Whether you’re single, attached or aggressively Tindr-ing, it’s constructive to view Valentine’s Day as an airtight excuse for a day-long sugar binge. Just when we thought that the prospect of dessert couldn’t get any more appealing, it came to our attention that some of Toronto’s best sweet shops have unwittingly cut a Red Path straight to our booze-obsessed hearts.
ROSELLE 362 King East, 416-368-8188
This tiny Corktown patisserie has some killer booze-kissed signature sweets, like a banana cream pie eclair with vanilla custard, whipped white chocolate and bananas caramelized in rum ($7), and the Turtle Tart, filled with milk chocolate mousse, salted caramel, candied pecans, rum syrup soaked chocolate sponge cake in an almond shortcrust shell ($7). How could your sweetheart not return the sentiment after being handed treats of this calibre? Only if they’re a heartless jerk.
FOR THE LOVE OF CAKE 171 East Liberty, 416-306-6446
Dip into this Liberty Village cupcake outpost to gift the object of your affection some wee Guinness chocolate cakes with Irish whiskey ganache, unsurprisingly one of their bestselling creations ($2.95 each). Buy a few extra and cram them into your face before heading back out into the cruel, cruel world – because there’s no loving others without loving yourself first.
OMG BAKED GOODNESS 1561 Dundas West, 647-348-5664
Say you care (to get laid) with OMG’s Sure Thing Truffles flecked with slow-roasted candied pineapple and rum inside basil ganache ($1.75 a piece), part of a special V-Day Love Bites box, an orgasmic assortment of cookies, marshmallows and caramels ($24).
Brandon Olsen, former CDC of Bar Isabel of best-fried-chicken-in-town fame, is also one hell of a chocolatier. Treat bae to a box of his sleek and artsy Choco-jewels, which come in kick-ass flavours like banana rum and milk chocolate sherry. Just make sure that greedy bastard you’re in love with shares. If not, pick a fight and confiscate chocolates. Until Olsen’s College-and-Ossington chocolate boutique is ready to go sometime this spring, orders can be placed online ($18/box of nine, $24/12 and $36/18).
BOBBETTE AND BELLE 1121 Queen East 3347 Yonge, 416-466-8800
Whether the context is Valentine’s or just an average hump day, is there a sexier pairing than champagne and strawberries? I mean, once the untouchable union of beer and chicken wings is discounted, nothing else even comes close.
Since I’m pretty certain (though not entirely) that the latter would taste offensive in confectionary form, Bobbette & Belle’s V-Day macarons – sandwiched with white chocolate champagne ganache and strawberry buttercream and flecked with gold leaf – should suit lover-face just fine. $2.50 each, or gift boxes of six ($15) and 12 ($30).
THROUGH BEING COOL 1277 Bloor West, 416-998-3321
How do you win over the vegan of your dreams? With cruelty-free spiked doughnuts, obviously.
Bloordale’s favourite vegan bakery doesn’t do dairy, but it doesn’t shy away from a little liquor. Flavours like Tequila Sunrise, Dark N’ Stormy, Apple Bourbon, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour (and, yes, lots of tantalizing non-boozy ones, too) stay in rotation. Doughnuts vary daily, so call ahead.
NADEGE 780 Queen West, 416-368-2009, and others
Visit Nadege for a packet of Gin Tonic Guimauves (the fancier French name for marshmallows, $6.50), and leave with a pretty branded bag stuffed with even prettier desserts. Crush the entire haul alone on the couch post-pizza with the lights down low and the decibels cranked high, or hand-feed them tenderly into your lover’s angelic bouche (but honestly, I think we can agree that option A sounds way more fun).
