However, what we tend to shout about less are the homegrown recipes we locals grew up with, the tastes that punctuate British cooking. While most visitors to London try to seek out a traditional fish and chips, English breakfast or Sunday Roast during their stay, one thing I think Britain does very well are desserts. And happily for Cheapos, these are almost always quite affordable!

Here’s a run down of my favorite desserts to look out for on any pub menu during your stay. I’m sure you won’t regret giving them a try.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The absolute dream dessert for anyone with an ultra sweet tooth, Sticky Toffee Pudding is about as traditional as it gets. Nobody is quite sure when the recipe was really invented, but some believe it is as early as the start of the 1900’s. The pudding itself is a lovely steamed sponge with a dark, toffee color due to presence of dates and black tea in the recipe. The sponge is topped with a thick, rich, warm toffee sauce.

It’s normally served with cream, custard or vanilla ice cream, all of which make a welcome addition when matched with the intense sweetness of the dessert. Your teeth will hate you for this one, but your stomach will love you!

Fruit crumble is a summertime staple. Photo: rukakuusamo

Fruit Crumble

A summer favorite, crumble has been a staple British dessert since the 1940’s and you’ll find it made with lots of different fruit combinations on dessert menus across London. Traditionally, a fruit crumble is made with stewed apples, blackberries, rhubarb and sometimes sharp gooseberries. The delicious sweetened stewed fruit mixture is then covered with a crunchy “crumble” topping of sugar, flour and butter. It’s best eaten hot with a dollop of cold vanilla ice cream.

A trifle is nothing to overlook. Photo: Brooke Raymond

Trifle

One of the oldest British desserts, and one that highlights the nation’s love of custard, Trifle has been a traditional sweet since the 1500’s. Trifle isn’t found as regularly as other desserts on restaurant menus and tends to be a more nostalgic dish that everybody’s mum “used to make.” If you do spot it being sold somewhere, then it’s well worth a try, or alternatively you can pick one up in supermarkets like Marks & Spencer for a few pounds.

The main ingredient is thick custard, which is layered with sweet sponge cake, fruit jelly, fresh strawberries or raspberries, cream and a bit of sherry to give it a kick.

Eton Mess is a popular sugary mix of goodness. Photo: Curns

Eton Mess

This simple summer dessert is said to have been invented at Eton College in the 1930’s. It’s a sugary mixture of crushed meringues, fresh chopped strawberries and whipped cream that continues to be a popular choice with Brits today.

Bread and Butter Pudding

Very English and ever traditional, while Bread and Butter Pudding may sound like a strange way to end a meal, it really is delicious, with a surprisingly delicate taste. This dessert has been a staple dish since the 1700s at least, and is made by layering buttered bread and raisins with cream or milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. The dish is baked in the oven so that it is crispy on top and and gloriously soft underneath. It’s normally served warm with ice cream.

Where to try them

Good pubs in London will always offer a wide selection of traditional desserts, so check out our post on the best pubs in London and traditional British restaurants for some ideas.

Other locales of note include London’s oldest restaurant, Rules in Covent Garden, where they serve up a mean Sticky Toffee Pudding, if not a little on the pricey side at £7.95. Canteen is also worth a look – this small chain has restaurants on the South Bank, Canary Wharf, Baker Street and Spitalfields, and specializes in reviving classic Brit dishes. The desserts are delicious and start from a more palatable £4.50 each.

Roast in Borough Market and Market in Camden Town also offer a mouthwatering selection of typical desserts starting from around £7 each.

Have a favorite British dessert?

Did we miss one of your favorite British desserts? Have a suggestion for a great place to try any of those listed? Share with us (please!) in our comments section below.

The post London: 5 classic British desserts found on most pub menus appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That’s why this week in Cheapoland our staff held a “cupcake taste-off” to suss out the very best in baked goodness (a tough job, we know).

Here’s how it worked: This Cheapo hot-footed it to three downtown cupcake purveyors and picked up two cupcakes at each: one red velvet to serve as the “control” cupcake, along with one other “unique” flavor. Back at the office, Team Cheapo—also known as Tom, Meredith, Pete and Kari—embarked on a blind tasting to analyze each shop for taste, texture, frosting, looks and variety.

