Sweet Tooth Cupcakes

I know, I know, it's been a while. But we are BACK, so I will get on with it...

Recently I won a dozen cupcakes from Sweet Tooth, a local business that makes wonderful baked goods from an in-home kitchen. (So when they say that it is "home made," they mean it!) One of the wonderful things about Sweet Tooth is that they "specialize in sweets and treats for vegetarians, vegans, or people with allergies; Basically anyone who wants to have their cake..and eat it too!!!" I mean, how great is that. With food allergies becoming more prominent these days, it is nice to have options.

I got to choose my cupcakes from their selection on their FB page (go "Like" them while you are there) and I chose chocolate carob cupcakes with a chocolate/peanutbutter frosting. Delicious!

Not wanting to kill the diet, I shared these with my office and became an instant Rock Star! Check them out and get some sweets. Custom orders are available.

Dewey's Bakery: Anniversary Cake

My husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary yesterday. We married in an old Victorian house on 9th Avenue in Pensacola, FL just five days after he proposed. Needing a witness, Joe's grandfather stepped in as Maid of Honor and Best Man. We were young and excited to start a life together. Our families in North Carolina sent champagne and a box filled with something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a special penny for my shoe. It was a glorious November day in Pensacola, much like it was in Winston-Salem yesterday, with clear skies, and temperatures in the mid 60s. We went to the beach, enjoyed lunch and dinner at favorite restaurants, and spent the night at a local B&B as a gift from our families. It was the perfect, no-stress wedding day that we both remember fondly.

The one thing that was missing, however, was a wedding cake made by Dewey's Bakery. So many birthdays and celebrations in both of our lives included a Dewey's cake with white cake and white icing. There were local bakeries in the area, but none that could capture the flavor and the happy memories that Dewey's can with a simple cake and frosting. So this year, and every year since we have returned to Winston-Salem, we have celebrated with a Dewey's Anniversary cake. Thank you, Dewey's for being a part of our happy memories for so many years and the years to come.

Cake and All Things Yummy: White Chocolate Almond Cupcake

I had some shopping to do in Kernersville this weekend and passed an adorable storefront at the corner of N. Main Street and W. Mountain Street. The pink and brown awning caught my eye and when I saw the cakes in the window, I parked the car asap.

The bakery has a variety of  large cupcakes (about 50% larger than your traditional cupcake), mini cupcakes, cookies, and a variety of chocolates and truffles. They are also know for the specialty cakes and there were a few people there picking up their cake orders.

Like many other Americans, I have a  slight obsession with cupcakes. I would love to have my own shop one day but for now, I will enjoy the inspiration of others. There were several flavors to choose from and I chose the white chocolate almond cupcake with buttercream icing. The cake was dense, like a poundcake, and had a wonderful white chocolate flavor with a hint of almond. These are two ofmy favorite flavors and had never seen them in a cupcake. The buttercream icing was sweet and delicious, but not overpowering to take any of the limelight away from the cupcake itself.

If you find yourself in downtown Kernersville (or if you want to make a special trip for someamazing dessert), please stop in and try one of these delicious confections.

Cake and All Things Yummy can be found at 108 N Main St, Kernersville, NC

Midtown Cafe and Dessertery: Dinner and Dessert

We have been to Midtown Cafe and Dessertery many times for breakfast and dessert (not during the same visit), but thought that we would try it for dinner. Our eyes have never diverted from the breakfast menu so it we took a few extra minutes with the menu.

Our server, Jessica, was very helpful and helped me choose the Grilled Grouper Sandwich, which is covered with melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and homemade tarter sauce and served with house-cut fries. The grouper had great flavor and was tender.  The house-cut fries were cooked perfectly, lightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I am not sure what kind of oil they use but the flavor was excellent.

Joe enjoyed the the chicken quesadilla, which is one of the September specials. It had diced, grilled chicken with a mild Mexican spice, Monterrey jack cheese, fresh black beans and crisp white corn. The crunch from the corn and the fresh black beans gave the quesadilla a wonderful texture and crunch. A side of salsa gave it some extra spice and complimented the flavors.

