Just Desserts: Blueberry Bread Pudding at Brewsters

Blueberry bread pudding. #yegfood #dessert #blueberry

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 1, 2017 at 12:41pm PDT

A late evening trip to Brewsters a couple of weeks ago had me ordering a dessert instead of a meal. I had been wanting to try the blueberry bread pudding for a while, but am always too full after meal to even entertain the thought of dessert. The pudding was served warm in a skillet, with vanilla gelato offsetting the heat. Very dense and rich, the blueberries were not overwhelming but added colour and texture in addition to flavour.

Just Desserts: Snowy Dessert

Trying a Snowy Dessert for the first time. Milk and honey goodness. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 24, 2017 at 2:49pm PDT

I stopped in to Snowy Dessert on Whyte Avenue out of extreme curiosity. I had seen the Coming Soon signs for quite a while, and wanted to learn first-hand what a Korean shaved ice dessert would be like. It's called bingsu and there are about a dozen different types from which to choose, as well as small pizzas and dessert toast. The ice is made from milk and honey, and has the consistency of snowflakes and the look of shaved coconut. It's a very light, sweet flavour, but not too sweet. I had the strawberry topping, and the outside of my bingsu was totally covered in sliced, fresh strawberries, with more in the middle. Very refreshing. However, I definitely think these desserts are made for sharing. I had the "small" and it was served in a metal pail with the spoon the size of a small shovel. I can't imagine trying to tackle a large one by myself. Also, the price point gave me a bit of a sticker shock. $12 for shaved ice (albeit delicious and unique) with fruit is a bit high. Large portions run in the $18 range. Worth trying for the novelty though, but be sure to bring friends.

Just Desserts: Pumpkin Pie at Block 1912

In a rare moment, I had time to myself on a Saturday afternoon to read, sip coffee, and enjoy dessert. I had pumpkin pie at Block 1912 because I have not yet had a chance to enjoy this autumn treat. The individual pie was loaded with pumpkin filling (albeit still a bit frozen in the very centre) and the crust almost read more like a decadent cookie, especially the frosted part at the very bottom (which helped prevent it from getting soggy, I am assuming). I didn't finish. I rarely do with Block 1912's desserts.

Just Desserts: Indian Sweets at Naanolicious

Naanolicious has a new chai bar with dozens of kinds of flavoured chai. I had a chocolate chai recently, and it tasted like hot chocolate with a spicy tea twist. A new addition at the chai bar is a showcase of delicious Indian sweets. The milky, dense, sometimes chalky sweets are very hard to find in the city other than in the extreme southern neighbourhoods, so I am very excited that I will be able to enjoy them more often. And if Indian sweets are not your thing, there is also in-house made chocolate mousse. I like that too.

Just Desserts: Almond and Salted Caramel Bread Pudding

As I sat in Leva after lunch with my laptop, I decided I wanted something decadent to go with my Americano. I chose the almond and salted caramel bread pudding, having tried another one of their bread puddings over the summer and finding it an unforgettable experience. The pudding was heated enough to make it slightly runny and soft, with a shot glass of cream on the side for extra moisture (that is not a glass of milk pictured in the photograph). The caramel was the star of the dessert, with just the right amount of saltiness to mix with the sweet.

Just Desserts: Strawberry Nutella Naan

I don't often have dessert at Naanolicious but when I do, it is something like this: a sweet version of the signature naan. In this case, Nutella and fresh strawberries were generously put on top, creating a chocolatey sensation that was not to sweet. The strawberries added natural sweetness without being overpowering.

Frozen Yogurt at Pinkberry

Pinkberry froyo #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

For me, frozen yogurt is the new ice cream. I eat it far more often and even now during these frigid months of winter. So, I was thrilled to stumble upon the new location of Pinkberry at West Edmonton Mall.

I eagerly samples some flavours - you can try before you buy - and I had the tart and pomegranate, which I ended up getting swirled. The choices of toppings are similar to other frozen yogurt places, with fruit, nuts, candy, and sauces, except this is not self-serve. As many toppings will go in your cup as will comfortably fit. For me, that was four.

I was impressed with the portion size and selection of flavours and toppings. I shall return.

Heritage Festival 2012: Langos at Hungary

Heritage Festival 2012, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Oh, how sweet it is! It isn't the Heritage Festival for me until there is icing sugar all over my camera. I was able to get to the Hungary pavilion before the line up got too crazy to grab a coveted langos for four tickets. Think of a large elephant's ear, but thicker, with lots of icing sugar. I probably got my week's worth of fart and calories with this deep fried treat, but it was so worth it.

Capital EX 2012 - Those Little Donuts

Capital EX 2012, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I went to Capital EX this week for the first time in a couple of years. No trip to the fair would be complete without hot, fresh mini-donuts covered in cinnamon and sugar. Those Little Donuts are the original, and excellent value. For $5 we got two bags of them.