with Wet Walnuts, Hoffman's Ice Cream, Spring Lake, NJ: I love Hoffman's always and forever, but in the early fall, I love them even more, because they bring out their much-loved Pumpkin ice cream, which is beautiful to behold and creamy and spicy on the tongue. Add some wet walnuts and you have yourself heaven in a cup (or cone, but the nuts tend to get messy in a cone).

10. Salted Caramel Tart, Dragonfly Cafe and Bakery, Taos NM: This is one expensive tart (I believe it was about $7) but gosh-darn was it tasty. Salty caramel. Rich chocolate. Crumbly crust. I want another right now.

11. Crumb Cake, Coastal Kitchen, Seattle, WA: At this magical eatery (famous for breakfast), they will offer you toast or crumb cake with your breakfast or brunch. Don't be a fool. Get the cake. See photo. The End.

12. Historically Accurate Drinking Chocolate, Kakawa, Santa Fe, NM: Ever been curious about what Aztec drinking chocolate tasted like? Or the type of chocolate favored in Marie Antoinette's time? You can find out here, where they have a rotating menu of "elixirs"--thick, rich drinking chocolate inspired by different historical periods.

13. Conversation Heart Nanaimo Bars (made by me): Because they tasted just as sweet as they look, and because eating them will make you AND your valentine smile, I guarantee it.

14. Kouign Amann from Crumble and Flake, Seattle: Think croissant, but with a firmer texture and more caramelly taste. You have a beginning, but that's not the full story. For the full, as-addictive-as-crack experience, you've got to visit this charming patisserie in Seattle, toute suite!

15. Rainbow Cake (made by me): Do I really need to give a reason for this?

16. SpyMom's Soda Bread: SpyMom's a great baker, and this soda bread is a fine specimen of her work. Tenderly-crumbed and buttery as any quick bread I've ever tasted, this one is a fantastic breakfast or snack bread that will make you feel just a little Irish while eating it.

17. Butter Brickle in a Pretzel cone from Miller's Twist, Philadelphia: I do not know exactly how to express my deep love of the pretzel cone. It's sturdy and salty and the perfect foil to ice cream of just about any sort, but I favor Butter Brickle or Butter Pecan. They can be purchased in stores, but I find them tasty at Miller's Twist in Philadelphia.

18. Duck Cookie, Peabody Hotel, Orlando (where I stayed for the Pillsbury Bake-Off): I won't lie, much of my love for this cookie was based on its look--the Peabody has this whole duck thing going on. But the cookie was actually quite good: the base nice and buttery, kept moist and soft by the preserves on top (apricot I think), and it was all held--and brought--together with a half-coating of dark chocolate. Yum.

19. Butter cake, Flying Monkey Patisserie, Philadelphia: This isn't the most traditional butter cake, but it's without a doubt one of the tastiest I have ever tried. It's gooey. It's buttery. It's so rich it makes your taste buds sing. I actually feel like my whole body vibrates with happiness after I eat a slice. Get some.

20. Lemon Cupcake, Whipped Bake Shop, Philadelphia: If you need a cupcake that tastes like sunshine on a cold and dreary day, this is the one. Tart yet sweet, it's a ray of sweetness that made me smile bigtime.

21. A trio of ice creams (buttermilk, red velvet, gingerbread) in Des Moines, Iowa: Golly gee, I forget the name of this restaurant! But I went there on my way cross country when moving from Seattle to Philadelphia. And the ice cream, which I do recall they made in house, was pretty awesome. The buttermilk in particular was tangy and enticing. Nice and zingy. Anyone know where this might have been?

22. Mom Blakeman's Creamed Pull Candy, Kentucky: One of the finest candies there is, and definitely one of the most rich and creamy. Read more here.

23 Cadbury Creme Egg Salad Sandwiches: Yes, I did this. And they were way tastier than they had any right to be. Win!

24. Almond Croissant, La Boulange, San Francisco: It was a big year for La Boulange, being purchased by Starbucks and all. But I didn't really think about that when I visited their Cole Valley location. I mostly thought about how delicious the almond-overload croissant (a generous smear of almond cream on the inside, a delicious crunchy almond armor on the outside) was to eat.

25. Chocolate Chip walnut cookies from Famous 4th Street Deli, Philadelphia: These cookies are perfect. Like an idealized version of a nostalgic chocolate chip cookie, but with the slightest crunch lending to walnuts in the batter. A perfect "crust". A great cookie indeed.

26. Magic Cookie Bar, Icing on the Cake, Los Gatos, CA: Just look at that picture, please. Coconut haters need not apply.

27. Cannoli from Isgro, Philadelphia: A fine cannoli indeed, with a crispy shell and a perfectly dreamy cream filling. Stick with the plain versus the fancier variations.

28. SpyMom's Blueberry Pie: It's simple. It's perfect. It loves ice cream.

 

29. "Brownie Supremes" (made by Compton): He won't share this recipe, so it's cruel to post a picture, but these rich, fudgy brownies, topped with a Cadbury Creme Egg tasting topping, are so good I want to cry when I eat them.

30. Peach Brulee from Bantam Bread Co, Connecticut: Creme Brulee, but peachy keen. What a delightful treat! Read more here.

31. Ice cream sandwiches from Coolhaus, NYC: Artisinal ice cream sandwiches that you can "build" (choose your cookies, choose your ice cream) with edible napkins besides? A total win.

32. Do-Rite Donuts, Chicago: These donuts, as the name implies, will do you right. A great basic donut with some fancy variations available at the store, this is a great place to get a holey fix.