I made the mistake of sitting on the side of the table that faced the chalkboard that listed all of the desserts. Cakes, pies, cookies...how was a girl to choose? Joe helped me decide on the German chocolate cake. Chocolate and coconut together is a wonderful combination. I'm not sure which German created this particular cake but danke schoen. The cake was moist and had a great cocoa flavor. The frosting was to die for, all coconuty and carmelly, and pieces of pecans. We made the right choice, but we will have to try the others on future visits...just to be sure.

151 S. Stratford Road

Stratford Village Shopping Center

Kernel Kustard: Lick the Bowl

The most amazing creation ever: Kernel Kustard's 'Lick the Bowl' Jumble. Vanilla kustard, brownie batter, chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cookie dough...need I say more?

--Sadie S.

Pulliam's BBQ: Wow

I am a Winston-Salem Local. I know the city well, and have been to each of its corners and all the places in between. I know about many of the "landmark" restaurants in town and would say that I have been to 90% of them. It's that other 10% that allows me to find a treasure like Pulliam's. There could have been 50 pictures in this post, amazing since the restaurant is only about 400 square feet. I am limited to my phone camera this week so I will eventually go back for more/better quality photos.

Doug G. sent me the e-mail about Pulliams and I added it to the blog, but for some reason I could not get this place out of my head. I LOVE a good hot dog and if there was a place that had amazing hot dogs in W-S, I was going. Doug was kind enough to make another trip and meet me at Pulliam's. Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Pulliam's, a tradition in Winston-Salem since 1910, yes 1910!!! I could not believe that this place had been here for 100 years and this is my first visit. I fell in love right away.

Part of Pulliam's success is that they keep it simple, local, and old school. There are two hot foods to choose from on the menu. Hot Dog or Barbecue. (No french fries, but an assortment of chips.) Dessert are B&H Pies, made by hand in W-S, and their drink assortment is the best around. They have your traditional drinks, but they also have a cooler of Nehi, Sundrop, Cheerwine, and RC cola. They are cold, in a bottle, and full of southern summer memories.

I ordered a hot dog, maybe two- I don't remember (ok, I DO remember both of them. Don't judge me), all the way (mustard, slaw, chili, onions), a chocolate B&H pie, and a diet Cheerwine (yeah, whatever, I like it) The hot dog is delicious, all the flavors melding together in every bite. There are bottles of Big Ed's Hot Sauce that is made in-house that are available if you like a little, or a lot of, heat. It's pretty darn tasty. If you have never had a B&H pie, they come in a variety of fruit flavors, and chocolate. Doug tried a peach pie for the first time and is now a fan.

While the menu may not have much of a variety, the customers are a diverse crowd. All collars are represented and chat it up at the counter inside. There are no tables at Pulliam's, you just belly up to the small counter and eat. There is one "table" outside that is completely recyclable. Pop a squat on a stump and enjoy the delicious meal. The environment inside could keep your eyes busy for an hour, but with only a camera phone this week, it just couldn't do it justice. One favorite item was a sign that was stitched in needle point, "If you can't enter with a smile, take one when you leave."  I did. :)

Pulliam's is near the Smith Reynolds Airport: 4358 Old Walkertown Rd, W-S 27105

Wolfies Gourmet Frozen Custard

.....and this is what we had after dinner. Can anyone say scrumptious?

Chelsee's: Mocha Chocolate Cake

OK, so the REAL reason that I got the catfish at Sweet Potatoes is because I wanted somthing light enought to save room for dessert! Chelsee's Coffee Shop is right next door and that means CAKE. Tonight I had my choice between Cookies and Cream, Hummingbird Cake (a cake made with pineapple, bananas, pecans, and cinnamon), Caramel Cake and Mocha Chocolate Cake.  It was a difficult choice but...I'm down with MCC, (yeah, you know me).

I think that the Mocha Chocolate Cake and I would be matched with one another if we were registered on Match.com or e-Harmony...for dessert. It has the characteristics that I look for in a dessert: comforting, sweet, nothing artificial, & chocolate and coffee. The icing on this cake absolutely melts in your mouth. It is the sweet kiss on your tongue after the hug of the chocolatey cake. This cake just might make you believe in love at first bite.

*A cup of Chelsee's coffee makes an excellent wingman.