Meet the Contestants

Though the West Village mainstay Magnolia Bakery helped to kick-start the cupcake craze with a cameo in Sex and the City, I left it out of this competition, partly based on personal preference (I find their frosting to be too sweet) and partly because the shop, while still within walking distance of the EuroCheapo offices, is in the opposite direction of the other contenders. That said, the “Mama” bakery’s influence can be felt in a couple of the bakeries you’re about to meet.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine
126 Rivington Street
Web site

The vibe: This cozy Lower East Side spot with the oh-so-adorable name is simple and unpretentious. Furnished with mismatched thrift store finds, including a comfy couch and armchair, it gets major points for setting a homey scene.

The Bakers and Baked Goods: Owner-bakers Debbie Weiner and Peggy Williams are long-time friends and Magnolia alums who set off to create a welcoming, yummy spot of their own. The shop is named for a cement etching they spotted one day while looking at bakery spaces.

Sugar Sweet serves up colorful cakes in fun flavors like pistachio, “Ooey Gooey” and “Lemon Yummy.” But, come summertime, their light, creamy strawberry-lemon trifle is the treat to beat.

The Cakes: Where other bakeries seem to gouge you, cupcakes here cost a Cheapo-friendly $1.75 each. Our tasters tried the Strawberry Cream Cheese, a new addition to the Sugar Sweet menu, and the “Sassy Red Velvet,” which is topped with “The Moose” frosting.

The Verdict: I’ll admit to some surprise that my stand-by bakery did not hold up in this particular competition. With a few exceptions, the tasting team was less than impressed with the Sugar Sweet cakes. The breakdown?

Looks: The Sugar Sweet cakes are unabashedly simple. Bakers here are not concerned with fancy, instead creating simple cupcakes with sunny sprinkles. While the strawberry cake was festive with its pink frosting and sprinkles, the red velvet, with its disheveled whipped frosting, left the team less than excited. (Meredith: “It has a kiddie lemonade stand look.”)

Cake: The strawberry cake came in last with just about everyone in the group, mostly based on its crumbly texture and mysterious flavor (both Tom and Meredith noted that they did not know it was strawberry until told). As for the red velvet, there were similar concerns, though Pete ranked that “giant, delicious sponge” his number two overall pick.

Frosting: The strawberry cake had an unremarkable frosting, neither terrible nor earth shattering. Feelings on the red velvet, however, were far more varied. We ladies found it to be overly sweet and not complementary to the cake, but Tom loved its “whipped, lighter than air” texture.

Overall: I’ll admit that I was a tad disappointed with the strawberry cake, especially given that I sometimes dream about the shop’s incredible lemon cupcake. As for the red velvet, the reviews were mixed, and surprisingly divided down a “battle of the sexes” line, with the gals unimpressed and the guys enjoying both cake and frosting. In all, the shop is sweet and its treats worth trying, provided, it seems, you choose correctly.

Looking into the Little Cupcake Bakeshop.

Little Cupcake Bakeshop
30 Prince Street
Web site

The Vibe: This may be the cutest little cupcake shop in New York. It’s both a blast from the past and a step into a big green future. The black-and-white floor, marble counter and retro clock contribute to a sweet, old-fashioned Americana vibe, but hidden out of sight are sundry modern eco-friendly additions.

The Bakers and Baked Goods: As though it couldn’t get any, um, sweeter, the LCB is owned and operated by three brothers from Brooklyn (they have another store in Bay Ridge), who pay special attention to making their colorful confections with local ingredients—including some that come directly from their own mother’s garden. They also work with local organizations to better the community.

The wide array of cupcakes here ranges from the traditional to the very unique, like the “Mott Street” (tiramisu inspired in a nod to the shop’s location in old Little Italy) and the “Coney Island” (infused with cotton candy flavor in tribute to the shop’s Brooklyn roots).

The Cakes: It seems you pay for the pretty here: $3 a cupcake. In addition to the red velvet, tasters tried the peanut butter, though the choices here are seemingly endless.

The Verdict: When it comes to atmosphere, this bakeshop takes the cake. But what of the cupcakes? The brothers get mega points for variety and creativity, but the cakes themselves were just sort of middle of the road. Here’s what our tasters had to say.

Looks: LCB does a great job with aesthetics, and these were probably the prettiest of the cakes, each with big dollops of frosting and festive garnishes.

Cake: In this category, the goods didn’t fare so well. Nearly all of our judges felt that both cakes were disappointingly dry.

Frosting: Everyone enjoyed the peanut butter flavor, which was yummy but not overpowering, but it was a mixed bag when it came to the red velvet’s cream cheese frosting. Half of us loved the rich buttery frosting, which Pete ranked numero uno because it “packed a punch,” but Meredith felt that the flavor overpowered.