33. Boston Cream Cupcake, Molly's Cupcakes, Chicago: I was wary of the high price tag (over $4 after tax) but wow, was this a nice cupcake. The perfectly tender crumb, with a thoroughly buttery taste and light vanilla scent, was made even better by a thick custard flecked with vanilla bean hidden inside, all crowned with a rich, fudgy frosting. Though I might complain, I would pay $4-plus again for this.

34. Watermelon Cake (made by me): The cake was simple enough, but what made it a truly memorable experience was the cute factor. Everyone cooed about this dessert more than they usually do, so I considered it a hit.

35. Mount Beacon Bar, Homespun Foods, Beacon NY: The East coast counterpart of the Mazurka bar, and like a taste of baked good history. A very good, sturdy bar cookie with just enough sweetness and butter to keep it from being health food.

36. Chocolate Chubbies Cookies from Sarabeth's, NYC: Want a cookie that tastes like a brownie, cookie, and slab o'mousse having a sexy threesome in your mouth? Look no further. Read more here. 

37. Frosting Cake (made by me): One of my proudest experiments yet, and surprisingly delicious: the result of what happens when you mix the frosting right into a batch of cake mix batter before baking.

38. Frozen Hot Chocolate, Jacques Torres: Don't make a big fuss over it, but I like theirs more than a famous version served elsewhere in NYC. 

39. Hummingbird cake (made by me): Hummingbird cake is one of my absolute favorite foods-- I gravitate toward it like a hummingbird to sweet nectar. This version is like a more sophisticated version of banana bread, with a delicate crumb, and with a ton of frosting. I loved every bite.

40 Danish Krans from Easy Tiger, Austin: When I went to Austin, I was told that I must go to this bakery-slash-bratwurst joint-slash beer garden. Well, OK. And I wasn't disappointed. Turns out, Easy Tiger does all three things quite well. The Danish Krans was a standout.

41. Chocolate Covered Cake on a stick (made by me): This dish was a success before I even made it--the name says it all, doesn't it? But it tasted even better once it was done.

42. Pumpkin Bread Stuffed with Cookie Dough (made by me): Tastes like fall...but with cookie dough. This was a very tasty Fall treat that beautifully straddled a delicious line between breakfast-y quick bread and decadent dessert.

43. Federal Donuts, Philadelphia: Doughnuts fried to order? You had me at hello. But they're excellent in flavor as well as awesome for being super-fresh, and they'll coat them with a variety of different sugar and spice mixtures of your choosing. 

44. Lemon Cake, Belle Cakery, Philadelphia: Another cake that tasted like sunshine, but this version was a beautiful and sleek tower, studded with poppyseeds that made it interesting visually, delightful texturally, and thoroughly enjoyable to the palate.

45. Chocolate Tart, Treehouse Pastry, Santa Fe NM: A dessert this luscious, this rich, this thick with chocolate...and vegan and gluten-free, to boot? Believe it. Available at a bakery in a MALL, too. Made with a nut crust and the slightest bit of rasperry to add dimension to the chocolate, this dessert may not have butter or eggs or gluten, but you seriously don't miss them. Seriously.

46. Biscuits, Morning Glory Diner, Philadelphia: With the texture of a crumb cake but the sturdiness of a biscuit, and only lightly sweet, these biscuits are hard to describe, but a joy to put in your mouth. The long line on weekends servest as proof.

47. Streusel Bar, Ingrid's Kitchen, Oklahoma City: As you can see by my writeup of this establishment, I really enjoyed Ingrid's. But my favorite thing by far was the Streusel bar, which was like a sort of light crumb cake meets gooey butter cake. Oh goodness was it good.

48. Pistachio Lemon White Chocolate Donut, Whoo's Donuts, Santa Fe NM: This is my new favorite donut in the world. The crisp edge, the flavorful dough, the slight zing of the lemon which acts as counterpart to the sweet white chocolate glaze, and then the saltiness of the pistachios--I am so sad I can't have these every day. It's not a weight thing, it's a geography thing. I would, if I lived in Santa Fe.

49. Gooey Butter Danish, Federhofer's, St. Louis: This was one of my favorite bakery finds of the year, for sure. Old school but totally solid, I loved just about everything I tried from this place. But because it was a bit unusual, the item that is going to make this list is the Gooey Butter Danish, which takes the best parts of both gooey butter cake and a danish, and puts them together with confectioners' sugar on top. Hooray!

50. Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies (made by me): This was a sweet finish to the year: I found an old recipe of my mom's that had been hibernating since my childhood. Being able to make a batch of these for my family not only made us all a little fatter and jollier, but made our holiday sweeter in a loving, nostalgic way, as well.

Whew! As I put together that list, dear readers, it occurred to me that I've engaged in a lot of traveling, eating, writing, and general awesomeness this year. What a wonderful feeling! And with that, I offer up my resolution for the coming year:

"Eat something sweet every day". Hope that one is easier to stick to than the last one. Hooray!

Happy New Year, everyone--Season's Sweetings, and here's to a highly delicious 2013 ahead!

CakeSpy Undercover: Icing on the Cake, Los Gatos CA

Here's the situation. You're driving from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, CA, and you've gotten stuck in traffic and are starting to get SERIOUSLY hungry along the way. Do you wait til Santa Cruz and risk binge-eating all the artisan ice cream and bakeries in town because you're so hungry?

No. You pause, pull your car over in Los Gatos ("the cats"!), and stop your sweet self at Icing on the Cake.

Not only is Icing on the Cake a fantastic name for a bakery, it's also a fantastic bakery. It had crossed my radar several years ago when the staff was smart and savvy enough to begin stocking my products for their small retail area. Obviously, this meant that they were smart and wonderful people. True appreciators of sweetness.

But I had never actually tasted the sweets in person until I found myself in the situation detailed above. 

When I got to the bakery, I introduced myself and had a short chat with Lynn, of whom I asked a big question: "what should I take with me?". 