Diamondback Grill: Salmon, PoBoy and BLgT

Last night Joe and I met our friend, Smitty, at Diamondback Grill to check out their new menu. Diamondback Grill is almost two restaurants in one, with a more casual bar area with several tables and TVs showing the local news or sporting event. The other side is more classic dining that gives you the feel of a more upscale restaurant. Both sides have the same menu, you just choose your dining experience.

Known for their wonderful Seafood dishes, Diamondback has many to choose from on their new menu. Smitty chose the Grilled Salmon, but made a couple of substitutions to meet his personal taste. Our waitress, Julie, was happy to assist him with possibilities and thier combined creation was a Grilled Norwegian Salmon served over grits, steamed spinich, grilled scallop & shallot thyme jam. There was a bit of jealousy from my side of the table. It looked amazing and Smitty confirmed and he cleaned his plate.

Joe had the Shrimp PoBoy from their new Sandwich Menu.  It is had flash-fried shrimp, served on a sourdough panini with shredded lettuce and homemade remoulade. The bread for the sandwich was great for a Po Boy, lightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The shrimp was lightly breaded which brought out the flavor of the shrimp (more shrimp are hidden under the baguette in the photo). On the side, Joe chose the black bean salad that came with multi-colored corn chips.

I had the BLgT sandwich made with applewood bacon, organic mixed greems, fried green tomatoes and buttermilk mayonnaise on panini. Again, the bread for the sandwich it fantastic. (I would like to have these at home for my own summer tomato sandwiches.) The bacon was meaty and was properly cooked. The fried green tomatoes were double stacked and made the sandwich a real meal. The french fries were a nice indugence, but many were left behind so I could eat more of the sandwich.

Summer time means desserts made with fresh fruits and Diamondback did not disappoint with this wild blueberry and cherry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. The three of us shared the dessert which was incredible. The fresh fruit, and crumb topping were warm and inviting and the vanilla ice cream cooled the fruit slightly so that you could enjoy every bite.


Another thing that I learned about Diamondback Grill is that they participate in the Slow Food Piedmont Triad. From the SFPT Website:

"Diamondback’s menu offers a variety of cuisine showcasing local and organic produce from Minglewood Farm, fresh seafood, and all natural grass fed Beef. Everything here is made from scratch. From our regular menu to our seasonal specials, we offer tasty and inventive, yet healthy food."

Simplyummy: Simply Delicious

We are doing our best to go outside our culinary comfort zone and try new local places. We both had Monday off because the Fourth of July fell on a Sunday. It was a beautiful day and a patio was a nice idea. Joe had never been to Simplyummy at Reynolda Village so that was our lunch destination.

Joe had the Humming Hippie, a wrap with roasted red pepper hummus, baby spinach, cucumber, tomato, red onion and shredded carrots. The wrap was fresh, light, and surprisingly filling.  For his side item, he chose the soup of the day (small upcharge) which was a chilled cucumber, avocado & dill soup. The flavor of the soup was quite delicious and had a nice spiciness to it.

I enjoyed the Village Gobbler, a in-house roasted turkey, havarti, tomato jam mayo, baby spinach and shredded carrots on toasted foccacia. I chose a side salad for my side (no upcharge) that was made of the vegetables my body craved. The in-house roasted turkey makes all the difference in this sandwich. It is truly like eating a sandwich on Thanksgiving day. I am also a fan of the foccacia that they use.

And then there were cookies...we had some friends who were bragging about the cookies at Simplyummy. They enjoyed them so much in fact, that even after eating a cookie at a grocery store two miles away, they remembered the deliciousness of the Simplyummy cookies, drove to Simplyummy, and consumed two additional cookies. We tried the chocolate chunk and the oatmeal cookie with butterscotch chips. Tasty cookie goodness and the size allowed half of each to make it home for a second treat.

Chelsee's: Coconut Heaven

A friend of mine was talking about the coconut cake at Chelsee's Coffee and More. I love coconut cake, but there is an art to it. The cake should be moist, dense and have a good flavor- similar to a pound cake. The frosting should not be too sweet because the coconut is the star of the show and should not be overpowered. You should be able to taste the time that went into carefully stacking and frosting each layer. And in that very first bite, you should taste the love. You can find this cake at Chelsees.

