Sweets for Your Sweet

Ann McDermitt - Atlanta
February 7, 2012

The South is known for its decadent desserts and flavorful history, and a recommendation from a friend is more trusted than any written review. Your taste buds will thank you for exploring these treats, recommended by your friends here at Savvy. No sense eating mass-produced candy when the best of ingredients and skill are only a short drive away to savor. Ready to do some reconnaissance work and due diligence before the holidays?

Chamberlain's Chocolate Factory in Norcross is a classic sweet shop that is also equipped to host parties and tours for all ages. Known for their custom work, you can find or create a personalized gift that is meaningful and delicious. On the Northside, Chocolate Jewels is a classic chocolate shop in the Marietta/East Cobb area with additional southern favorites like pralines and Divinity.

Bakeries build their reputation by word-of-mouth. Everyone has their opinion of the bakery which can not only be trusted to deliver the perfect looking cake design, but make it taste moist and memorable. In Alpharetta, the Alpine Bakery and Trattoria has garnered a reputation for the Best Cakes and this recommendation was celebrated in Southern Living's article about "The South's Best Bakeries," January 2012 issue. Gorgeous eye-catching creations and fresh fillings make the flavor combinations sing in your mouth. In Roswell, Cakes by Darcy, can created imaginative and original designs including sculptured items which make you smile. Darcy was trained in the famous Chicago bakeries of Bennison and Tag's Bakery and has added her own creative touch to each custom order for wedding cakes, corporate celebrations, and family fests.

Not far down the road in Woodstock, the Best Dang Bakery Around has quite a reputation. Not only do they have custom cakes and baked items, but a lunch is offered Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am until 2:00pm featuring handmade items such as perogies and pepperoni rolls. "Express Meals" are offered as take homes on a busy day and a homemade doggie biscuit can be selected for your canine kid. 

Two additional don't miss shops on the north side include 82-year-old Rhodes Family Bakery on Holcomb Bridge in Roswell and The Pie Hole hidden off of Canton Street in quaint downtown Roswell. Fruit-filled and mounded apple pies, strawberry rhubarb, and classics such as chocolate chess and buttermilk pies literally disappear by the day's end. Chicken and beef pot pies are the perfect excuse to eat dinner and then dessert in one bakery. For Valentine's day you can order chocolate chess pie in a keepsake heart dish to share with your sweetheart. 

Inside the Perimeter there is the classic Piece of Cake bakery which offers beautiful layer cakes and other baked goods to order. The simple pound cake with caramel may just be Heaven. They don't do custom decorating, but their items are packaged in a lovely manner. There are several locations in the Atlanta area. 

The Little Tart Bakeshop locations are normally within farmer's markets such as Grant Park, Emory, Decatur, and East Atlanta. Recently this popular vendor has created a more permanent location within The Jane with Octane Coffee on Memorial Drive. Not only does the bakeshop offer sweets, but savory lunchtime items are available made with only local and seasonal ingredients. Popular sweet and savory items include pieces such as the Pine Street Market sausage, ricotta, and kale turnovers, almond croissants, blueberry frangipane tar, and the chocolate caramel tart.

Sweet Cheats is a new addition to the Historic Cabbagetown area. Using the "if you are going to cheat, it better be worth it!" mantra, the owner, set about to create cravable items for even the most fitness conscious. The idea being that high quality ingredients and full flavor combinations make a satisfying treat on occasion. A special Valentine's collection is available for purchase as well as chocolate covered strawberries which would bring a smile to the recipient's face.

Up in the north west corner of Atlanta off of Howell Mill Road, there is a unique supplier of handmade chocolate bars named Sugar-Coated Radical. Flavors such as the cumin spiced pecan bar and the smoked sea salt-almond-milk bar line the shelves, and individual chocolates and caramels like vanilla black lava salt caramel set this purveyor apart.

Not to miss! A unique dessert event concept which was created in Atlanta by Shameeka Ayers, The Broke Socialite, is the gathering of all things sweet and delectable for a Sugar Coma Festival. Some of the area's best pastry chefs, bakers, and confectionary artists bring their most beautiful and delicious items to share with a lively crowd of admirers. In this party atmosphere, generous servings of items are given to those interested, photobooth captures and general happiness allow the ticket holders to enjoy the sweet overload by trying the select collection of sweets available.