This led to a brief consultation about what my sweets preferences were. Well, I said, I tend to like buttery, rich things--not so much fruit stuff--and I would probably veer more toward caramel, peanut butter, etc, rather than chocolate (I love chocolate, but I like it as a component, not as the whole story, in general). 

"Oh," she said wisely, "you're one of those people who only eats beige things."

Now, I will confess, this took me aback for a moment. I love color! Rainbows! Unicorns! Pink frosting!

But then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized she was right. I prefer blondies to brownies; I love shortbread, all the better if topped or sandwiched with caramel; one of my favorite-favorite foods, in the world, crumb cake, is really just several shades of beige.

So it's true: I'm a beige lover!

So I loaded up with a few beige-y treats: 

First, the softie Salted Caramel cookie ("Salted Caramel Moon"). If you like soft sugar cookies, this will be a real treat for you: a soft, rich, lightly crumbly cookie, but instead of the sugary-sweet frosting, this has a caramelly kick with a salty aftertaste. It works wonderfully with the cookie base; it's a little different, but not crazy--like, I could share this with my grandma, whereas she'd say "say WHAT?" to salted licorice flavored baked goods. 

Next up, the gingernsap. This one is crispy, which is usually not what I crave in a cookie (softie for life!) but this one was quite nice. It had quite a spicy zip--as Lynn advised, pair this one with tea and it will give you a little heat for a cold afternoon. Nice. 

Next up: the brown sugar shortbread cookies. Shortbread is one of those things that is so simple, but has the potential to be so exquisite, and at Icing on the Cake, it falls into the latter territory. The small additions of brown sugar and crunchy sugar around the sides of the cookies make a big difference, and take them from "good" to "great" shortbread territory. Very worth a try.

The most colorful treat--or at least the one with the most different tones--was their seven layer bar. This is probably one of my favorite treats in the world (well, aside from super-beige crumb cake) and theirs was a fine specimen. Crunchy and buttery on the bottom crust layer, soft and gooey in the midsection, so decadent and rich that you'd lose yourself in that sticky sea of delicious coconut if it weren't for the punctuations of crunchy nut and pockets of rich chocolate morsels. Please, promise me you'll get one when you visit. 

Of course, Icing on the Cake has a ton more: cupcakes, layer cakes, bars and quick breads and cookies of all sorts--the bakery case is very well appointed and tempting. 

Final word: GO TO THIS PLACE. I promise you won't regret it.

Icing on the Cake, 50 W. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Taos Cow, Taos NM

In Taos, New Mexico, when you drive up a steep road into a sort of hippie utopia called Arroyo Seco, there's a clearing which gives way to a place called Taos Cow.

It's off the beaten path of the town—far from the plaza, or town center. But it's worth a visit.

One of their specialties is ice cream, which has a most unique texture. In fact, I am tempted to say it's more gelato-like—sort of smooth and with a different texture than say, Haagen daz. In asking the employee what made for that unique texture, she couldn't say—maybe the cows are just happier in New Mexico. 

Dairy is, after all, one of the major industries in New Mexico, and all of the dairy used in their products is from the state. I tried three types of ice cream: Caramel Pinon (pine nut), which is smooth and mellow and rich, with a deep, sophisticated aftertaste. I wanted to commit to this flavor, but they only had the tiniest bit left so I settled for a taste and got a hearty scoop of another flavor: the strawberry chocolate.

Probably this was one of the nicest strawberry ice creams I've ever tasted, with a distinct strawberry taste and a wonderful accompaniment of bittersweet and white chocolate. The high sweetness of the white chocolate, the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate, and the natural sweetness of the strawberry, all coming together in creamy matrimony, sure made my mouth happy.

A friend got the chocolate pecan ice cream as a shake, and it contained about 6 heaping scoops of ice cream. It was absolutely delicious, and at the end of it, there were nutty bits coated in melty chocolate like a treat at the end of the milkshake road.

But wait, there's more! Although Taos Cow is famous for their ice cream, it's not all they have to offer. They also have a pastry case full of cookies, pies, and pastries.

For instance, the apple pastry, which had a beautiful, flaky crust and a sweet, brown sugary apple filling. It was most impressive for breakfast the next morning.

Taos Cow is a hippie place with tourist prices, but it's certainly a sweet stop in New Mexico.

485 Hwy 150, Arroyo Seco, NM; online here.

Sweet Discovery: Mallorca, a Yeasty Bun in Puerto Rico

Source: mallorcaweb.com via Cake on Pinterest

Mallorca. What a pretty word for a yeasty bun!

Sorry, but I just found the phrase yeasty bun simulaneously funny and kind of gross. Can I repeat it a few more times?

Yeasty bun

yeasty bun

yeasty bun

Whew! Feeling better now.

Anyhow, back to Mallorca, a better name than yeasty bun. But, well, it is just that—a yeasty, sweet bun that is, as I was told by the bakery employee in Puerto Rico, which is where I discovered the bun. By the way, that bakery employee was muy impressed that I asked for it by its proper name, especially being a tourist. I got an approving nod. 

Source: carhiremajorcaairport.co via Cake on Pinterest

Allow me to tell you about this yeasty bun. It's a spiral breakfast bun—sometimes it is dusted with confectioners' sugar, sometimes glazed. It's a popular breakfast in mallorca; there, they're called ensaimadas; elsewhere, they are referred to their place of birth (hence the name) but its popularity has spread.

The bun came to Puerto Rico probably by way of the trading port San Juan; but what is really important is that it has spread all over the island, and it's here to stay. And one bite should tell you why. It's delicious when eaten fresh: a warm, simple, lightly sweet yeasty bun (sorry) that tastes like fresh, warm goodness has been given a physical manifestation. It's a happy and comforting food.

