Looking to indulge your sweet tooth? There’s no shortage of gourmet confections here with which to treat your palate! Go on, it’s vacation – put a different sweet spot on each day’s itinerary.
It’s like stepping into grandma’s kitchen when you enter Two Fat Cats Bakery and smell the heady aroma of homemade baked goods. Critics have been raving, naming Two Fat Cats the "Best Bakery” (Boston Magazine) and a "Standout Bakery” (Food & Wine Magazine). So what is all the commotion about? It could be their pies filled with two pounds of fruit, their renowned New England whoopie pies, their variety of old fashioned cakes and cupcakes, or their daily items such as quick breads, muffins and cookies.
Karen and Carol, the imaginative bakers of Cranberry Island Kitchen, create whimsical handmade cookies and cakes inspired by the simple pleasures of the island home where they began baking homemade desserts 20 years ago. Word is quickly spreading about the creative duo who fashion baked goods from organic and local ingredients into shapes from the sea such as mussels, clams and their signature lobster-shaped shortbread cookies. They have been featured in Williams-Sonoma Magazine, the New York Times food section, and had their gourmet whoopie pies, filled with such flavors as espresso, peppermint, Chambord, and cointreau with orange zest, featured on Martha Stewart TV. The Kitchen’s treats are sold in shops from Kittery to Camden - look for their own retail store in Portland to open soon.
No trip to Greater Portland is complete without a stop to visit Lenny, the world’s only life-size chocolate moose, at Len Libby Chocolatier in Scarborough. For over 70 years, Len Libby has been known for its fine chocolate creations such as creamy peanut butter cups, chocolate covered s’mores, giant chocolate and caramel bear claws, chocolate moose pops, and much more. Tours are available to let you see what goes on behind the scenes to create such a chocolate extravaganza.
For a delectable and unusual treat, try the chocolate covered bacon and chocolate covered potato chips at Old Port Candy Co., in the heart of Portland’s Old Port. Or, for double the sweetness, try a chocolate covered Twinkie. Like malted milk balls? Try one in every flavor, from peanut butter and mint to vanilla and maple. Old Port Candy Co. also has old school candy favorites such as a wall of jelly bellies, bins of gummies, and homemade fudge! Candies are sold by weight, so you can mix and match to your heart’s content; bring your family, grab a bag and start scooping.
Chocolate has been made into a work of art at Sweet Marguerites where the Swoboda family of South Portland makes each batch of chocolate entirely by hand. Taking an artisan approach, their goal is to provide a sensual taste so good, you get bursts of flavor with every bite. Experimenting with Umami, the Japanese 5th taste, they have developed five savory and tangy flavors that offer chocolate lovers a delightful thrill. Sweet Marguerites creations are presented with such infinite care that they look almost too good to eat – but pick some up at Browne Trading Company or Whole Foods Market in Portland and savor the experience.
Donato and Mariagrazia loved Portland so much they pulled up stakes from Milan, Italy to set up shop on Fore Street. Gorgeous Gelato is made fresh on site every day with all natural and local ingredients. These fine ingredients, blended with some undisclosed trade secretes, make for a velevety texture and amazingly intense falvor. The brightly colored shop is a fun place to sit down to relax - you can even catch a glimpse of the lab through the glass wall - or, grab your treat to enjoy as you stroll through cobblestone streets. Either way, Gorgeous Gelate is a must-stop in the heart of the Old Port.
From their locations in Portland and Boothbay Harbor, Coastal Maine Popcorn Co. offers exceptional custom-made popcorn with flavors one couldn’t even imagine, such as cotton candy, black licorice and key lime pie! For those who are a little more traditional, they also have kettle corn, cheddar, and old-fashioned butter. Someone looking for a more savory selection can choose from an extensive array of innovative flavors. Have trouble making up your mind? They love to give free popcorn samples of their air-popped, crunchy goodness.
Located in Brunswick and the Portland Old Port, The Gelato Fiasco elevates ice cream to a whole new level, making their gelato and sorbet from scratch daily out of local Maine milk and the best ingredients available. Gelato Fiasco is served in many restaurants throughout Greater Portland and is available for home indulgence from gourmet retailers including Whole Foods Market. On any given day, you’ll discover nearly 30 flavors in their display case in their Brunswick store; stop in, mix and match your flavors, and walk away with an exquisite taste "inspired by Italy and perfected in Maine."