Baking in the 'Burg

Lime Pistachio Squares

2014-03-11T19:04:00.001-04:00

It's been quite a while since I posted anything on this blog but I thought it might be time to start things up again.

While I can't guarantee that I'll manage to post nearly as frequently as I did once upon a time, it seems like as good a time as any to give it another shot. With the weather in Ottawa finally starting to improve, I'm feeling a little more motivated to do more than just hibernate on the couch watching every episode of Friday Night Lights.

So, inspired by Spring and the close proximity of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to start things off with a green(ish), spring-like dessert - Lime Pistachio Squares from my old standby Martha Stewart.

Lime Pistachio Squares
Recipe from Martha Stewart
Makes 16 to 25 squares

Crust

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of grated lime zest

Filling

2 large egg yolks
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch pan with parchment paper to keep the squares from sticking and to make it easier to get them out of the pan later on.

Grind up the pistachios in a food processor until they're close in size to the graham crumbs. Mix the nuts, crumbs, sugar, and zest in a bowl. Add the butter, mix until crumbly, and press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, and let cool for about half an hour before adding the filling.

To make the filling, whisk egg yolks, condensed milk, and lime juice until combined. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and spread evenly into the corners. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes until the filling is set.

Cool the squares in the pan on the counter for at least an hour and then cool in the fridge before cutting. Use a serrated knife to cut the squares and wipe with a damp paper towel between cuts if you're finding the knife is getting sticky.

These squares were delicious. A little tart from the lime and a little salty from the pistachios. The filling was nice and creamy and didn't firm up too much. They were also super easy to make.

One change I would make next time would be to skip the step of pushing the crust up the sides of the pan. The sides ended up too high for the amount of filling I had and, when I cut them, the crust just crumbled all over the filling making them less than attractive to look at. It also didn't help that I was way too impatient and tried to take them out of the pan after only about 20 minutes. I don't recommend it.

It's been so long since I've done this that I'm feeling a little lost for ideas. If you have any treats you'd like to see me make, leave me a comment below.

Wordless Wednesday: The Frosty Treat

2012-08-08T13:03:00.002-04:00

Combination Nutty Dip from the Frosty Treat in Kensington, PEI

iPhone photo, no filters

Wordless Wednesday: Beau's

2012-07-25T05:00:00.000-04:00

Beau's by candlelight at the Hintonburg Public House

iPhone photo, no filters

Review From the Road: Le Smoking Vallée

2012-07-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I was lucky enough to join one of my good friends for her birthday dinner at Le Smoking Vallée in Montreal. Not only was it a great celebration, the food and experience were pretty great as well.

Happy Birthday Kristen!

Smoking Vallée is in the south west part of Montreal on Notre-Dame Ouest. I'm not even sure how I'd classify the food other than to say it's delicious. They give a sample menu on their website but the individual dishes change depending which ingredients are in season.

Cod with lobster bisque, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, and morels ordered by the birthday girl

The atmosphere was great. Our reservation was for 9:00 on Saturday night and the place was packed. We were a large group and ended up sitting at a huge table with another small group at the end. It was actually nice to have some interaction with some of our fellow diners. The other factor influencing the atmosphere at this place is that it's a "bring your own" restaurant. They don't serve any alcohol so you're free to bring your own with you with no corkage fee to speak of. They'll open anything you need uncorked and they even provide ice buckets for your whites or bubbly.

Asparagus risotto with crispy pork belly

By far, the most ordered dish at our table was the risotto with asparagus, cheddar, and crispy pork belly. That's what I had and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was most impressed that they were able to produce that many portions of perfectly cooked risotto at the same time.

We were all enjoying our wine and were in no hurry to leave so it only made sense to order some dessert. Honestly, I can't actually remember what the other dessert options were but the strawberry shortcake was delicious. The base was almost a cross between a biscuit and cake so it wasn't too sweet but had a great texture. The crushed meringue on the top made for a really nice contrast in texture. I really enjoyed it.