But should you be into gilding the lily, I am also informed that a good and proper way to enjoy these yeasty buns is to split them in half, fill 'em with ham and cheese, and then toast and serve for a sort of monte-cristo esque totally rich and indulgent breakfast (or anytime treat). There are a few places in San Juan that are famous for them, such as La Bombonera. I was staying in Rincon, Puerto Rico, and found that plenty of spots here had them too—I spied them first at La Rinconeria, my dad's favorite bakery.

You can find recipes and interesting lore on the mallorca on Always order Dessert and The Noshery.

Southern Belle Cupcake from Dream Cakes Gourmet Cupcakes, Santa Fe

Sometimes, a cupcake makes you want to purr. 

This is an experience I had recently (as in, there are probably still cake crumbs on my shirt) at a place called Dream Cakes Cupcakes in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

The retail space is small, tucked in a mall just off of the city's Plaza (downtown area). It is somewhat unassuming when you walk in, and the prices are somewhat hefty--$4.50 per cupcake. 

But the cupcakes are serious fatties--I don't like sharing cupcakes (at all) but here's one that I'd consider cutting in half and saving part 2 for later (sort of like...sharing with my future self). Because it's not quite 2 times the size of a regular cupcake, but 1.6 times the size of a regular cupcake. 

This picture (from their facebook page) may not portray the size, but it will show you the unusual square-ish shape they have.

Here's the menu.

The menu is pretty immense, about 50 flavors, but only certain ones are available daily. Generally, those will include their two bestsellers, the Chocolate-chocolate cupcake (I forget the name) and the "Armadillo"--the red velvet. I wanted to get the "Santa Fe" - a cornbread cupcake with green chile topped with a honey buttercream--but alas they were out for the day. The friendly man behind the register removed that flavor from the daily menu after he realized this cupcake was not in attendance.

He did give me a frosting shooter to soothe my broken heart.

So I went for my second choice--the "Southern Belle", a pecan cupcake with praline filling topped with cream cheese frosting. 

Looking into the Chinese takeout-style container (filled with cupcake!) this is what I saw. The man behind the counter (one of the owners) commented that he thought it was the prettiest of their cupcakes, and I agree that it was quite a looker. I didn't want to shut the lid for fear of disrupting the frosting.

I dug in to the container, using a fork. 

And after one bite, I wanted to go back and demand that they stop stuffing their cupcakes with crack, because that's just illegal.

OK, so the cupcakes are not stuffed with crack. But this one had an unmistakably buttery, rich vanilla birthday cake-y flavor, studded with delicious, sweet-salty praline gobs. It was good enough based on these merits, but add the cream cheese frosting and you have a combo that can make CakeSpy swoon.

I'll confess: based on the tiny interior and the prices and location, I had been slightly wary about this place as a tourist trap. But now that I have been, I must say that I am very impressed, and I am looking forward to going back and trying at least a baker's dozen more flavors.

66 E. San Francisco Street, Santa Fe NM; find out more info here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Whoo's Donuts, Santa Fe NM

Doughnuts, donuts. Whatever you want to call them, I go nuts for these holey treats. Since I'm writing about Whoo's Donuts in Santa Fe, NM, today, though, I'll stick with "donuts" for this post (if you want to explore the subject more, look here).

I mean, seriously. Aside from the fact that they are delicious, their very name is one of my favorite words to pun with. Some of my favorites:

If at first you donut succeed, fry, fry again.

Dead men donut bite.

Donut stop thinking about tomorrow.

Damned if you do and damned if you donut.

Donut have a cow!

Donut Stop Believin'.

and one of my faves...

(the donuts pictured in that last one are not from Whoo's, but are rather part of my donut soup recipe)

So. This is all to say, I am a lover of donuts, and as such, donut doubt my authority on telling you where to get a good one.

And if you want a delicious holey treat in Santa Fe, donut delay in getting yourself to Whoo's Donuts! Owned by the same folks as The ChocolateSmith next door, this is a fancy-ish donut shop where the donuts are more expensive than, say, Dunkin' varieties, but you definitely get what you pay for. All organic, they prominently feature the classics (yeast and cake, cream-filled); here is an example of how you can get two Vanilla Cake donuts and form a figure-eight of delicious...

And to start with the classics, they have a very good donut baseline. Especially, in this Spy's opinion, on the cake donut front. The crispy edge that they somehow attain is absolutely fantasic, lightly crunchy and giving way to a soft, cakey interior. If you get a bit of that crispy edge in every bite, you're feeling like a holey roller. 

And their delectable donuts also dress up nicely for creative, tricked-out treats. Some that I have sampled are the choco-toffee variety, sprinkled with hunks of buttery toffee atop a rich chocolate glazed chocolate donut (yes! yes!):

I have also tried the Cherry coconut donut, which is sublime. The cherry flavoring adds a little zest to the doughnut, and the fat flakes of toasty coconut on top add a pleasant crunch and a pleasing richness. 

But my favorite treat from Whoo's so far has been the Lemon Pistachio White Chocolate donut. Something about the sweetness of the white chocolate with a hint of lemon zest, complemented by the salty pistachio bits just makes me wish this was a donut I could curl up in and live inside for a while. It is just so good.

They also have donut holes ("Why-Nots")

and filled donuts (Key Lime! Caramel-filled!) and the requisite bacon variety. But next on my list to try is the Blue Corn donuts!

So, basically what I am telling you is run, donut walk, to Whoo's Donuts. And drop in to The ChocolateSmith next door for something like this:

Whoo's Donuts, 851-B Cerrillos Drive, Santa Fe NM; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Sara Sara Cupcakes, Oklahoma City

You know me: I love a good cupcake.

