I’ve been on a bit of a pancake kick lately. Typically my increase in pancake consumption coincides with the end of strawberry season (and, with it, crepe-making season). Luckily, there are lots of places to satisfy cravings for pancakes in San Diego, including the circus-big banana chocolate ‘cakes at The Tractor Room, blueberry and lemon-curd topped ricotta pancakes at Whisknladle, and Snooze, which has nine different options, ranging from “plain ol’ buttermilk” to red velvet.
Sometimes whether or not you’ll try something new is a foregone conclusion. When I saw a new product at Trader Joe’s called “Cookie Butter”, before I even read the label, I knew it was going home with me. Described as “a deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits,” The main ingredient in the spread is crushed speculoos, which, according to Wikipedia, are “a type of shortcrust biscuit, traditionally baked for consumption on just or before St Nicholas’ feast in the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France.”
Awhile back, I faced a very exciting challenge: find the best exotic cookies in San Diego. The discoveries became part of “Cookie Crazed” a 1-page spread in San Diego Magazine. Click through to read more, and find out the best spots to stock your cookie jar.
Quick: name a great spot for pie other than Julian. Stumped? I was too, until I turned to some fellow bloggers for suggestions for a San Diego Magazine dining opener. Click through to read all about the best apple pie in San Diego.
Bananas and chocolate are a natural pairing, whether you add a few handfuls of chocolate chips to your banana bread or a thick layer of Nutella and some banana slices to a crepe. The combination also works when cooked into a pancake, but few are as expertly executed as the circus-big banana chocolate pancake at The Tractor Room in Hillcrest.
As a transplanted Canadian, I take my doughnuts very seriously. On a weekly basis, I pine for the deep-fried dough of my homeland: Honey Dip, Marble, and Sour Cream Glazed doughnuts from Tim Hortons, washed down with a frosty Iced Capp. And though the food scene in Southern California does have its advantages, when it comes to doughnuts, the options are severely lacking. Though my better judgment advised against it, my crippling doughnut cravings (and curiosity) drove me to try 7-Eleven’s 2 for $1 Glazed Doughnut deal. At best, I’d discover a reasonable replacement for my beloved Timmy’s, and at worst, I’d be out a buck.
Good ice cream comes down to a few factors: lots of fat, and as little air as possible. Premium ice cream has about 10-15% fat, while Lappert’s has 16-18% fat. Sure, this makes the final product more calorie rich, but if you’re already making the drive out to Poway, you might as well indulge.
One of my favorite things about San Diego (aside from the palm trees, beaches, and cheap Mexican food) is its proximity to San Francisco. Hop in a plane and you can be there in about 2 hours (including baggage pick-up and BART). On a recent four-day binge vacation full of discovery, eating, and lots of walking up hills we sampled some truly spectacular sweets. Here are some of my favorites:
Brunch is a great time to visit Whisknladle, for several reasons: the coffee is free (though dangerously close to the baked goods, which’ll cost ya), parking is no problem (unless I just got especially lucky), and the pancakes are killer.
One of my favorite perks about my gig at San Diego Magazine is the opportunity to try new restaurants and indulge in sweets. At a recent photo shoot for the Cookie Crazed page in the October issue, several of the bakers who had cookies featured sent over a box full of different flavors, which meant there was a whole lot of taste testing to do.
One such baker was Kuba Kreations, whose top three flavors inspired this Cookie Poll. Recently, I had the good fortune of having a second box of cookies from Erin, the baker behind the cookies, fall into my lap. Along with the tasty lemon lavender cookies, there were some new flavors, the best of which were Chocolate Fleur de Sel and Pina Colada.