Overall: For the most part, the two LCB cakes ranked among everyone’s second and third choices (out of six cakes). These are certainly not the best cupcakes when compared side by side, but I do say this bakery wins in terms of creativity, ambiance and overall mission. It’s the spot to go for a coffee and cupcake break during your travels.

Billy’s Bakery
268 Elizabeth Street
Web site

The Vibe: Nestled on pretty Elizabeth Street, literally a block from LCB, Billy’s is tiny and bright, with a cheery turquoise awning and two small tables. Where Sugar Sweet is homey and LCB old-fashioned, this shop wears its sleek modernity in its yellow lights and straight lines. It’s cute, but felt a bit less personal than the others.

The Bakers and Baked Goods: Another former Magnolia employee, Billy Reece branched out on his own in 2003 and now has three shop locations (the others are in Chelsea at 184 9th Avenue and in Tribeca at 75 Franklin Street).

It’s all about simplicity here: basic flavors topped with generous amounts of frosting with little in the way of adornment. As for variety, in addition to the usual chocolate and vanilla variations (and the now quite common red velvet), Billy’s offers banana and carrot cupcakes.

The judges hard at work.

The Cakes: Like LCB, the cakes here run $3 a pop. We tried red velvet and, for variety, banana.

The Verdict: Given its somewhat larger “chain” feel and its well-known history as a Magnolia offshoot, I must admit I hadn’t given Billy’s a ton of credit. But, while the bakery verged on “vanilla” in terms of atmosphere and flavors, its cakes edged out the others overall.

Looks: This is the one category where Billy’s did not really stand out. The cakes were simple and topped with silky smooth pillows of plain white frosting. They’re pretty, but more in a sophisticated sense than a fun “cupcake” sense.

Cake: With the exception of Pete, who said his was dry, all the judges ranked Billy’s red velvet as their first or second of the six, mostly for its consistency and, for Meredith, “a bit of a chocolatey touch.” The banana was also among the top-ranking for its moist cake that Tom likened to a banana bread texture. (Kari, though, did not like the “cakey” aftertaste.)

Frosting: Tom and Meredith both loved the “utltra-rich” banana frosting, but I found it to be on the over-sweet side. The red velvet again topped many of the frosting reviews, with Tom calling it a “buttery with more intense flavor” and Kari raving that the icing and cake “melt together.”

Overall: Though Billy’s seems to place stylish over whimsical when it comes to shop and actual cupcakes, in terms of taste it came out the winner, with both cupcakes taking first or second place for most of our judges.

We hated them.

The Final Verdict

Our elaborate testing mostly proved that everyone has different tastes. While Billy’s ranked highest overall, most enjoyed LCB’s frosting, and I still stand by Sugar Sweet’s other flavors.

In short, Cheapos, I suggest you administer our own test. And, since all three shops are within a 20-minute walk of each other, it would be quite easy to set up a little cupcake crawl.

If you choose to do so, also look out for the cupcake carts that sometimes hang around. There is often one in Washington Square Park (West 4th Street and Thompson Street) and I’ve also seen one on Broadway and Houston.

Also on the route is Baked by Melissa, a veritable hole in the wall at 529 Broadway (the opening is on Spring Street) that serves up teeny-tiny cupcake bites, in crazy flavors like “Smores” or “Cookies and Cream,” for $1 a pop.

Your favorite cake?

Do you have a favorite cupcake in the city? Tell us, Cheapos!

The post New York Bakeries: The great cupcake taste-off appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Appeltaart met slagroom
Typical price: €3.75

Apple pie with whipped cream will always be a soft spot for the Dutch. In cafes this pie is usually on display, letting all eyes marvel at its deep, staggering slices of apple cinnamon filling and towering, dense crust. It’s served cold or at room temperature, so add some whipped cream on the side and dive your dessert fork into a swirly dream of delight.

2. Stroopwafel
Typical price: €1 (at the market), €2.50 (grocery store)

Take a very thin waffle iron, cinnamon batter, remove from heat, pour thick stroop syrup over one waffle and press it against another hot waffle to make a soft and gooey syrup sandwich. That’s a stroopwaffle; and they’re to die for. Buy them warm and king-size at the outdoor markets or pre-packaged in the supermarket (which would make a great cheapo souvenir… if you can resist them!).

3. Poffertjes
Typical price: €2.50

Think warm, puffy pancakes the size of quarters, showered with a flurry of powder sugar and a drizzle of stroop syrup. Poffertjes are a good excuse for a sugary breakfast, but are also considered a cozy snack during the winter months. These silver-dollar cousins are served best with hot chocolate or spiced wine, especially after an afternoon spent ice skating.