But you know what I also love? A good cupcake shop that can also kindly suggest other bakeries in the area. I think it's a very good way to be! 

That's just what happened while visiting Pinkitzel in Oklahoma City, where they said that nearby, Sara Sara Cupcakes did some fine work. 

So over I went. I took a couple minutes to browse a very cute store next door, Shop Good before entering the cupcake den. 

It's an interesting configuration - the cupcake shop is actually in a house. It makes you feel like you're going into someone's cupcake house! 

The cupcake counter had a nice array of cakes in a variety of flavors. You can check out their full menu here, but here's some of what I saw. 

After much debate, I chose the Apricot Ricotta Cupcake, which had ricotta in the cake batter, and cream cheese frosting.

Isn't it pretty?

NOM! This was a very large, and very tasty cupcake. I will tell the truth, I didn't get a *ton* of ricotta flavor, the cream cheese frosting kind of masked it--but that is a comment, not a complaint, because cream cheese frosting is one of my favorite things, and I think it should be a food group. The cake was tender and moist and assertively dense, which suited me just fine. The apricot bits on the top were a very nice way to round out the tanginess of the cream cheese. 

A very nice cupcake stop indeed--I'll happily visit again next time I'm in OKC!

7 NW 9th Street, Oklahoma City; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Federhofer's Bakery, St. Louis Area

It's a funny thing about bakeries. These days, a more boutique-y, spare sort of display is favored. And that's just great. I love it.

But sometimes, I just have a craving for an old-school bakery that is totally packed with pastries of every sort, cookies by the pound, cakes, pies, and bars; you know, the type where you take a number and they call when you're up. 

If you love this kind of bakery, I promise--I absolutely promise--that you will adore Federhofer's Bakery, on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri.

It's been there roughly forever (ok, since 1966). Per their website:

 Federhofer's Bakery was  established in 1966 by Bill Federhofer with a vision for success and a taste of  perfection. Federhofer's has built a reputation for providing the freshest and highest quality of baked goods for over 46 years. We have been using the same recipes over the decades to ensure our customers a wide variety of  baked goods and the same great taste.

Well, they've certainly honed their art. It's a bustling, good-smelling bakery, and they have all sorts of interesting pastries. Can I tell you about them?

Some of their specialties are stollen and danish.

They have cakes and bars galore.

Sticky buns and cinnamon rolls.

and lots, lots more!

So after my number was up, the friendly employee walked me through their entire menu, and here's what I chose. 

First, a plain doughnut. A good litmus test of any bakery. And in this case, a fine specimen: soft and cakey and just enough oiliness to let you know it was, indeed, fried. A gentle, lightly sweet flavor. Nice.

and of course, a gooey butter cake. To the uninitiated, this buttery cake--made of a soft, cakey crust topped with, well, a gooey butter mixture. It's said to have been invented when a baker made a mistake baking a cake and ended up with this delicious thing. It was an instant classic. It's quite similar to Philadelphia Butter Cake, but the St. Louis version is more likely to include cream cheese. Like Philadelphia butter cake, in St. Louis, the cake is generally sold by the 8-or-9 inch pan rather than by individual slices, and is more a morning coffee cake than an after-dinner dessert.

And the gooey butteriness has pervaded other areas of the menu--behold, a gooey butter danish!! It was sweetness overload, in the best way possible. 

I also got a taste of a St. Louis specialty--coconut toast! Interestingly, it seems to be a sweet treat that has faded in popularity, because even some residents I asked didn't even know what it was. But I found it at good ol' Federhofers! Basically a use for day-old bread, it's (to the best of my knowledge) brushed with sweetened condensed milk and coconut, and toasted. That's it. Simple, but oh so good. 

So, after having had a wonderful experience at Federhofer's, I urge you to visit them if you find yourself in St. Louis. They've been doing it since 1966, and based on what I tasted, they have been doing it right. 

Federhofer's Bakery, 9005 Gravois Road, Affton MO; online here. 

CakeSpy Undercover: Chocolate Maven, Santa Fe NM

When a place has a name like Chocolate Maven, you'd probably expect the walls and fixtures to be made of chocolate, not to mention every single thing for sale. 

But you're not entirely right. 

While Santa Fe's Chocolate Maven does have a highly respectable offering of chocolate goodies, it's got a whole lot more than just chocolate going on. It's a bakery / cafe / tea shop / restaurant. They have a counter in the front filled with fresh bread and baked goods, ranging from breakfast type items to cakes and pies. And cupcakes!

In the back, it's a restaurant, where they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For sweets lovers, the brunch (chocolate almond crepes! Peach compote French Toast!), High Tea (Champagne Tea for two: two types of finger sandwiches, chocolate-dipped strawberries, two glasses of champagne!) and dessert menus in particular will probably be of interest. 

When it comes to the baked goods, I haven't sampled extensively, but I have enjoyed what I have tried (um, none of it with chocolate). First, the mexican wedding cake. This is absolutely one of my favorite types of cookies: soft, crumbly, luxuriantly buttery, and nutty to boot. The Maven's version was a very nice size--not teeny tiny, but with a nice heft to it. The flavor was just perfect--the buttery nuttiness rendered completely addictive with the addition of sweet confectioners' sugar. 

The cherry tart was also highly pleasant - with a rich, crumbly crust which acted as the tasty bed for a dollop of custard topped with sweet cherries. I felt like chocolate shavings would have been a nice addition to this dessert, but this thought didn't in any way keep any part of the tart from being devoured. 

Chocolate Maven has won a ton of awards over the years, and I can see why. They do sweet stuff right.  And you know what? I really can't wait to get back here to try some of the other things on the menu, like hazelnut cheesecake or an almond fudge brownie, or the Mayan chile hot chocolate, or the Mocha Mousse Petit Four Grande with Caramel Sauce (try saying that five times fast!). 