Caffe Prada: Gelato Goodness

Caffe Prada has wonderful gelato and is constantly trying new flavors. One of the newest frozen treats is their Tiramisu Gelato. A mild coffee flavor that is creamy and delicious. I decided to mix the Tiramisu with my favorite, chocolate. I chose the low-sugar chocolate because it does not taste low-sugar and I could stand to save a calorie when I can. (Who has the brilliant idea to start a food blog during bathingsuit season... um...yeah.) The combination of the two was heavenly. Perfect for when the temperatures are over 90 degrees for nine days in a row.

Willow's Bistro: Ribs, Banana Bread Pudding, Salad and Sandwiches

Great dinner at Willow's Bistro Winston-Salem tonight. Pork Ribs with wasabi sauce. However, the roasted corn with stalk added to the presentation and worth taking a picture.

Let's not forget polishing the Pork Ribs off at Willow's Bistro Winston-Salem with some Banana Bread Pudding which was quite tasty.

-Contributed by Smitty

More from Willow's:

A special birthday lunch for Sadie C. was a delicious success on the shaded patio of Willow's Bistro Winston-Salem today!

I enjoyed a delicious Grilled Saku Tuna & Pineapple Salad - and yesthe pineapple was also grilled - decadent with red curry and roasted mango vinaigrette!

-Contributed by Michelle S.

Sadie C. and Crystal N. both had the Bacon, Lettuce and Fried Green Tomato sandwiches. (Applewood-smoked bacon, goat cheese, balsamic sundried tomato aioli and lettuce on wheat berry bread.) One was served with french fries, the other with home made chips

-Contributed by Sadie C. and Crystal N.

Progressive Dinner: Mozelles, Bernardin's, and West End Cafe

When you start a food blog about eating out, you want to make sure that you have enough material to keep people reading and you want to showcase as many local restaurants as possible. Our friends MB and EB suggested a "progressive dinner" where we have one course at three different restaurants. They are also friends that are not afraid to "share" dishes so everyone can try what is on the table. Brilliant.

For this progressive dinner, we chose three restaurants that are within 200 feet of one another, in the West End area of Fourth Street.

Appetizers: Mozelle's Southern Bistro
We called ahead for a 7:30 reservation because we knew that there would be a wait on a Friday night. Mozelle's is one of those restaurants where it is hard to choose between the many choices on the menu. We chose four very different appetizers that were all delicious.

Top Left: Spring Vegetable Risotto: sweet peas, yellow zucchini, asparagus, shaved parmesan
Top Right: Fried Okra (Fried pickles was on the menu but okra was a substitution)
Bottom Left: Grilled Shrimp with fried Green Tomato
Bottom right: Southern Spring Rolls with pulled bbq, greens, shitake mushrooms, napa cabbage and three sauces.


The appetizers were delicious. The risotto (which was served with the Organic Chicken that I had as an entree last week) was cooked perfectly, again. The fact that they cooked the risotto perfectly during two visits, shows that they know what they are doing. The fried okra was a great substitute for fried pickles. Nice cornmeal breading gave this appetizer a nice crunch. The Fried Green tomato was cooked similarly, but topped with grilled shrimp, a sweet chow chow and garnished with a spicy red pepper coulis for that little "kick." The Southern Spring Rolls are a favorite of mine. Crispy and filled with sweet, smokey, and savory.


Our server, Tamara, was attentive and friendly. She suggested some nice summer wines and was knowledgeable about the menu. We were able to order, enjoy our appetizers and a bottle of wine, and pay our bill in forty-five minutes.


Entrees: Bernardins at the Zevely House
Bernardins is a new addition to the West End area of Fourth Street, having recently moved into the historic Zevely House. Joe and I had never been to their other location, so we were looking forward to trying something new; our friends had been to their Jonestown location in the past. We made a reservation for 8:15, requesting a table on their beautiful patio. (We were very thankful for a night with low-humidity.)


On to the food...

