With fall’s arrival, there’s nothing more exciting than looking at new seasonal treats. It’s always been a joy for me to look at the innovative additions to restaurants’ and cafes’ temporary seasonal menu. So, I decided to visit local eateries and try out some of their seasonal items, focusing on pumpkin and apple.
Collegetown Bagels — Pumpkin Bar
Starting off with this iconic treat, the pumpkin bar is a three layered dessert bar with a graham cracker base, cream cheese frosting in the middle and a layer of pumpkin spice cream cheese topped with whipped cream. The pumpkin bar looks nothing but delicious and offers a great variety of flavor. The graham cracker base is just the right amount of crunchy and complements the thick and rich cream cheese and pumpkin frosting well. The first bite you take is nothing but sweet creaminess that floods your mouth. You are left with no choice but to dig in, eventually finishing it all in one sitting. Fortunately, the pumpkin bar is not just a seasonal menu item and can be found just about every day in the dessert case at Collegetown Bagels. However, make sure to buy yours early, just in case they’re sold out in the late afternoon.
Collegetown Bagel’s pumpkin bar. (Grace Kim / Sun Staff Writer)
Ithaca Farmers Market — Apple Cider Donuts
Another must-have treat during the fall season is the apple cider donuts at the Ithaca Farmers Market. The LittleTree Orchard stand offers a variety of apple cider treats, but their donuts are arguably the most famous and delicious. The apple cider donuts are soft and chewy and have just a hint of cider with each bite. Although there aren’t any toppings or frosting like traditional donuts, the apple cider donuts make a lasting impression with their soft dough and light kick of cider. The donut isn’t too sweet or too bland, making it the perfect treat for everyone.
MIX Kitchen & Bar — Leaves Are Falling All The Time Pancakes
Not only does the pancake’s unique name catch your eye, but its enormous size will make your mouth drop in awe. The Leaves Are Falling All The Time pumpkin pancake has a pumpkin pie filling swirled in along with roasted pecans and brown sugar streusel, all topped with a dollop of whipped cream. This dish isn’t your average buttermilk pancake, which often requires maple syrup on the side. Instead, the pancake is sweet enough to eat alone, making it a dessert in itself. One pancake fills up the whole plate, so it’s easy to dig in and enjoy. The bits of crunchy roasted pecan go well with the soft pancake, adding some much needed texture. However, I do wish the pancake had more pumpkin pie filling inside.
I hope that my top three picks of seasonal desserts will give you a chance to visit some local eateries and fully enjoy the fall season before snow comes. Along with a nice warm cup of coffee, these local treats shouldn’t be missed and are worth every penny.
Grace Kim is a freshman in the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. She can be reached at [email protected].