Strawberry shortcake with crushed meringue

If you find yourself planning to eat dinner in this part of Montreal, and you're looking for a lively spot, I would highly recommend checking out this restaurant. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Wordless Wednesday: Le Glacier Bilboquet

2012-07-18T07:48:00.001-04:00

Cookie Dough from Le Bilboquet in Laval, QC

Raspberry Vanilla

iPhone photos with Instagram

Wordless Wednesday: Bluesfest

2012-07-11T04:00:00.000-04:00

A freshly squeezed lemonade to help cool off at Ottawa Bluesfest 2012

iPhone photo, no filters

Easy Chocolate Sauce

2012-07-09T04:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I had a friend over for an impromptu dinner in. I had some delicious ice cream in the freezer but felt like it needed a little something extra to make it even better.

I have memories of a simple, delicious chocolate sauce that I made once when I was younger. It was that perfect almost chewy consistency that a good fudge sauce has. Unfortunately, that cookbook is sitting at home on my mom's shelf so I don't have the recipe but the results of the one I found online were very similar. I had to work with what I had in the house to I stayed away from a lot of the recipes I found that called for cream and melted chocolate. This one is made up of ingredients I always have at home and it was so simple to make. Five minutes is all you need.

Chocolate Sauce

recipe slightly adapted from foodess
Makes about 1 cup

6 tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
splash of vanilla
pinch of salt

In a large microwave-safe bowl or large glass measuring cup (I used a 2 cup measure), combine sugar, cocoa and milk. Cook on high 2-3 minutes, until sugar dissolves and mixture boils.

You can see how far up the sides the mix went while it was boiling

Stir in the butter and cook on high 2-4 minutes more, watching closely and stirring every 30 seconds or so, until mixture thickens. Once it's reached your desired thickness stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. I wait for it to cool down but it would delicious served hot over ice cream or cake.

Nice and shiny

You can easily double the recipe (as it was originally provided on foodess). Just be warned that it will make a lot of sauce and you'll definitely need to use a large bowl or 4 to 6 cup measure if you're going to make it in the microwave to avoid a huge mess. It's amazing how much the mixture expands while it's cooking. I think I overcooked this batch a bit. When it cooled down it was really thick and sticky. I put it in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving and it was just fine.

This stuff would be delicious on top of just about anything but I opted to put it on my current favorite ice cream from President's Choice (at Loblaws or Superstore in Canada). The vanilla base is nice and creamy and, at $3 a container, you can't beat the price. This one seems to be pretty popular. I mean, who doesn't love chocolate and peanut butter? If you don't, I'm not sure we can be friends. It isn't always on the shelf so, if it appeals to you, I recommend you grab some when you see it.

What's your favorite ice cream topping?

Wordless Wednesday: Sangria

2012-07-04T10:38:00.000-04:00

Summery sangria at 10fourteen

iPhone photo with Instagram

Wordless Wednesday: Bridgehead Roastery

2012-06-27T04:00:00.000-04:00

The now open, but not quite finished, Bridgehead Roastery off Preston St in Ottawa

iPhone photo with Instagram

Strawberry Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt

2012-06-24T04:00:00.000-04:00

Continuing on the strawberry rhubarb theme of late, I recently tried my hand at strawberry rhubarb frozen yogurt. Unfortunately, the portion I reserved to take photos of didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped. Making this recipe taught me something very valuable - homemade frozen yogurt freezes into a completely solid mass if you leave it in the freezer for more than a couple of hours.

When the yogurt first came out of the ice cream maker, it was soft and delicious like the pineapple frozen yogurt I posted about a while ago. What I ended up being able to photograph was a portion that had been frozen overnight in a small plastic container. Hence, the less than traditional shape of my "scoop" of frozen yogurt.
Strawberry Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt

3/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup strawberry rhubarb compote
splash of vanilla

Mix all ingredients and make sure they're nice and cold before adding to the ice cream maker.

Churn in your prepared ice cream maker for 10 to 15 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency. If after churning for 15 minutes you find the yogurt is too soft for your liking, transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze for another hour or two until it firms up a bit.

If you have leftovers, my best suggestion would be to freeze them in popsicle molds or in single serve containers. The extra servings that I put in the freezer overnight froze so solid that even after 30 minutes out of the freezer, I couldn't get a spoon into it. However, I think the mix would make fantastic popsicles to be enjoyed on another day.

Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

2012-06-18T04:00:00.000-04:00

The latest and greatest addition to my rhubarb recipes - rhubarb baked oatmeal.

If you've read this blog at all, you've probably figured out that I really love rhubarb. I've been making the most of this rhubarb season. I've been making a lot of rhubarb compote and eating it for breakfast with Greek yogurt. I was looking for a new breakfast recipe to help shake things up through the rest of the season and came across a recipe for baked rhubarb oatmeal. I had most of the ingredients at home so I decided to give it a shot. Here's my adaptation of the recipe using what I had in the cupboards.

Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal
adapted from My Kitchen Addiction

1 cup milk
1/2 cup yogurt (Greek or regular)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup diced rhubarb

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in the rhubarb and pour into an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until dry on the surface and golden.

Before

After

I really, really like this recipe. It's a great grab and go breakfast option. I cut it up into six portions and wrapped each piece in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer. Then it's really easy to just throw one in my lunch bag and take it to work for breakfast. With a little bit of vanilla Greek yogurt on top I can almost convince myself I'm eating rhubarb crisp for breakfast instead of healthy oatmeal.

Do you have any healthier alternatives you make to trick yourself into thinking you're eating something decadent?

Must.Love.Cupcakes

2012-06-04T04:00:00.000-04:00

About six months ago I got a message from fellow food blogger and baker extraordinaire, Lynne Frappier, asking if I'd be interested in being involved in a TV project she was going to be working on. I wasn't entirely sure what I was signing up for but, of course, I said yes!

The project turned out to be Must.Love.Food., a cooking show with a twist. Lynne invited people to join her who are "known" for a dish. Some friends, some family, some professionals but the thing they all have in common is they love food. Most nearly as much as Lynne...if that's even possible.

I was invited to be part of the episode Must.Love.Cupcakes. Lynne was one of the judges at the Ottawa Cupcake Camp event I took part in. She wrote a lovely blog post about the event and my cupcakes. I left a comment on that post which led to Lynne and I connecting on Twitter and thus began our mutual admiration. It's certainly flattering when someone recognizes you for something you both really enjoy. I think we've really bonded over our Twitter discussions critiquing the Ottawa cupcake scene.

Anyway, on a Tuesday afternoon back in February we finally filmed my segment for the show in a beautiful house in Sandy Hill. Besides being terrified about trying to bake while being filmed and talking at the same time, I was nervous to meet Lynne. That's right - the two of us had never actually met in person until I showed up at the house that day. Such is the power of the internet and social media. You can feel you "know" someone even if you've never met.

Prepping for the show

Even though I was nervous, I thought the taping went really well. I decided to make my favorite basic chocolate buttermilk cupcake with fluffy vanilla frosting. Both are go-to recipes from Martha Stewart that I've posted about before. My experience with the recipes must have helped me because I got through both recipes without screwing anything up too majorly. I even managed to separate an egg without breaking the yolk. Success! Lynne and the crew from Rogers were really great and made me feel as comfortable as was possible for my first on camera performance.

Lynne, Ross, and Todd

Filming some extra footage of the finished product

A sampling of my cupcake paper collection

Lynne's chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and my chocolate buttermilk

I've really been enjoying the other episodes of the show. It's fun to watch. Lynne's got such a great rapport with all of her guests. Reruns of the cupcake episode of Must.Love.Food. will air on Rogers 22 in Ottawa this week on Monday at 3:30pm, Wednesday at 8:00am and 4:30pm, and Saturday at 1:00pm.

Thanks again to Lynne for inviting me to be a part of this great project!!!

Wordless Wednesday: The Merry Dairy

2012-05-30T04:00:00.000-04:00

First taste of frozen custard from The Merry Dairy in Hintonburg

iPhone photo, no filters

Rhubarb Infused Vodka

2012-05-28T04:00:00.000-04:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love rhubarb. I don't really know what it is about it but I crave it and look forward to Spring time and rhubarb season all year long. I've probably eaten rhubarb a hundred different ways but I've never had it into a drink before. That is until now. May I present to you - rhubarb vodka.