4. Amandel koekie
Typical price: €1

Amandel koekie are little almond cakes easily finished in two or three bites. The cake is a cheap buy at the supermarket (usually located next to the stroopwafels), but are also available fresh out of the oven in the bakery section for about a euro. Just look for the golden cookie-shaped cake with a naked almond on top, and enjoy.

5. Peren ijs
Typical price: €.75

This pear-flavored Popsicle is a summer treat, a favorite among kids and perfect for cooling off at the beach. They’re cheap, not too sugary, and carry a light, natural taste. These sticks of soothing satisfaction can be picked up from most ice cream vendors, gas stations and beach snack shacks.

The post Amsterdam: 5 delicious Dutch desserts not to be missed appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

In New York, slinking into hermit-dom is not an option. Instead, this New Yorker’s winter survival guide involves lots of inside breaks. But one can only take so many cups of coffee before that jittery caffeine feeling sinks in, so why not mix it up with a little hot chocolate? I’m not talking a powdery packet of Swiss Miss (this is New York after all), but rather creamy, frothy and decadent, grown-up style hot chocolate. And here, because even this comforting cold weather favorite can get pricey (this is New York after all), a list of the best, and most affordable, cups of chocolately goodness in the city.

City Bakery
3 West 18th Street
Web site

Part cafeteria, part bakery, part café, this bustling New York mainstay pretty much does it all—and does it well. In terms of the treat in question, well, let’s just say hot chocolate has its very own month-long festival at City Bakery. Each February, the bakery takes its already gush-worthy hot chocolate (made from pure melted chocolate bars) to a whole new level, with daily-changing specialties like Tropical Hot Chocolate, Sunken Treasure Hot Chocolate and Bourbon Hot Chocolate (yes please!). At $5 per cup, this is the priciest pick of the list, but a hot chocolate with its own festival is well worth the splurge.

Shake Shack
Various locations: 11 Madison Avenue (Madison Square Park); 691 8th Avenue; 154 East 86th Street; 366 Columbus Avenue
Web site

It started as, literally, a shack in Madison Square Park, serving mouthwatering burgers and crazy-delicious ice cream treats called “concretes” to miles-long lines of enthusiasts. The shack now has multiple locations throughout the city, but that doesn’t make its take on American classics any less yummy. For those looking to swap an icey treat for something warmer, I’ve five words for you: Salted Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate. Oh yes, they went there. This decadent concoction is Shake Shack custard creamy, with a mix of sweet chocolate, sticky peanut butter and a dash of salt to round it all out. And only $3.75.

OTTO Enoteca Pizzeria
1 Fifth Avenue
Web site

Aroma hot chocolate

Mario Batali’s most casual—and affordable—outlet is one of this writer’s favorite restaurants in all of New York. Yet despite semi-regular visits to dip into the extensive wine list and indulge in fresh and creative pizzas and pastas, I had not, until writing this story, tasted the Gianduja Calda ($4.50), the pizzeria’s smooth, nutty hot chocolate made by melting milk and hazelnut chocolates into hazelnut-steeped milk. Imagine a piping hot cup of rich, melted Nutella.

The verdict: Molto bene! And a tip: While it’s perfectly acceptable to sidle up to the long marble bar and order a Gianduja, keep in mind that OTTO is a restaurant, not a café. Its roomy bar area is nightly packed with discerning foodies sipping wine, nibbling appetizers and awaiting tables, so get your hazelnut fix during the day.

Popbar
5 Carmine Street
Web site

This fun and funky dessert spot specializing in gelato-on-a-stick wins the award for “most fun hot chocolate.”  Here the sweet treat is partially DIY: You get a cup of steamed milk and a cube of Belgian chocolate on (you guessed it!) a stick for dipping. The starting price is $3.75 and if for some reason you need a second cube—or you simply can’t choose between dark chocolate and caramel—a second stick costs$2.50.

Aroma Espresso Bar
145 Greene Street
Web site

Israel’s most popular espresso bar chain can always be counted on for great coffee. This sunny location is, incidentally, a favorite EuroCheapo coffee purveyor, given its location just around the corner from our headquarters. Here at EC, we love Aroma’s fresh food, tasty coffee and the tiny chocolate bars that come with each cup. Which brings me to the subject at hand. Hot chocolate at Aroma is a simple but delicious affair, made by dropping a couple of the chains original chocolate into a cup of hot milk ($4).