MB is a vegetarian but her choices were not limited on the Bernardin's menu. She chose the Goat Cheese Ravioli  prepared with fresh goat cheese, winter vegetables, with a truffle preserved Meyer lemon cream. The goat cheese was fresh and creamy, so perfect for a ravioli. Each of the The combination of flavors of the sauteed spinach, goat cheese, lemon, and fresh vegetables is magnificent. The portion is perfect for a pasta in a cream sauce, especially if you still have dessert on the agenda.

EB is not a vegetarian, and chose the Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon served with horseradish gnocchi, wild mushroom, wilted watercress, goat cheese. This is a hearty meal with a generous filet mignon and the gnocchi. Topping the steak with fresh, herbed goat cheese is just genius. The flavors in the cream sauce is a nice addition to the gnocchi, but adds a nice flavor to the steak if the two should run into each other on the plate. (Aren't you glad that there are photos so you don't have to imagine the goodness?)

I enjoyed the Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast that was served on a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with diced prosciutto, asparagus, caramelized pearl onions and topped thyme natural jus. Thinly sliced chicken with a brie filling that compliments the dish, rather than overwhelm the flavor of the chicken. The mashed potatoes were creamy and were enhanced by the natural juice. This is a comfort food where the different flavors of the chicken, vegetables, prosciutto, and potatoes work nicely together.

Joe ordered the Wasabi Mustard Crusted Ahi Tuna that is served over a soba noodle cake, baby Bok Choy, shitake, tahini sweet chili sauce. This dish is not only aesthetically stunning , but the taste is absolutely unbelieveable. Cooked medium-rare, the tuna was tender with a burst of flavor from the wasabi mustard crust and tahini sweet chili sauce. The soba noodles were tasty on their own, but made the texture of the dish interesting and savory. Simply put, Bernardin's puts the "Ahhh" in Ahi Tuna.


As may be expected, the service was very good with a delightful server and a manager stopping by the table to see if everything was satisfactory.


After finishing our meals, we had about 15 minutes to relax and finish our bottle of wine. We used this time to let our meals settle and enjoy some great conversation. We also noticed that the table next to us was taking pictures of their food with their camera phones. Awesome.


Dessert: West End Cafe
At 9:45 we walked into West End Cafe; they close at 10:00pm. We quickly explained to our server that we were only there for dessert and coffee, but he didn't seem phased by the time at all. (Very nice!)


We  chose West End for our dessert course because they are all homemade and they change everyday. The chalkboard reveals our choices for the evening: Chocolate layer cake, Mandarin Orange Cake, and Peanut Butter Cake. We decide to try one of each (as community service so that you, the readers, are able to experience the delicious dishes at these local treasures) of the cakes offered.

Coffee and cake arrived and after the required photo shoot of each plate, a battle of Dessert Twister broke out.  Independently, all of the cakes were SO good. However "the battle" also created some delicious combinations of cake and frosting.


We each had a favorite but it was close. The cake for each was moist and flavorful, but it was the frosting that was look-to-the-heavens-for-thanks good. Amazingly, there was very little left on each plate when the battle ended.


And so it ended. Three great courses, three great restaurants, four VERY full bellies. We were thankful for the walk home, although it wasn't quite long enough. I highly recommend a progressive dinner.

Dioli's Trattoria: Italian Comes Downtown

My friend, Dieter, and I joined another couple, the Bray's, at the new Dioli's Trattoria downtown for dinner. The patio was full, even though it was a hot, June evening; we dined inside where it was a little bit cooler and got to enjoy the dining room that has wonderful family photos adorning the walls, several small tables, and the buzz of happy diners.

One thing that I really liked about the wine menu is that all of the bottles, Italian wines, were the same price: $25. All wines were also available by the glass or carafe, another nice touch.

We stared with two appetizers, Calamari and Pancetta-wrapped cheese. The calamari was lightly breaded, which gave the tender pieces a nice crunch. The fresh marinara was delicious. The mild, salty flavor of the pancetta was a nice compliment to soft cheese inside. (Sadly, we dug in as soon as the appetizers as soon as they reached the table so there are no pictures. I will go back very soon to remedy this situation, however.)

For the second night in a row, with competely different diners, the women ordered identical entrees, as did the men.