Chocolate Maven, 821 W. San Mateo Road, Santa Fe NM; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Braum's Ice Cream, Oklahoma City

One of my favorite things about traveling is discovering local chains. You know, the types of places that might be part of your everyday life if you live in a given region, that you might even forget about in day-to-day life. But as a visitor, it's fun to discover these places--I consider it a great way to pretend you live somewhere for a short time and eat like a local. 

So when I passed through Oklahoma City recently, I was delighted to visit Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store. If you live in the area, you are undoubtedly familiar with their bright and happy ice cream logo. To the uninitiated--I'd describe Braum's as a sort of regional Dairy Queen, with a market attached. It's cool. The business started in the 1930s in Oklahoma--you can read more about the history here.

Really, for me it was interesting enough just to walk around and visit, but I was even more delighted to find the ice cream highly satisfactory.

Since I only eat sweets that have colors which appear in nature, I chose the Birthday Cake ice cream, which is a perfect sky blue hue. Awesome: the generous scoop was surprisingly low in price, about 2 dollars. I found that to be very welcome, having recently enjoyed fancy ice cream in both Seattle and Philadelphia which cost about double the price. Not that I don't appreciate that these are higher rent cities, but this was pretty nice since I am kind of a cheapskate. 

The ice cream exceeded my expectations. It was fluffy, almost marshmallow-like, in its texture; the flavor, however, was still very creamy and full, and the chunks of cake (with frosting, I believe) were wonderful landmines in the creamy cup of ice cream. Ohhhh yes. 

A friend tried the Black Walnut ice cream, which I also sampled; it was a very unique flavor which was indeed very black walnutty. If you've ever tried black walnut cake or baked goods of any sort, you know what a wonderful, buttery, spicy something it offers to sweets; this ice cream was a fantastic fall flavor, in this spy's opinion. 

So, to sum it up: Braum's is a sweet spot with plenty of locations in the OKC area (including locations in Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas). Give them a try!

Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store, various locations; find more info here.

P.S. Like the pictures in this post? I took them on my new Intuition phone, part of the Midwest Savvy Gourmets program from Verizon!  Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Wireless Midwest Savvy Gourmets program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

CakeSpy Undercover: Grandma's Cookies, St Charles MO

I need to tell you about a place called Grandma's Cookies.

At this magical place in a charming suburb of St Louis, MO, they specialize in--well, cookies.

But here's the thing. The cookies are only about 60 cents each! Well, less than 70 cents each. I forget exactly how much. And they're a pretty good size. In a world where cookies are regularly up to and sometimes even exceed $3.00, this made me like them from the get-go.

And after reviewing the offerings, the unique formation of the chocolate chip cookies made me like them even more. The chocolate chip cookies almost looked like little sun hats: A cookie base, with a cookie lump on top. Oddly, none of the other cookie flavors shared this formation, they were just kind of flat cookies. I'm sure they were good but I zeroed in on the cool (and more bulky) looking chocolate chip cookie. 

Look at how it looks in my hand!

Alternate view!

And look how it looks bitten into!

Dude, this cookie was good. And not just "good for 60 cents" good. It was genuinely good. The unique formation gave it a particularly chewy and nearly gooey center, but the edges were crispy. The chocolate chips were ably met by the brown sugary buttery cookie base, and when they came together in my mouth, I felt a moment of pure magic.

A very good cookie indeed. If you find yourself in this charming part of the world, please go there. And buy a baker's dozen of these cookies. It won't even cost that much!

Grandma's Cookies, 401 S. Main Street, St. Charles MO; online here.

P.S. Like the pictures in this post? I took them on my new Intuition phone, part of the Midwest Savvy Gourmets program from Verizon!  Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Wireless Midwest Savvy Gourmets program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

Coming up Flours: Bloom Baking Company, Kansas City MO

Recently I found myself in Kansas City, MO, for about an hour. What to do? Go to a bakery, natch!

So after asking around, I learned that a fantastic one stop wonder of a place to get food, both sweet and savory, and maybe pick up a unicorn figurine, would be the historic City Market (est. 1857). OK! 

Nestled in the market was Bloom Baking Company. I was so glad to see them. I spent a long time ogling their cases. They had homemade bread, which was fantastic, but unfortunately I didn't think it would travel well.

Nor did I think their specialty--bread pudding--would. Although I got to sample it and it was very good.

So after being tempted by many goodies, including a pecan cranberry tart, pumpkin roll, macarons, cupcakes, lovely croissants and frenchy things, cookies, and so on, I settled on two items.

First up: the chocolate peanut butter crispy treat. I had to get this, as it reminded me of another favorite Midwest treat, the Special K Bar. Gosh, was this thing good. The peanut butter and chocolate were the dominant flavors, and they were done very well. The crispiness of the treat mixture below made it almost alarmingly addictive. I wanted to eat my weight in it. Like a candy bar, but fancier and better. Such a good treat that embraces fancy and lowbrow all at once.

Next up: the flourless chocolate cake. When bought by the slice, it's made even better by being coated in chocolate, a brilliant trick which both makes it more decadent and keeps the cake moist. It was a very chocolatey treat. One of those ones that coats your mouth with chocolate. You might want to smack me for saying it, but probably of the two treats this was my lesser favorite. There is a personal preference that plays into this, though. When it comes to chocolate desserts, I generally prefer them as chocolate with another flavor. The traveling buddy I was with, however, is a choco-choco-choco sort, so it was perfect. So there you have it: if you're a chocolate blackout sort, this one is perfect for you. 