The effect is a sort of layered drinking experience. First you encounter a sweet, cool dollop of whipped cream, topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar. Next you stir (this step is key), since the chocolate resides at the cup’s bottom. The drink itself is lighter and less rich than most of the New York hot chocolates, but still quite tasty. But the best comes last, in the form of the clumps of melted chocolate that remain at the bottom of the cup. A helpful hint: Don’t stir too thoroughly.

The post Warm up with New York’s best hot chocolate appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Oh, the weather in Paris has been frightful, but the city is still delightful. So crank up Tino Rossi’s classic “Petit Papa Nöel” on the gramophone, or pull on your boots and bravely hot step it outside. For your wandering pleasure, I’ve created a personal list of my favorite holiday rituals and fancy rites!

Lights

Inside Galeries Lafayette

I typically kick off my holiday season with a jaunt to the lights and “vitrines de Noël” (holiday windows) on Boulevard Haussmann. This year, Galeries Lafayette’s windows were outfitted by Italian artist (and master of the spectacle) Valerio Festi to celebrate the resonating, magical beauty of musicals like Hairspray, Le Soldat Rose, Les Rockettes and Mamma Mia.

Meanwhile at nearby Printemps (102 Rue de Provence), royals and marionettes romp and frolic in fantastical and giddy “Nöel au Chateau” tableaux by Lanvin’s artistic director, Alber Elbaz. A “B.F.F. of the Cheapos,” we have Monsieur Elbaz to thank for introducing an affordable Lanvin line to H&M this year. Ooh-Ra-Ra!

Also, let’s not forget the smaller shops! Often restaurants, pâtisseries, boutiques, and even pharmacies hire artists to create holiday murals. Shopping districts in every arrondissement are also gussied up with streetlights.

Cookies

During the holidays I carry at least one meringue cookie in my trench coat pocket or bag at all times. Sweet and crunchy, it’s the ultimate instant sugar rush, making the perfect portable snack. Yes, Goldilocks, size does matter, so go with a medium-sized cookie because the smaller ones are sometimes on the dry side, and the larger ones are occasionally too soft.

Clémentines à feuilles at Lafayette Gourmet

Also, while in nibble-mode, sample other types of cookies like jelly-filled powdered lunettes, rich and crispy florentines, and fleshy iconic macarons. Looking for a big cookie? Ask for a sandy and oh-so-buttery “sablé”!

Fruit

During the colder months, clémentines à feuilles (i.e., with green leaves still attached to show how fresh they are) reign at the produce stands in Paris. You’ll also be tempted by big, bright pyramids of citrons (lemons), cédrats (citrons), and pamplemousses (grapefruit), not to mention tangerines, limes, mandarines, and oranges.

Keep your eyes peeled for les figues violette (purple figs), poires (pears), pommes (apples), raisins (grapes) and caramboliers (star fish). Remember, the produce merchant is your friend and advisor, so don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations!

Chopin at the Musée de la Vie Romantique

Museum Houses

Musée de la Vie Romantique
16 Rue Chaptal (Métro Blanche)

In the quiet and quaint “Nouvelle Athènes” area around Métro Saint-George, you’ll find the Musée de la Vie Romantique. Formerly the home of painter Ary Scheffer, it now showcases works from the Romantic Movement in art and literature. Back in the day, this is where George Sand, Chopin, Delaxroix, Lizt, and Rossini would gather! Scheffer’s paintings are displayed the second floor, while his spunky neighbor George Sand’s art, personal artifacts (and her bling, too!) occupy the first floor. Pack a hankie because electric candlelight and piped-in Chopin gently lends it a truly romantic ambiance.

Hooked on houses? Check out still more amazing digs:

Musée du Gustave Moreau on 14 rue de La Rochefoucauld (Métro Trinité)

Jacquemart-Andre Museum on 158 Boulevard Haussmann (Métro Miromesnil)

Maison de Victor Hugo at 6 place des Vosges (Metro: Chemin-Vert or Saint-Paul)

Le Musée de la Poupée at Impasse Berthaud (Métro Rambuteau) The Doll Museum’s exhibition “Le Retour du Père Nöel” closes January 9.

Cinema 28

Movies

The sun sets early in winter, so why not cozy up with an old flick at the cinema? After seeing “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,” followed by Audrey Hepburn’s “Love in the Afternoon” one cold and wet New Year’s Day, this became my personal holiday tradition.

My favorite cinema is Studio 28 in Abbesses. Founded in 1928, it became world’s first avant-garde art theater after Salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel premiered one of the first surrealist films there: “L’Age d’Or.” Do look up. Jean Cocteau designed the theater chandeliers!

