Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme introduces a Key lime doughnut. You want it!

There's something about Krispy Kreme doughnuts that incites near riots at generally civilized offices, schools, and church groups. 

While many people treat their work friends to  doughnuts (and we appreciate it, we do)... the mere sight of that green and white Krispy Kreme box is enough to set off a serious bout of pushing and shoving in anticipation of those warm, sugary substances that require no chewing because they simply melt in your mouth.

In a serious attempt to show South Florida some of the obsessive love we show it, Krispy Kreme has introduced a Key Lime Kreme variety to celebrate National Doughnut Day on June 1 and as part of the doughnut baker's 75th anniversary.

The Key Lime Kreme doughnut is a yeast doughnut filled with a blend of Key lime and original kreme, topped with white icing and graham cracker crumble.
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Courtesy photo

Demonstrating that baked goods can be nonpartisan or, perhaps more accurately, bipartisan, Cupcake Couture Sweet Boutique in Delray Beach this past weekend prepared special sweet treats for a second presidential hopeful in less than one week.

On Sunday, April 15, the boutique bakery created nearly 300 cupcakes for a fundraiser held in Palm Beach and attended by presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. The bakery also prepared cupcakes that were served to President Barack Obama during his Tuesday, April 10, visit to South Florida. (Read about the president's red velvet request here.) 

"We couldn't be more proud that we have been asked to be a part of both of these political events," said owner Pamela Joyner in an email to Clean Plate Charlie.

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The president's flavor of choice? Red velvet.

Cupcake Couture Sweet Boutique in Delray Beach scored a culinary coup this week when their sweet baked goods were served to President Barack Obama who spoke Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University as part of a visit to South Florida (view a slideshow of images here). The boutique bakery's cupcakes were served Tuesday at a private fundraiser for Obama: he had three such stops as part of his visit to South Florida.

The bakery got the call on Monday afternoon that a caterer they work with was in need of sugary treats for a private affair with Obama in attendance. On Tuesday morning, they baked 40 "vogue" cupcakes (muffin-sized) as well as 100 petite cupcakes in an assortment of flavors. The president's flavor of choice? Red velvet. Or in Cupcake Couture parlance, Red Valentino.

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Elite Cake Creations

Divorce cakes are a specialty at Elite Cake Creations.

​In Cuba in 1921, Beatriz Otero's ancestors founded a bakery called La Gran Via. It eventually grew to have 55 employees, five storefronts, and a dozen delivery trucks. But when Fidel Castro came to power, the family fled to Puerto Rico. The bakery was seized by the government and continues to operate under state control to this day, Otero says.

Otero's family opened another La Gran Via in Puerto Rico.  Otero was raised in the Dominican Republic but went to college at Florida International University, where she got a degree in business administration and marketing and wrote a thesis on the family bakery. Not long afterward, she opened Elite Cake Creations.More >>

joefoodie via Flickr Creative Commons

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In a region that is home to dozens of burger joints and seaside shacks, it was no easy task to narrow down the choice of best milk shake in South Florida. That being said, we've compiled a list of ten of the best spots to score a creamy, rich, and cold sugary treat in Broward and Palm Beach. As always, feel free to use the comments section to voice your agreement or to tell us who we should've included in our list.

1. Kilwin's

It's only natural that a store that devotes nearly every fiber of its being to the veneration of the cocoa bean would excel at providing a rich, creamy cocktail that's a veritable chocolate explosion. The double-chocolate shake at Kilwin's bypasses the half-assed -- and some would say, incorrect -- method of using vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. Instead, the shake is the straight-up good stuff: chocolate ice cream blended with chocolate syrup. Prepare to lose yourself in a cocoa-induced frenzy, followed by the subsequent crash. More >>

Paulaadamsmith via Flickr Creative Commons

Slice into mathematical deliciousness on Pi Day.

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How many shades of food coloring can fit in one cup?

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Joyosity via Flickr Creative Commons

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With a summer that lasts a good chunk of the year, the people of South Florida need -- make that deserve -- lots of options for cool, refreshing treats. While an ice cold beer does the trick nicely, sometimes you crave the innocence and nostalgia of an icy sweet treat. Here are five of the best cold treats in South Florida. As always, if you know of something great that we missed, please share in the comments. 

Rita's Ice

The velvety frozen custard at this candy-cane-striped franchise is among the more talked-about choices on the menu, particularly the classic, no-frills vanilla. Fans rave about the texture and a richness of flavor that is seldom found among iced treats born from a machine. But the vanilla custard isn't the only trick up this icy maiden's sleeve: The signature Italian ice is a classic go-to when the fires of the hottest, stickiest summers in South Florida ignite. More >>

​It's my least favorite Hallmark holiday coming up, also known as Valentine's Day. It is, however, a fantastic excuse for decadence of all forms, particularly chocolate and booze.

We'll start with chocolate, for which we'll turn to Chloe Doutre-Roussel, one of the world's chocolate experts and author of The Chocolate Connoisseur. She informs us that we egalitarian Americans and other English-speaking countries prefer milk chocolate, while France is a dark-chocolate nation. Dark chocolate must contain more than 43 percent cocoa solids.

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Keepingbeautiful.com

Haagen Daz is introducing four new ice creams.

​Ice cream giant Häagen-Dazs is announcing four new worldly flavors to its roster. The collection, called Global Creations, features ice creams made with globally sourced ingredients like coconut, vanilla bean, espresso, and imported cookies. 

Pints of the new flavors are being rolled out slowly, by region. So far, they're available in the Washington, D.C., area and are expected to make it to South Florida by spring. 

Häagen-Dazs stores in South Florida will have the new ice creams much sooner. Starting this week, Häagen-Dazs ice cream stores will introduce South Floridians to a new Global Creations sundae per week. 

The flavors are:
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