One-Bite Wonder Dessert - Miniature Whoopie Pies

Have you ever tried a whoppie pie when you were a kid? Some of you might be saying "What's a whoppie pie?" They are said to have originated on the East Coast years and years ago. The most common whoppie pie is two chocolate cakes (about 3 to 5 inches in diameter and two to three inches high) with a cream filling, usually made with Fluff (almost like a Suzi-Q...remember them?).

Anyway, I've heard around town a new version of the whoopie pie is making its way into Glen Ellyn. But these are not the kind of pies we ate when we were kids. These are gourmet whoopie pies, minature ones at that.

I've actually tasted several of them, and let me tell you...they are good. They are one-bite servings...very cute, about the size of a 50 cent piece and only about 1-inch high at most..and they come in a variety of flavors, such as chocoate with raspberry filling, banana with peanut butter filling, stawberry with fresh whipped cream filling and several more tantalizing flavors and fillings.

The gentleman who's making these desserts is a resident of Glen Ellyn and is trying to have some of the local merchants carry the little treats in their stores - as well as some of the restaurants. I've been telling my favorite stores to stock their shelves with these treats and to chefs to add them to their menu, because let me tell you that these treats are going to be very popular among adults and children. There great for a lite desserts with a mug of your favorite tea, coffee or cordial. The creator is thinking about calling them "Wonder Wops...the one-bite wonder dessert!"

Ask your local merchants on when they are going to stock their shelves or chef when they are going to start serving these wonderful desserts. They are definitely worth it! On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 is not good), I give these one-bite wonder whoopie pie desserts a 5! If you want a sample, send me an e-mail (glenellynfoodie@aol.com) and I'll this innovative pastry chef get some delivered to you. Happy Eating! Mr. Foodie

Cabernet & Company on Main St., Glen Ellyn

While Cabernet & Company doesn't serve food, they are best known for their wines. However, they also sell high-end beers, and I have tell you about a line of suds I discovered this past weekend--St. Peter's Brewery from the United Kingdom. This brewer offers beers and ales, fruit and spiced beers, organic ales, porters and stouts and seasonal beers (all $3.95, and well worth the price). I purchased the Old Style Porter (5.1% ABV), and wasn't disappointed. This fine beer is a blend of a mature old ale and a younger light beer--just as a true Porter should be. The marriage produces an extremely characterful brew, which is dark in color and complex in taste. it's recommended to serve the beer at room temperature, which I did, and the flavors really developed after the chill melted away. The bottles are eye-catching as well--they make me imagine something that I'd be served visiting a pub in the 18th century.

Here's how St. Peter's describes the beer on their site: "Our Beers are all 'real ales' and are brewed using the finest ingredients - local East Anglian malts and British hops. Our water is drawn from our own deep source within the chalk layer way below St. Peter’s Hall and is ideal for brewing. We brew 'traditional' beers - bitters, mild etc. - as well as some more unusual beers such as honey porter and fruit beer. Even these, however, are not really 'exotic' at all as it was common practice up to the Nineteenth Century to add fruits and honey to beers to create special seasonal brews. Thus blackcurrant and gooseberry beers would be brewed when soft fruits were readily available while at Christmas-time dried fruits, spices and orange peel would be added to create a special Christmas Ale. At St. Peter’s we aim to carry on traditional brewing practices but hope always to have something new and exciting for you to try."

Visit the brewer's Web site at www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk to read more about these fine offerings. For more information about Cabernet & Company, which also has locations in Naperville and Oak Park, visit www.cabernetco.com (434 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, 630/469-2644).

On a scale of 1 fork to 5 forks (1 fork is not good), I'd give these beers 5 forks. Happy Eating...er, Drinking this time! Mr. Foodie