Also showing oldie-but-goodie American classics (which, by the way, the locals love) are the Action Ecoles at 23 rue des Ecoles (Métro Maubert-Mutualité or Jussieu), the Action Christine on 4 rue Christine (Métro Odéon or Saint-Michel), and the Grand Action at 5 rue des Ecoles (Métro Cardinal-Lemoine or Jussieu)—just to name a few.

Happy Holidays, Cheapos!

The post Paris Holiday Rituals: Lights, cookies, action! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It’s possible to take your treats away, or enjoy them in-house. The latter is an excellent idea as many of the sweet shops offer some of the city’s best atmospheres and in several cases a little piece of history with your cake.

The history of the cukrárna dates back to the first half of the 1770s when there were a number of coffee shops where it was possible to sit and enjoy cakes and other sweet goods. However, it wasn’t until the turn of the century and beginning of the 20th century when the true cukrárna made its mark on the Czech Republic.

Myšák cukrárna
Vodickova 710/31
Praha 1, Nové Mesto
Website

In 1910 František Myšák opened what would become one of the most popular establishments of the First Republic, the legendary Myšák cukrárna on Prague’s vibrant Vodickova street. The shop actually still exists today–a restored version–which just opened in 2008. Boasting a cubist façade, the interior was renovated to resemble the original version, with a modern twist.

Two years later, a coffee shop with a confectionary located in the cubist, House of the Black Madonna opened, followed by the Berger cukrárna, which, like Myšák, was also located on Vodickova street.

Erhartova Cukrárna
Milady Horákové 56
Praha 7
Web site

In 1937, another legendary First Republic sweet shop opened its doors: Erhartova Cukrárna. Like Myšak, it still exists today, having reopened it doors in 2007 to reveal a perhaps even more authentic version to the original. Besides its unique functionalist interior, the shop is known for the quality and attention to detail it puts into it sweets. I can attest. When I was there I had a piece of mascarpone cake, which I have not stopped thinking about ever since.

Svetozor
Vodickova 791/39
Praha 1, Nové Mesto
Web site

In the 1970’s, the first fruit cukrárna opened in Prague in an arcade just off, once again, Vodickova street (apparently a hot spot for sweet shops). Sharing the same name as the art house cinema that is next to it, Svetozor today sees people lining up in the summer for its fruit sorbet. Along with fruitcakes, cream-based cakes and other sweets, the shop’s completely glass outer wall offers the opportunity to indulge in people watching along with your sweet treat. Enjoy!

The post Prague: Legendary sweet shops for Bohemian treats appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Your fan,
Earl, New York, New York

DEAR Earl: As a lover of sweets, I don’t just nibble and tell, Sweet-tooth, I nibble and yell! So this week, let’s chat about JUST desserts. Here’s a Theadelectable list of my favorite pâtisseries and boulangeries in the City of de-Lights, created to set your taste buds and the (late) summer sun on fire!

Bow Wow Wow, Cheapos, who wants candy?

You better shop around

You’ll find pâtisseries on practically every block in the city, so keep your head and be selective. Feeling all Nancy Drew? I recommend starting your gastronomical quest with window shopping (or lèche-vitrine, “window licking”) because sometimes it is possible to judge a place er, window display. The goods are usually clearly marked with descriptions and prices. Have a question? Just ask. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a line snaking out the door. That’s always a good sign!

Try a little tenderness

Let them eat cake at Le Coquelicot

Receive service without a smile? It happens (though rarely), but don’t take it personally. Rude customer service is hardly limited to France. So if you run into it, either make your purchase anyway or just move on to the next shop. Sometimes, Cheapos, they’re not out to get you, they’re just not into you.

More often than not a wink, smile and a “bonjour” will break the ice. And please note: The places listed below have treated me like a queen for years. Kindness always wins my loyalty and hard-earned euros.

It’s no accident that macarons pop up a lot in this list—after all they’ve been a dessert staple in old Parigi ever since Catherine de Medici introduced them from Italy in the 16th century. Long live the queen!

Gérard Mulot
76 rue de la Seine, 5th Arrond. (Métro: Odéon)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 43 29 92 83
Web site
5 stars on the Theadelectable scale

Don’t miss the macarons, the petits fours and bright orange boxes Mulot packs them in! I have my friend Sandrine to thank for introducing me to this place. (Sandrine, by the way, taught Kirsten Dunst how to play the harp for the title role in Sofia Coppola’s film, “Marie Antoinette.” But I digress, royally …)

Macarons at Ladurée

Pâtisserie Arnaud Larher
53 Rue Caulaincourt, 18th Arrond. (Métro: Lamark-Caulaincourt)
Tel.: +33 (0)1 42 57 68 08
Web site
5 stars on the Theadelectable scale

Get your zoo on here with their fantastic animal-shaped chocolate sculptures (and the striped brown boxes they come in, recalling the bars of menagerie cages).

