5 Great Reasons to Gain Five Pounds in St. Augustine

One of the reasons that the hub and I wanted to move to St. Augustine is because we loved the idea of being able to walk to dinner, and to the bank, and the post office, and pretty much anywhere we'd want to go.

I'm a big fan of the walkable town. When you walk you get a chance to really see the details of a place (and the Ancient City has plenty of details to share). You connect with other people. And you can eat dessert every night without feeling guilty at all.

Even if you aren't burning off calories like an incinerator during the day, there are plenty of reasons to have dessert in St. Augustine. Here are five of them:

1.The key lime cheesecake at Creekside (photo at left).  Even our waitress admitted that she had it every time they put it on the menu. If I worked there, I would force them to make this dessert every single night.

2. Pastries at the Bunnery. My mother-in-law discovered this place., so I want to give her the credit. Last time she was here, she bought a whole box of little delicious fruit and chocolate thingies. Every time I tried one (and I tried several), I thought it was the best.pastry.ever.

3. Chocolate and caramel covered rice crispie bars at Kilwin's. I know it's a simple dessert...heck, my five year old nephew could make it (if I made sure that the entire kitchen--and Jack--were completely covered in plastic wrap first....because There Would be a Mess). But it was the very first dessert that the hub and I enjoyed in St. Augustine--years ago--and it still has a soft, sweet spot in our heart.

4. The bread pudding at The Raintree (left). Now, people can get pretty darn territorial when it comes to bread pudding. There are contests, and smack talk, and occasionally a duel (well, maybe that last part is a little exaggerated). But the best bread pudding is exaggerated...it should be the richest, densest, craziest dessert on the menu. And it should come with a bourbon sauce, which it does at the Raintree.

5. Heloisa's rum cake at the Bayfront Marin House. Now, you're going to think I'm biased...and I am. But not the way you think I am. I *hate* rum. I have ever since high school, when I poured out half a can of diet coke and refilled it with rum then threw it back like a cowboy in 1867. You can imagine how the evening ended. Anyway, suffice it to say I don't like rum. And yet, despite the bad memories, I ADORE Heloisa's rum cake. Our guests have literally taken a small bite in an absent-minded way, only to exclaim crazily "OH MY GOD THIS IS GOOD!!!" And then they take a huge bite. And then a second piece, to take upstairs for later. And then they ask for the recipe. Honestly. It's That Good.

And if you're good, netties, I'll print the recipe here later this month. Consider it my gift to you.

That, along with the gift of a couple of pounds on the ol' scale. Trust me; it's worth it.