Oreo and peppermint frappe

For those who aren't from the Boston area, I should mention that what the rest of the U.S. calls a milkshake, we call a frappe. (Here, a milkshake is milk and syrup, blended or shaken until frothy.)

Anyway, at the local ice cream shop, Colleen's, they have Brigham's ice cream (a local brand that's quite good for packaged ice cream). Two of my favorite flavors are Oreo and Peppermint Stick. Since chocolate and peppermint go together nicely, I decided one day to try the two flavors together in a frappe. Since then, if I'm at Colleen's and in the mood for a frappe, it's the one I always order. Rich, creamy, chocolaty-minty goodness that you can drink with a straw (though sometimes chunks of Oreo block it up). Summertime refreshment at its best.

Black-and-whites at Lyndell's

Lyndell's Bakery, a rare local "standard" bakery in nearby Somerville, has some of the best cupcakes and black-and-whites around. Their version of the black-and-white is basically a flattened cupcake with yellow cake and half white frosting, half chocolate. I actually prefer the variety that is all white, as I've always objected to mixing non-chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and vice versa. In any case, though, Lyndell's products are excellent. The frosting is satisfyingly sweet, without the over-rich fattiness found at some bakeries. The cake is moist but not too dense. And, unlike the cupcakes, the black-and-whites (and all-whites) are flat enough to fit in your mouth. :)

Molten Chocolate at Finale

It's hard to believe I've had The Dessert Blog for so long and haven't yet mentioned Finale. For those not in the Boston area, Finale is a dessert restaurant with a few locations in and around the city. It's very high end, with $10 "plated desserts" and a large selection of dessert wines, dessert martinis, etc. There are also a few appetizers and such, in case you're too hungry for just a dessert, but really the focus is on the sweets.

Last night, I went there with my wife and a couple friends, and I ordered one of my favorites: Molten Chocolate. I've seen (and tasted) this basic idea of a chocolate cake with a warm liquid/gooey chocolate center in many restaurants, but this is by far the best version I've had. High quality chocolate, exactly the right consistency inside and out, a Valhrona chocolate sauce, and a small but high-quality scoop of gelato (coffee by default, but I substituted vanilla). Combine that with a nice glass of sherry, and you really have yourself a treat. A treat that costs $20+, mind you, but a treat nonetheless.