Okay, my official approval is officially recorded here.  Dark Belgian chocolate brownies and doughnuts still head my list of preferred goodies to co-mingle with my caffeine fix. Danishes are delish and will do in a pinch. Apple, lemon or pumpkin pies are a close second, but only if the pastry and fillings are made the way my Mom and Mom-in-Law, made them. They made the absolute best. But, whatever anyone else prefers, I believe desserts are getting a bum rap–yep, desserts deserve to be heard and seen. . .and eaten.  I’m speaking up for the real desserts.

What brought this on? Well, my fave coffee place ran out of desserts! What kind of caffeine-brewing place ever runs out of Danishes, doughnuts and brownies? Hoo-boy, this one did and not only that, the “vacancies” were filled with new tenants occupying their platters. Stuff like fat-free “Blueberry Bran Muffins,” “Whole Wheat Crackles” and “Oatmeal Quinoa” squares. Well okay, the squares did have cranberries and coconut. The muffins did have a cutesy-poo name like “Blue Mountain Muffins.” Carefully I scanned the display case again. Yep, no buttery croissants. No crisp flaky Danishes. Not even a light-as-air, puff pastry sausage roll. Don’t get me wrong. I have been known to eat the good-for-you goodies, but when you head out for a perfect cup of coffee, then it needs a delicious piece of pastry as its perfect mate.

“Hey, Stan. Where’s the good stuff? Still in your back room?” I asked.

“Too much fat and sugar, Toots. We gotta eat more healthy if we want to live longer.”

“Trust me, Stan. You will be losing a heck of a lot of clientele if you don’t bring back the sugar and fat. I like my sugar and fat—-in fact, I want your terrific coffee and all my fave desserts back.”

I figured, someone had to make a stand for desserts. The healthy ones are okay if you really, really need something to go with that great cup of java. However, the flipside is, if you don’t make a stand for all those delicious goodies made with real butter and  real sugar, then you’re going to be paying for more fat-free, sugarless, wholegrains, healthy stuff you can make and eat at home—free.  Pretty soon, fat-free sugarless goodies would be invading and taking over all the coffee bars in town. Desserts were definitely getting the bum’s rush out the door and no one was speaking up.

Well, I made my official stand for desserts–real desserts–with my caffeine fix. A week later, I stopped at Stan’s for my usual cup of his superb coffee and glanced at his showcase.

“Whoa, Stan! What happened? Your Danishes and Belgian chocolate brownies and croissants are back.”

“You were right, Toots. Not everyone wanted healthy. Apparently my place was their get-away from fat-free and sugarless. But, just in case, I have a few muffins for those who want healthy.”

“Stanley, you did the right thing,” I beamed at him. “I’ll have the cherry Danish and the brownie. It’s been a “dry” spell for your pastries and I’ll have to make up for lost time.”