Ladurée
21 Rue Bonaparte, 6th Arrond. (Métro: St Germain-des-Prés)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 44 07 64 87
Web site
Encore, 5 stars!

Ladurée’s pastel-colored macarons (in beautifully illustrated boxes, this time) inspired the color scheme of the set in Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette.” These little cookies make cameo appearances throughout the movie.

Le Coquelicot (“The Poppy”)
24 rue des Abbesses, 18th Arrond. (Métro: Abbesses)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 46 06 18 77
Web site
Simply Theadelectable!

They raise the bar—with their lemon bars and other Antoinette-worthy petit fours! Champagne, anyone?

Léonidas Chocolatier
65 rue de Rennes, 6th Arrond. (Métro: Saint-Sulpice)
Tel.: +33 (0)1 42 22 00 52

18 rue Lepic, 18th Arrond. (Métro Pigalle)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 53 28 48 31
Web site
Five-o-rama!

More than famous for their sparkling (and tasty) Eiffel Tower sculptures, royal cameo candies and metallic covered chocolate hearts!

The post Paris: 5 pâtisseries to satisfy your sweet tooth appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

When I mean good, I mean places that use real hand-crafted ice-cream made with fresh fruits, fresh ingredients and real milk (not the artificial, powdered milk served up at so many bars and cafés in Venice).

So, together with my 13-year-old son (I needed an expert’s advice) and an American friend, I started a tour of gelaterias in the southern half of the city (we reserved the northern part and the center near San Marco for another ice cream treasure hunt). We walked around the Santa Lucia train station, then the area near the Ca’ Pesaro and the Natural History Museum, and then finally the area near Campo Santa Margherita.

Here are the best gelaterias we found:

Gelateria QB Quanto Basta
Lista di Spagna, 148
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

This place is run by Adriana, her husband and her two lovely daughters Elisa and Marta. It’s only a few minutes walk from the train station, on the busy Lista di Spagna. Born as an answer to the dozens of foreign take-away places which have sprouted in Venice in the last few years, the Gelateria QB has over 40 flavors of ice cream, which change daily, if not hourly.

A menu board at Gelateria San Stae

Prices are quite good, considering the central location, and the staff is extremely friendly. We tried out the chocolate and orange flavor, along with the toffee and chocolate chip varieties. Just one word: delicious. Some of the more exotic flavors on offer include: Kit Kat, watermelon, lime, pistachio, chocolate and chili.

Gelateria San Stae
Santa Croce 1910, Salizada San Stae
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Web site

Located between two of Venice’s nicest museums, the Ca’ Pesaro and the Museum of Natural History, the small but lovely Gelateria San Stae is run by Chiara. (It’s also only a few meters away from San Stae Vaporetto stop.) The Gelateria San Stae has been mentioned in various Venice guide books and it is well known by locals.

The gelato display is amazing, with big chunks of fruit, biscuits and chocolate everywhere. Prices are quite good and the flavors range from the usual to the extravagant, including prosecco, bussolà (a biscuit from Burano) and venexiana (candied fruit in a vanilla sauce). On Saturdays, Chiara holds “Nutella Day,” offering a whole menu made out of Nutella chocolate.

We tried the “Fruits of the Forest” flavor and we were not at all disappointed: It was one of the best fruit-flavored gelatos we have ever eaten.

Grom Gelateria

Gelateria Grom
Campo San Barnaba
Open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight
Web site

Grom is actually a very large chain of gelato shops found all over Italy, with locations in New York, Paris and Tokyo as well. We visited the shop in Campo San Barnaba, just a few meters away from Campo Santa Margherita.

Though Grom is known for using quality ingredients and strange flavors, we found the place a bit overpriced compared to the previous two. However, the selection of gelato is quite good and the flavors are tasty. Grom’s specialty is the granita siciliana (Sicilian slush) made with real lemons, strawberries or coffee. (The lemon granita is really, really good.)

Until next time, happy licking!

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Tips for finding good gelato

Gelato is one of Italy’s most famous exports, behind pizza and spaghetti, but you haven’t tasted anything until you’ve sampled the creamy, icy smooth, flavor-packed delight that is freshly made Italian gelato.

