Life Really Is Sweet at Sugarland

Do you ever get a nighttime craving for something sweet and delicious, despite your mother's advice not to eat too close to bedtime? I do..like every night, and last night was no exception when I was dragged (kicking and screaming, mom I swear..)to Sugarland Bakery location in Raleigh's Cameron Village. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, Sugarland is open at the prime sweets craving times of 10p.m. on week nights and till midnight on the weekends. Sugarland has already graced Chapel Hill with a location, and not to be outdone Raleigh now has it's very own. Now I like cupcakes alright, but honestly they are more pleasing to my eye than my pallette. The whole bakery case was indeed a treat for the eyes. The shelves held beautiful cupcakes that were little works of art, with flavors like Grasshopper and Boston Cream Pie. (Half price cupcakes on Tuesdays!) What Sugarland holds for me is GELATO. I've spent some time eating my way around Italy and gelato alone could probably account for a good five pounds of weight gain (it would probably have been more except that to eat my way through Italy I also had to do quite a bit of walking.) So you may wonder what the difference is between American style ice cream and GELATO. Gelato is more dense than ice cream with less air making it richer and is served at a slightly higher temperature than icecream, making the flavors more intense. I haven't yet figured out whether this means gelato is less likely to give you a brain freeze.. Miraculously gelato has less fat and calories than traditional ice cream, with 90- 160 calories a cup what's not to love? The rotating gelato flavors available at Sugarland range from classics like cappachino or pistachio to flavors more decidedly influenced by our side of the Atlantic like margarita, dulce de leche, or the cinnamon spiked Mexican chocolate. After some ample sampling, I think the Tiramasu may have been my favorite of flavors. Now here is the real kicker, they make frozen martinis from liquor and their fabulous homemade gelatos! I was also pulled in to try the Kentucky Derby Pie, an individual Bourbon pecan pie with chocolate chips and a drizzle of chocolate ganache and whipped cream. I know, sounds like food porn right? I wish it had more pecans, but it was definitely rich, I had to take half of my little pie home with me. The prices at Sugarland are on the steep side, but its still a fun place for a night out with friends or a date. I think I'll be finding more excuses to go to Cameron Village.