All in all, I found this a most pleasing stop during my hour in Kansas City (alas, the vendors did not have any unicorn figurines); I spent the rest of my hour eating, looking at vendors, driving by the Hallmark Headquarters...and then I was gone!

Bloom Baking Company, 15 e. 3rd Street, Kansas City; online here.

Sweet Morning Carbohydrates at Tecolote Cafe, Santa Fe NM

At Tecolote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, they serve "great breakfast, no toast".

Now, I know. You're thinking...what's wrong with toast? Certainly it's a likeable foodstuff.

But as I found out on a recent visit, after taking a bite or two of what they do offer here, you won't even care why they don't serve toast, because you won't miss it.

First off, the "bakery basket". When you order an egg breakfast, you get a choice of tortillas or "bakery basket" as a side when you order. I want to urge you to NOT BE A FOOL. Because while tortillas are undeniably tasty, the bakery basket is the way to go here. This is what you can expect (and this is for one person):

The sweetest basket, with muffins and biscuits! On the day of my visit, it was blueberry, corn-jalapeno, and pumpkin muffins, and a biscuit. This could change on the day of your visit, but I promise it will be tasty.

But on to breakfast. If there is even a small part of you that has an interest in pancakes, you must order a pancake here. They are delicious. They are huge--salad plate sized--so one is perfect, especially if you add fruit or an egg or something on the side. Yes, if you look at the top picture you will see I ordered an egg. I know this is a big deal because it proves that I ate something other than sweets. Don't worry, I didn't eat anything else that wasn't sugar-coated all day.

I got the Atolé Piñon pancake. To translate, this is a blue cornmeal pine nut pancake. And was it ever good. The slight grit of the cornmeal gave the pancake an interesting texture and wonderful natural sweetness, and the mellow, rich pockets of toasted pine nut gave it a nice crunch every now and again. Topped with (warmed!) syrup and butter, this was a thing of sweet beauty to behold and to then store in my stomach. It was a warming and hearty and pretty much perfect pancake. 

They also had "Tollhouse" pancakes -- with chocolate chips and nuts. 

Now. Tecolote has sweet French Toast offerings too (I didn't ask why it was ok to have "no toast" but French Toast was OK): on the day of my visit, there were various fruit and chocolate and nut options. Tasty town!

Basically what I am saying here is that if you do not go to Tecolote Cafe as soon as possible, you are doing yourself a great disservice. 

Tecolote Cafe, 1203 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe, NM. Online here.

Tres Delicious: Tres Leches Cake, The Pantry Restaurant, Santa Fe

Let's get one thing straight. They do not make their Tres Leches cake in-house at The Pantry Restaurant in Santa Fe, NM. Wait, don't stop reading! Because it still is legitimately a "homemade" baked good, made at home by the wife of one of the restaurant's employees. And on the day of my visit, it was extremely fresh--I was informed that this would be the first slice cut from this hallowed round of delicious. 

Yes, I said round. Personally, I'm more accustomed to a square of Tres Leches--what about you? But I digress. In terms of construction, the Tres Leches at The Pantry resembled a round birthday-style cake; it was frosted on the top and sides, with piped decorations in the frosting. But once cut into, the inside of the cake revealed more what you'd expect from the traditional "three milks" cake--a spongelike cake kept moist and tender with mass amounts of dairy. And indeed, this one was so saturated that it just about dripped when you tucked your fork into the slice. Yessssss. 

The flavor of the cake was very good: milky, yes, but with a certain je ne sais quoi (look at me, acting all international!) to the aftertaste that made it compelling, and extremely easy to keep on eating. 

The Pantry Restaurant, 1820 Cerillos Road, Santa Fe, NM; online here.

Ice Cream at Cupcake Royale

Having been away from Seattle for about six months, a lot has changed here. They now charge for bags at the grocery store; the bus is more expensive; the old Center House at the Seattle Center is now a gourmet foodie destination (or trying to be). 

But of all the changes, one of the most exciting is that there appears to have been an ice cream explosion in the city. Highlights: Cupcake Royale and Top Pot Doughnuts are branching out to now offer ice cream; Lick Ice Cream opened its doors on Pine Street. And though not ice cream, it's related: D'ambrosio Gelato opened a second location in Capitol Hill.

The first one I have had the pleasure to sample so far is the ice cream at Cupcake Royale (where you can also buy my cards, btw).

Now, when CCR started offering ice cream, I was intrigued--because while it certainly was branching out from the cupcake theme, it definitely seemed like a natural progression. And a good combo. 

As I learned from Seattle Met, it further makes sense because owner Jody Hall "happens to be close friends with Kim Malek, founder of crazy good Portland ice creamery Salt and Straw …a convenient liaison, indeed. Hall says Malek lent considerable time and assistance in developing her program, and Cupcake Royale ice cream maven Nicki Kerbs and “head churner” James Lowell both went down to Portland for some training."

CakeSpy Note: I have known and loved Salt and Straw, too!

They offer two categories of flavors: "Cupcakes n cream" which are inspired by (and include bits of) their cupcake flavors, including Red Velvet (Cream cheese, buttermilk ice cream with chunks of Red Velvet cupcakes), and Dance Party with Holly Hobbie (Triple vanilla ice cream with chunks of Dance Party cupcakes).

The second category is "Bakeshop Inspired" which feature the "just what it sounds like"--Oregon Hill Strawberry or Royale Extra Dark Chocolate, for instance, as well as some more exotic, like Washington Hazelnut Brittle with Salted Ganache (Vanilla ice cream with chunks of house made salted ganache and hazelnut brittle) or Whiskey Maple Bacon Crack (Real maple ice cream with a hint of Woodinville Whiskey loaded with house-made bacon crack (aka brittle).

But you can see the entire flavor list here.