The key to choosing a good place to try gelato is to look for a few key characteristics. First, look for the phrase produzione propria, which means that the gelateria makes their own gelato from scratch. You’ll also often seen the English phrase “made on premises.” This guarantees fresh gelato made from fresh ingredients without any additives. Avoid any place with large mounds of decoratively displayed gelato. You never know how long that gelato has been sitting there!

It’s also not a bad rule to stick to gelaterias, which make only gelato, rather than buying it at a place that is also a bar or café.  And don’t forget keep an eye on the price! A medium cone should cost you between €2-2.50.

With these simple guidelines, you should have no trouble finding quality gelato to satisfy your sweet tooth. But just in case you don’t feel like running any risk of tasting any mediocre flavors, here are my personal favorites in Florence.

Perchè No
Via dei Tavolini, 19
Web site

This place is my favorite for many reasons. First of all, it’s one of the oldest gelaterias that I know of, founded in 1939 and extremely central, located right off of the main drag of Via Calzaiuoli. Aside from the quality of its gelato (made on the premises, of course), it also has good prices for the quantity that they give you.

Perchè No! uses all-natural ingredients, and it even offers a few soy options for vegan and lactose-intolerant gelato lovers. Don’t be afraid to try some of their less common offerings such as Fiordilatte con miele e sesame (Milk flavor with honey and sesame), Torta di Mele (Apple Pie) and Dolce di Latte (Dulce de Leche). Although tempting, the Green Tea flavor didn’t hit the spot for me!

Gelateria La Carraia
Piazza Nazario Sauro, 25

Cross over the Arno river on the Ponte La Carraia, and you’ll find yourself in front of another fantastic gelateria. Right on the corner after you cross the bridge, the Gelateria La Carraia treats your wallet well while keeping your stomach happy. Grab a cone of Ricotta e Pere (Pear and Ricotta) and head outside to munch away while enjoying the views of the river and of the Ponte Vecchio.

Gelateria de’ Neri
Via dei Neri, 20

Gelateria de’ Neri is another winner for its variety of flavors and the rich quality of the gelato. The prices are a little higher, but they’re not at all unreasonable. If you’re up for it, try the semifreddo, which is a mousse similar to gelato. The Millefoglie flavor of mousse comes with a large piece of puff pastry on top!

Finally, Gelateria dei Neri is open late—even in the winter—and it is a great place to stop on a walking tour, as it is located right between the Palazzo Vecchio and Santa Croce.

Vivoli
Via Isola delle Stinche, 7
Web site

Founded in 1930, Vivoli deserves a mention for being Florence’s most famous gelateria. While the quality of the gelato is good, the prices are quite high and the shop is quite dark and dingy. Make sure to pay at the register first, then bring your receipt to the counter to get your treat.

The best flavors here are the more traditional ones, such as pistachio and chocolate. Vivoli is near Santa Croce—but check your map, as the roads in this area are quite twisty and confusing!

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So, make sure your sweet tooth doesn’t go sour and check out four of Brussel’s best bet chocolate shops.

1) Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate
9, Rue de la Tete d’Or

Only a short distance from the Grand Place, the Brussel’s museum of chocolate will not only show you how chocolate is made, but teach you how to make some of your own. We’d opt for the demonstration titled, “How To Make a Praline” (everyday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)  It’s €5 to enter; €4 for students.

2) Planete Chocolat
24, Rue du Lombard

Sugar pies, ice cream, and hot chocolates in all flavors are made available at this chocolaterie. Take a tour of the museum first and learn the history and art of chocolate-making, followed by a tasting session. During the summer months, enjoy all your tasty treats outside on the terrace from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Contact the property for prices and tour availability.

3) Chocolaterie Duval
19, Rue des Chardons

Located only a stone’s throw away from Place Meiser, Chocolaterie Duval makes their own chocolate daily and personalizes it upon request too! The chocolaterie tour costs €3 per person, unless you want a guide (€40 and recommended for large groups). Workshops and specialty classes (like “Chocolate and Wine“) are also available.

4) Maison du Chocolat Artisanal
67, Rue Marche-aux-Herbes

Aiming to offer “the best chocolates from the master chocolate makers of Belgium,” Maison is just a short walk away from the Grand Place on a cute little street. The “House of Artful Chocolate” offers a cornucopia of Belgian goodies from pralines, to truffles, to marzipan.  A box of five chocolates will set you back €5 here, but it’s well worth it. Yum.

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