The ladies enjoyed the stuffed porkloin which was butterflied and rolled with polenta and mushroom stuffing, then roasted and served with mixed vegetables. The pork was so tender, you could cut it with a fork. It was perfectly seasoned and the mixed vegetables were delicious in the light gravy topped the porkloin. This is a very generous portion and could easily be split if you want to enjoy an appetizer and dessert.

The gentleman had the veal picatta which were three veal scallops, breaded and sauteed with a lemon caper sauce. A side of linguini in a garlic cream sauce substituted for the mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. Both gentleman commented how delicious their meals were, which was evident when conversation slowed, ever-so-slightly, as we ate our entrees.



And then there was dessert. I am a lover of tiramisu and my friend agreed to share one with me. Our dinner companions ordered the same. Another waitress emerged from the kitchen with a tiramisu for the table next to us and I knew that I had made the right decision.  Our lovely server returned from the kitchen moments later to say that they just served the last tiramisu. My eyes immediately went to the next table where the couple eating the LAST tiramisu looked really, really happy. (Heavy sigh)

Our waitress recited the other choices available and Dieter and I decided to try the chocolate mousse torte. The Bray's chose a raspberry torte that they allowed us to sample and was quite delicious with a haint of almond in the pastry portion and a nice layer of raspberry puree at the bottom. (The picture that we took does not do it justice because I took the photo with my phone. I have learned that a proper camera is needed to take this photos and I will start carrying it around with me.) I will update with a much better photo, soon.)

The staff at Dioli's was very impressive for a restuarant that has only ben open for a couple of weeks. From the knowledgeable waitress, who helped us select a delicious red wine, to the bus boy who kept our table clear of clutter. The owners stopped by the table, which was a personal touch that we enjoyed. Dioli's is a welcome addition to Fourth Street and we look forward to our next visit.

Blue Ridge Ice Cream Blueberry Sorbet

This "phono-photo" of Blueberry Sorbet was on the Life in Forsyth Blog, and is being recycled here with Esbee's permission.

-Contributed by Lucy C. (via LIF blog)

Mozelle's: Two Dinners, Two Desserts

I went with some friends to Mozelle's for dinner tonight. It was 8pm on a Friday night and the place was packed. The sidewalk tables, covered patio, and inside tables were buzzing with happy diners.

Our waitress came to the table and told us the specials, which all sounded good. The guys ordered the special grouper, which came atop "red grits" made with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and red peppers then topped with a Chardonnay cream sauce and a side of okra. Both guys cleaned their plates and expressed how good the meal was, the "red grits" were the perfect compliment to the grouper. Highly recommended.

The girls both ordered the Organic chicken breast with spring vegetable risotto. The chicken was cooked perfectly with a light crunch of the skin, yet tender inside. The spring vegetable risotto was excellent. Cooking risotto properly is an art; slightly al dente with the yellow squash cooked to just the right tenderness in the cream sauce with a touch of broth.

I was dining with friends who share my love for dessert; these are my people. Of the several choices offered, we chose two desserts, to share, that were very different in composition but both had chocolate in common. The first was described as an Oreo cake, which our server said tasted exactly like an oreo cookie. Once we tasted it, we understood exactly what she meant. We thought there must have been some kind of magic involved, or the chef spent an hour scraping the filling out of a dozen or so oreos to make the filling for this cake. The cake was covered in oreo crumbs.

The second dessert was everyone's favorite. I kept expecting a fork fight to break out but everyone held their composure. (If I had been dining with my spouse, instead of friends, it would have been ON!) The flourless chocolate cake was dense but was not overwhelmingly rich. The dollop of whipped cream was enormous but the thing that impressed me the most was the number of whole raspberries. They were not just a garnish, but a very generous contribution to the dessert. Spectacular. Really.

-Contributed by Susan M.

New Town Bistro: Dessert Mini Goodness

These are dessert minis from New Town Bistro.

From left to right:

Reese's Peanut Butter Mini, Caramel Apple Cheesecake, and Strawberry Shortcake mini

These look amazing and look like they can satisfy anyone's sweet tooth without getting to carried away with a giant dessert.

-Contributed by Kyle A.

Dewey's Bakery: Birthday Cake

My birthday cake from Dewey's Bakery - chocolate cake with chocolate icing! What could be better?

-Contributed my Michelle S.