So. After pining over the flavor list for a while, I finally got to go and try it! I went with my buddies Nicole and Ramon. I've eaten ice cream with them before, in multiple countries.

After sampling the Red Velvet, I had a sort of reaction where I wanted to do a happy dance to praise the heavens for this tangy, cakey, creamy "oh my god how quickly can I eat a vat of it" ice cream. It's really, really good.

But since I was really craving an ice cream sandwich, I decided to go with a different flavor for the main event. I went with the Washington Hazelnut Brittle with Salted Ganache, because really, what part of that is wrong? I got it between two "bacon crack" cookies. 

The cookies, sweet and caramelly and then with a big, salty, bacon-y bite, had a very assertive flavor. As a stand-alone cookie it might not be for the feint of heart. But when used as bookends for this ice cream, I don't think I am exaggerating when I say they approach perfection. The creaminess of the ice cream itself worked nicely with the salty bacon-y flavor--and it was a really, really good ice cream all by itself. I was highly impressed by the creamy vanilla base which was studded with bits of nutty, caramelly brittle and salted chocolate ribboned throughout. It was a Ben & Jerry's style ice cream in that it was really packed with the fillings, but a more intimately delicious version in that I know this stuff is lovingly made in smaller batches. 

Highly enchanted by this experience, I returned the next day for the Red Velvet Ice cream, which was, as I remembered from my taste of it the night before, totally effing delicious.

Cupcake Royale's ice cream not only met my expectations, but exceeded them. They have managed to find a perfect balance: the flavors are not only attention-grabbing, but they are actually delicious. I'm really proud of this gem of a local business for being able to bravely expand in a way that makes sense, and to do it so tastefully and toothsomely.

Other things I should mention: they also have ice cream sandwiches bookended with cake (yum); they also have Red Velvet Waffle cones. Red Velvet Waffle Cones! Yeah!

So, in case you hadn't gotten the message yet: CakeSpy gives a big thumbs up to Cupcake Royale's ice cream.

Cupcake Royale ice cream, scooped fresh at Ballard, Bellevue, 108 Pine, and the Capitol Hill locations; there are pints and sandwiches at ALL locations. GO GET SOME. DO IT. Online here.

An Open Love Letter to Capogiro Gelato, Philadelphia

I am sort of embarrassed that I have not yet written about Capogiro Gelato in Philadelphia.

I first came in contact with the ambrosial gelato experience that is Capogiro about a year ago, when I was in Philadelphia for my book tour for CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life . I asked that designed-for-crowd-sourcing tool known as Twitter where the best gelato in the city could be found. The refrain echoed resoundingly: CAPOGIRO. Wonderfully, there was a location not far from 30^th street station, my point of entry into the city. 

I walked from the station to their location on 20^th street, where I tried two flavors: Lancaster pumpkin with walnut gelato.

Oh. My. God. 

This is some of the best gelato I have ever tasted, and I have tasted a lot, let me tell you. The pumpkin was mellow and sweet, and the walnut tasted rich and smooth, with an aftertaste that reminded me of lightly salted butter (god, is that ever a good thing). The overall experience was made even more magical because of the fact that I was hoping for a mere gelato fix, but ended up having one of my most exquisite gelato experiences to date. What a wonderful suprise. 

I was in Philadelphia for 2 days on that visit, and I visited Capogiro about 3 more times (you do the math). While I'd say the pumpkin and walnut combo was still the best one-two punch, I had several other very good experiences, including macadamia with dulce de leche; chocolate malt with marshmallow; burnt sugar with cashew.

When I returned to Philadelphia this year to reside in the fair city for a while, it became my personal mission to try every flavor in their case. 

One of the things I've loved best about discovering Capogiro is their creatively curated case: the flavors vary by day, so you have a chance to curate your own flavor experience each time you go. From the classics (vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, stracciatella, pistachio) to some more exotic (candied black cherry, burnt sugar, bananas foster, marshmallow) and then seasonal (peach; pumpkin, etc, when in season) Well, while I wouldn't say I've hit every flavor, I have done a very good job. 

Not that you asked, but my personal favorite flavors (the ones I have to get every time I go) are the following. I'll mix up what I pair them with, but I will always choose one of the following as my first flavor when I go. Don't get mad at me if they don't have the one you're crushing on when you visit, though!

-Sorrento Walnut: I think they secretly lace this flavor with crack, because it's just so good. Also very good: cashew, macadamia, hazelnut, pistachio. But the walnut is my smooth jam when it comes to a nutty gelato.

-Burnt Sugar: It's dark and toasty in flavor yet so smooth and creamy in texture; richly interesting.

-Philly Cream cheese: Gilding the lily? Perhaps, but it's like the gelato equivalent of cream cheese frosting. Pair it with a fruit gelato (I loved it with the peaches and cream, when in season)

-Cioccolato Scuro: If I am in the mood for a deep, dark, rich chocolate that WILL stick to my teeth and imbue my soul with pure chocolate happiness, this is the flavor to go with. If you're brave, pair it with something like chocolate hazelnut for a chocolatey one-two punch. Om nom. I've also really enjoyed it with the avocado gelato - live a little and try it.

-Marshmallow: I know, I know, this one is kind of the dark horse, because I wouldn't classify myself as a marshmallow lover. But it's a smooth, rich flavor that is perfect when matched with either a chocolate variety or a nutty or caramelly variety; it really just works. Trust me on it.

Capogiro, I love you. You've made my time in Philadelphia so much sweeter, creamier, and richer (in more ways than one). You've inspired my creativity and flavor profile skills, and even if I don't stay in Philadelphia forever, I will remain your loyal customer every time I return!

 Capogiro, multiple locations in Philadelphia; online here.