This was really inspired by an article I read on Serious Eats. It broke down the steps and basics of infusing your own spirits at home in a really comprehensive way specifying "soaking" times for different types of ingredients and suggesting some great sounding flavor combinations. I had rhubarb in the fridge and vodka on the shelf so it seemed like a no brainer.

Rhubarb Infused Vodka
inspired by Serious Eats - How to Infuse Spirits

1 cup rhubarb, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 cup vodka
1/2 vanilla bean, split

Wash, dry, and chop rhubarb. Place chopped rhubarb into a clean glass jar.

Cover with vodka. Seal with a lid and give it a shake. Store the jar in a cool, dark place and shake the mix around once a day.

On day 3 or 4, add the split vanilla bean to the mix. Let sit another 2 or 3 days until it tastes as rhubarby as you'd like it. The rhubarb will probably be looking pretty sad and pale at this point. Once it looks pale you're probably not going to get a whole lot more flavor out of it so there's no real point letting it sit around longer than necessary.

Strain the rhubarb mix through a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove the solids. Let the solids sit in the strainer for a little while to make sure you're getting out as much of the vodka as possible. I was surprised how little vodka was actually absorbed in the rhubarb. If food particles make it through the first straining, strain it a second time.

Pour the strained vodka back into a jar or other container and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to drink. Voila!

This stuff is quite good. It smells just like rhubarb. I've only tried this in one cocktail so far (but forgot to take a picture). I mixed a shot of rhubarb vodka with club soda, a little simple syrup, a few muddled strawberries, and a little squeeze of lime. It was good but I'd like to try it in some different ways to compare and contrast.

What kind of cocktail would you make with rhubarb vodka?

Wordless Wednesday: Bubbles with a View

2012-05-23T04:00:00.000-04:00

iPhone photo with Instagram

Chocolate Fudge Ice Pops

2012-05-21T18:34:00.000-04:00

Last week I came home from my grocery trip with an ice cream maker. This week I came home with ice pop molds. Sadly, I didn't really have any fruit or juice or typical ice pop fare hanging around to test them out. I came across this recipe on the Epicurious app and, since I did have all of the ingredients for these at home, this became my test batch.

I was a little skeptical that homemade chocolate fudge pops could be as delicious as the ones you buy. They certainly take more effort than pulling a box off the freezer shelf at the store but I think you'll agree they're worth the extra time and energy.

Chocolate Fudge Ice Pops
from Epicurious
makes five 4oz pops

2 cups low-fat milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons corn syrup
splash of vanilla

Heat milk, sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature and pour into molds.

Freeze overnight. When frozen, run the mold under hot water briefly to loosen the mold and enjoy!

These things are delicious. I was expecting them to be sweeter but they're really nice and rich and chocolately and have that slightly chewy Fudgesicle texture that I loved so much growing up. They will certainly be in constant rotation over the summer. I think there will be a lot of frozen treats in my house this summer given it's only May and the temperatures are already going to be in the mid to high 20s for at least the next to weeks.

I picked up the molds at the Superstore. Another great President's Choice product. I was drawn to these ones in particular because the individual pops are nice and big and look like a lot of the ones I've seen used in food magazines. I also like that, once they're frozen, you can remove the individual molds from the base so the pops take up less space in the freezer. The one thing I didn't consider was whether this set up was going to fit in my freezer. I had to move some things around but I made everything fit. I'm looking forward to making some more interesting recipes through the summer. Most will likely involve alcohol in some way, shape, or form.

What's your favorite frozen treat on a stick?

Wordless Wednesday: Spring has Sprung

2012-05-16T04:00:00.000-04:00

iPhone photo with Instagram

Pineapple Frozen Yogurt

2012-05-14T04:00:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I actually posted a recipe. I figured today was as good a day as any to get back on track. Although, admittedly, calling this a recipe is a bit of a stretch.

I got myself a new toy last week. I've been wanting to get an ice cream maker for a couple of years and I stumbled across one by President's Choice at the Superstore. At $30 the price was definitely right. I didn't feel like making dinner the other day so I threw this together instead of cooking. Frozen yogurt seemed like an acceptable dinner on a beautiful summer day.

