Dessert Darling

Tootie Pies from Texas! Yeeehaw!

Tootie Fruity Yummy Looty!

WOW. I came home to two HEAVY packages from Tootie Pie Co., each containing a perfect pie. The first was this award-winning Apple Pie, which you can see is jammed packed with Apply-deliciousness. It was sweet and slightly zingy with brown sugar, cinnamon, and an amazing crust.

 

The second was this Buttermilk Pie that tasted just like flan with a consistency that reminded me of smooth ricotta cheese. I loved every bite of it. In fact, I was addicted to the sweet, soothing, dreaminess of this pie, and enjoyed mixing it with some bites of the Apple Pie to zing it up.

 

In short- I love me my Tootie Pies! Check out this list of all their different pies and flavors and try not to drool on the keyboard.  These pies are No. Joke.  Might have to revisit these bad boys for the Golden Cherry at the end of the year....

Thanks Tootie Pies for the delicious delivery!  I'll be trying your pumpkin pie in the fall!

 

XOXO

Awe, Cutie Pie! Enjoy the Simplethings

West Hollywood's 3rd Street continues to blossom with delicious new stores popping up and I'm loving its most recent addition, Simplethings Sandwich and Pie Shop. At Simplethings, they make the most darling, personal sized pies that they appropriately call "Cuties."  At $2.50 a pop, these individual goodies could rival cupcakes at any holiday party.  I tried one small peach pie, and then mini chocolate, pumpkin, and banana cream pies. All were tasty and would satisfy any urge for pie year round.  The banana cream pie was my favorite. :)

 

For more info on Simplethings Sandwich and Pie Shop, click here.

ps: Their sandwiches looked amazing and the decor of the shop is fresh and darling with its soft grey and pale yellow scheme.

 

Trader Joe's, Your Pumpkin Pies Let me Down

First, I have to say if you didn't already know it, I Love Trader Joes.  With their free samples, low-prices, and happy  Hawaiian-shirt clad employees, it's one of the most joyful grocery experiences that a girl can have.

That said, the Pumpkin Pies at Trader Joe's are a Fail.  While my expectations weren't high, I thought I'd have an alternative for people who don't have time to bake this year. Bake people, Bake!  Or better yet, order something home-made and delicious from Bountiful Desserts (click here for review).

And if you must grab a pumpkin pie at TJ's, go for the tart.  At 3-cherries, it's way better than the bland pie (that I wanted to spit out), which earned a sad one-cherry from me.  On average, 2 Cherries for Trader Joe Pumpkin Pie desserts!

 

Apple Pie at Swingers Diner

  

La la la la LaaAAaaaAaa!!!

Golden Cherry desserts always make me want to sing it from the roof-tops! This Apple Pie from Swingers Diner on Beverly Blvd could not have been more succulent if it tried to be. Oooohmygosh- the apples were not sassy, tart and firm, nor were they saccharine sweet and mushy, but rather, they were demure in their simple Perfection.  

The crust was the most remarkable aspect of this tasty dessert, and I'm not even a crust girl! The warm, buttery layers literally melted in my mouth and could almost stand alone, earning freshly-baked cookie-status.  

And look at that heaping scoop of ice-cream on the side! Yet, this is the first and only Apple Pie I've ever consumed that was so delicious it didn't even need ice-cream or whipped cream.  That, my friends, is the true sign of a Golden Cherry worthy Apple Pie.  Mmmmmm.  I ate the whole thing in T minus two minutes.

 

For more info on Swingers Diner and their other locations, click here. 

To see my thoughts on their great cupcakes, click here.

To see my thoughts on their awesome milkshakes, click here. :-9

 

Five Layer Chocolate Cake and Apple Tartan at Prado

As you may remember from this post, I had dinner at Prado with the lovely Lynn Chen of The Actor's Diet.

We enjoyed a delicious red velvet cake (as reviewed here), but we weren't so thrilled by the chocolate cake.  

