Sensational Bites or Sweetest Day

The Slow and Savory Review

There is a fine line between breakfast and dessert.  When are sweets too sweet for breakfast?  Why can you have a muffin in the morning, but not a cupcake?  If a pie has a fruit filling, how is it any different than a Danish?  These are question that plague Brandy constantly.  As we all know, Brandy has a head filled with sweet teeth which often influence her brunching decisions.  "If someone can put bacon in their chocolate chip cookie, should I not be able to eat that cookie for breakfast?" she has been known to ponder.

On the prowl one morning for a quick and easy brunch, Brandy stumbled across Sensational Bites Dessert Cafe.  "It says dessert, but I'm sure there has to be something I can have for brunch in there," Brandy mused, "After all, dessert is just brunch's more promiscuous cousin."  Inside Brandy found a small but charming storefront, whose glass cases were filled with colorful and delicious looking treats.  She did a few quick rounds with one of the helpful girls behind the counter, picking what she felt was a good variety of what was on offer.

Brandy started off with two quiches, one a Spinach and Feta and the other a Bacon and Cheddar.  Both had very dense, eggy fillings and buttery, flaky crusts.  Brandy particularly liked the the rustic crust which was the perfect thickness.  The filling was a bit heavy for her tastes, but the flavorings were bright and bold.  The spinach was particularly fresh tasting, combining with the feta cheese to make something reminiscent of a spanakopita, but the bacon was Brandy's particular favorite as the cheddar made it more creamy and smooth with a great smokey flavor.

Of the myriad of  beautiful cupcakes on display, Brandy chose three:  Boston Cream, Pumpkin Cream Cheese, and S'Mores.  The Boston Cream was very traditional, with a spongy yellow cake, a good dollop of pastry cream, and a decadent chocolate coating.  The Pumpkin Cream Cheese had a perfect pumpkin flavor, which is often hard to bring out over the fall spices associated with it, and the frosting was perfectly creamy and smooth without being too overwhelming.  The S'mores cupcake was the real standout with its graham cracker flavored cake, chocolate ganache filling and toasted marshmallow top.

Brandy also selected an Apple and Cranberry Scone to enjoy with her tea.  The scone had a lovely fruit flavor through out, a chewy texture, and a crunchy sugar coating top.  "Thank goodness!" Brandy exclaimed, "Finally, a real scone!  I was getting so tired of those lumps of dough the Americans think are scones."

Lastly was Brandy's favorite of the lot, the White Chocolate Raspberry Bar.  Though it may not have been a proper breakfast item, once Brandy tasted this little chunk of heaven, she didn't much care.  The bar was essentially a rich, creamy, and decadent cheese cake dotted with a bright raspberry jam and set on top of a thin, buttery graham cracked crust.  There were no words, Brandy reported, for how delightfully sinful this treat was, and she would have happily eaten it again at any time of day.

For 2 quiches, 3 cupcakes, a scone, and the cheesecake bar, Brandy's total only came out to about $27, which she felt was a more than fair price.  Everything she got was traditional, but bright, flavorful, and filled with love and care, which is all that one can ask for from a neighborhood bakery.  "I don't know if what I just ate was more dessert than brunch," Brandy said, rubbing her full belly, "All I know is it was delicious, and delicious food should be eaten at every meal.  That also means I can go get another one of those cheesecake bars for dinner."

The Short and Sweet Review