Pineapple Frozen Yogurt
makes 1-2 servings

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Liberte)
2 or 3 tablespoons crushed pineapple (I used canned but you can use fresh if you have it)
sugar, to taste
splash of vanilla

Mix all ingredients and churn in your prepared ice cream maker for 10 to 15 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Like I said, not much of a recipe. I made a small batch since I was just making it for me but feel free to double or triple the batch up to whatever volume your ice cream maker will hold. Here are a few tips to ensure your success:

Make sure the bowl of the ice cream maker is totally frozen. Mine recommends 24 hours in the freezer before use.
Turn on the ice cream maker before adding the yogurt mixture. I failed to do this today and I ended up with a bit of a mess on my hands. The bowl is really, really cold and the yogurt starts to freeze immediately. I tried to put the paddle and lid on after adding the yogurt and I couldn't get the lid to lock into place because of all the frozen bits on the bottom.
DO NOT stop the the machine part way through and then try to start it up again. I also did that and ended up jamming the paddle when it got frozen to the sides.
Homemade frozen yogurt or ice cream is never going to get totally solid straight out of the machine so, if you want it a bit firmer than it is after it's churned, stick it in the freezer for an hour or so.

That's it! I'm sure there will be many more yogurt and ice cream posts through the summer as I experiment more with my new gadget.

Which flavors would you like to see me post about?

Wordless Wednesday: Schnipper's NYC

2012-05-09T04:00:00.000-04:00

Outdoor dinner in NYC at Schnipper's across from the Port Authority Station

iPhone photo with PicFrame

Review from the Road: Birreria

2012-05-07T04:00:00.000-04:00

As you could probably tell from the last couple of Wordless Wednesday posts, I spent a weekend in New York a few weeks ago with my friend Caroly. Over the weekend most of our dining choices were pretty standard New York fare. Bagels in Central Park, pizza in Little Italy, and cupcakes at Rockefeller Plaza. The one place we ended up splurging on a bit was Birreria (@EatalyBirreria) by Mario Batali and co.

Our last day in the city was a disgusting mess. It was cold, windy, and pouring rain. By the time we got to Eataly, we were ready to be out of the rain for awhile. We headed inside and I was kind of shocked by the crowds. This place is HUGE but it was packed. I guess we weren't the only ones who wanted to get in out of the rain. Eataly is essentially a food hall/market with a million different types of food - breads, pastries, pizza, pasta, produce, oils, etc, etc.

Soggy view of the Empire State Building from outside Eataly

After a little wandering we came across the entrance to Birreria in a back corner. We took the elevator up to the 14th floor and found ourselves in a surprisingly bright (and dry) roof top beer garden. The atmosphere was great. Really laid back but comfortable. The roof is kind of like a greenhouse and it's opened up when the weather is nice. I'd love to experience it like that. The restaurant is also a brewery. A feature that's never a bad thing.

Given the day we were having, we both started lunch with beer. Carolyn tried the Wanda one of the cask conditioned, house brewed beers. I tried an apricot IPA. I know, I'm weird. I like fruity beer.

DFH aprihop

Carolyn had the Bistecca con Salsa Verde (skirt steak with watercress, pickled maitakes and salsa verde).

I had the beer and apricot pork shoulder (beer-braised pork shoulder with celery, cucumber, persimmon with mustard vinaigrette). I also had a side of olive oil smashed potatoes. Those things were deadly delicious but, unfortunately, I forgot to snap a picture before they were devoured. Imagine a potato mashed with about half a cup of olive oil. Yum.

Carolyn was kind enough to share so I can confirm that both dishes were delicious. I have to say though, that plate contained the single best bite of pork I have ever experienced in my life. The outside was crispy and charred and the meat was moist and almost buttery. Even though it was a shoulder cut, there was very little of my serving that was sacrificed to fat or icky bits. I ordered the side thinking the main wouldn't be enough but it was a very generous portion. The service and staff were great too. We had a nice chat with our waiter. He'd just come back from Montreal and a visit to Au Pied du Cochon.