5-Layer Chocolate Cake: Yep that's right, 2 cherries for the chocolate cake. Prado's chocolate cake reminded me of my disappointing experience at The Palm Restaurant (review here).  Really, it looked like a Ferarri but had the engine of a Pinto.  The cake was dry and the chocolate flavor was eerily similar to that of Hershey's syrup from a can (yea,not even squirt bottle).  It would hit your chocolate fix, but not entirely satisfy you.

 

 

Apple Tartan: now the open-faced Apple tartan was another story altogether.  The large pieces of caramelized apples were very sweet to the point that they reminded us of candied fruit, but the mild vanilla ice-cream that they served perfectly balanced the sweetness of the apples.  We also loved the texture of this treat.. not mushy, not crunchy, but just melt-in-your-mouth right!

Overall, our dinner was completely delicious and the desserts weren't far off from their savory counterparts. I'd highly recommend dining at Prado if you find yourself in the Larchmont area.

 

 

For more info on Prado, click here.

Check out Lynn's blog here!

Thanks Lynn for a Great Night!

 

Banana Creme Pie and Chocolate Panna Cotta at Dominick's Restaurant

Desserts at Dominick's Continued~

Banana Cream Pie:  Hmm, this petit, four-squared dessert was good, but left us wondering a little bit... where's the Banana Cream Pie?!  A small handful of the actual pie rested in a large pastry cup that sat in a pool of chocolate sauce.  We would have appreciated more banana cream pie, less filo dough cup. Three Cherries for this dessert.

Chocolate Panna Cotta with Caramel Sauce: Mmm, now this was more like it!  This thick, pudding-like dish was cool, chocolatey and delicious, especially with the caramel sauce touch. I'm beginning to think Chocolate and Caramel is almost as sweet a marriage as Butter and Sugar's!  4 Cherries for a solid Panna Cotta dish.

Over all, 4.5 Cherries to Dominick's for a wonderful evening with great desserts (let's not forget the 5 cherry Fritters)!

For more info on Dominick's, click here. 

 

Pumpkin Pie at Urth Cafe

Urth Cafe in West Hollywood is probably most famous for being the go-to hang-out spot for Vinny Chase and crew on "Entourage."  Known for its fresh organic menu and coffee, I was  bummed to discover that their pumpkin pie was just.. well, regular pumpkin pie... with bad crust at that.

The most appealing part of this dessert was the fresh whipped cream which had hints of custard in the flavor.  Had the crust not been chewy, bland dough, this slice might have had a shot at another cherry, but as it was, it earns three cherries for being a lovely, yet regular ol' slice of pumpkin pie.

 

 

  

Bountiful Desserts

We all know the Farmer's Market is great for fresh fruits and vegetables, but who knew I'd find the most amazing desserts amongst the rows of vegetation too?

Denise Assad of Bountiful Desserts has the most exciting stand with her array of freshly made treats that include her famous carrot cake (perfectly spiced), old-fashioned double chocolate layer cake (divine), Banana cream pie (so fresh you'd swear she has banana tree in her yard) and brownies so unbelievably out-of-this-world magnificent, that they earn the highest honor with the Golden Cherry (see below).  

When Denise lost her job as a designer, she used what money she had to sell her baked goods to the parents at her son's pre-school.  One year later, her desserts have become so popular that she now supports her child with the treats she makes from scratch, using her grandmother's tin recipe box.  What a sweet tale :) 

Chocolate-Caramel Brownie Puddle

 

OhmyGawd, this divine creation tangos with your tastebuds as it melts in your mouth. An outer shell of chocolate brownie envelopes a gooey, chewy, chunky center that's laced with a hint of salty-sweet caramel.  This caramel touch so enhances the experience, one learns cleary, it is the missing ingredient in other, more mundane cocoa bars. Not even my mom's brownies compare to this cosmic concoction (sorry Mom! Love you).

For more info on Bountiful Desserts click here.