When I get back to NYC, I'd love to check this place out on a nice summer day when the roof is open and the sun can stream in. I think the experience would be just that much sweeter. All in all, if you're looking for a nice little spot to sit for a bit and enjoy some delicious food, I'd certainly recommend you check this place out. Even if you don't make it up to Birreria, the Eataly market is something to see.

Wordless Wednesday: Compost Cookie

2012-05-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

Enjoying a "compost" cookie from Momofuko Milk Bar in true New York style - on the subway platform

iPhone photo with Instagram

Wordless Wednesday: Magnolia Bakery

2012-04-25T10:33:00.000-04:00

Magnolia Bakery, NYC

Lemon cake with lemon filling and lemon meringue buttercream

iPhone, no filters

HostelBookers Backpackers Recipe Guide: Video

2012-04-23T19:15:00.003-04:00

You may remember a few months ago one of my recipes was voted to be part of the HostelBookers Backpackers Recipe Guide. As if that wasn't exciting enough, today I received this tweet...

The link went to a YouTube video and an instructional video showing how to make my recipe. I was so surprised and excited to see they did this. I couldn't help but share it with all of you so, here is the video for your viewing pleasure!

A copy of the complete 5 ingredient, 5 step Backpackers Recipe Guide can be found here.
May 10/12 - UPDATE: Thanks to HostelBookers for another post featuring this recipe and video. You can check it out on their site here.

Wordless Wednesday - 10fourteen

2012-04-11T04:00:00.000-04:00

Helping to finish off the last keg of Vanilla Porter for the season at 10fourteen

iPhone photo with Instagram

Bites from the 'Burg - Suzy Q Doughnuts

2012-04-09T04:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter (Monday)! I decided my co-workers probably wouldn't be too appreciative of a bunch of baking the day after Easter so, instead of making something new, I thought I'd tell you about one of my favorite places in my neighborhood - Suzy Q Doughnuts.

Sugar Munkki

Suzy Q's opened around the corner from me a little while ago in a little shack in a parking lot that used to house Hintonburger. Their doughnuts used to be sold at the Farmer's Market at Lansdowne Park but I never got a chance to try them there.

Thanks to the wonderful world of Twitter, the rumor of a doughnut place coming to the 'hood spread spread like wild fire. While I may not have met many of my neighbors in person, I'm in touch with quite a few of them through Twitter on a regular basis. We're a chatty bunch and, when it comes to rumors about food, they spread quickly. Once they opened, I think we were tweeting about them even more frequently. Within five minutes of their opening, pictures of these delicious beauties started making the rounds.

They may look familiar. I've posted quite a few of them as Wordless Wednesday posts.
I'm unsure whether to be proud of this or not, but I have been Suzy Q's all but one week since they've been open. That's how much I'm enjoying these doughnuts. I've been pretty restrained most weeks and limited myself to only one. I have also managed to be consistent in my efforts to take a picture of every single doughnut I've tried and have only repeated one flavor over all these weeks.

Choco Frito - chocolate glaze and caramelized corn chip

I can't remember the name of this lemon beauty but it was delish

Toasted Coconut and Salted Caramel

Lemon Raspberry White Chocolate and Chocolate Gravel Road

Half a dozen for sharing - Caramel Crunch, Blueberry, Salted Caramel, Margarita, Fruit Loop, and Spicy Chocolate

Spicy Pineapple

Chocolate Gravel Road - chocolate glaze with smoked almonds

I'm not sure what Suzy's secret is but the dough is consistently nice and fluffy and all you want in a doughnut. They're fried fresh throughout the day so you can often walk out with a warn doughnut in your hand. I think my favorites so far have been the Margarita, Spicy Pineapple, and the lemon curd.

My only disappointment is that I think some of the flavors could be kicked up a notch. If I'm eating something with lemon in the name, I want to know for sure it's lemon. Ditto for lime, blueberry, spice, etc. I am one of those people who doubles the favoring in a lot of recipes so it could just be my palate. Some people agree with me, some think they're perfect as is. Regardless, it's not going to stop me from going to test them out.

Suzy Q's is open Thursday to Sunday from 9 am until at least 5 pm and then until they run out. $2 for a single and $10 for half a dozen. Check them out!

What's your favorite kind of doughnut?