Sweets for your Sweet



Desserts and sweet treats are good anytime, anywhere, and in any season. But the Valentine’s Day season is almost upon us and there’s no better time for all that sugary goodness than now! So, put the veggies aside, cheat on your diet for a day (we promise we won’t tell), and treat yourself & your favorites to all the delicious desserts and sweet treats our little mountain town has to offer while you are on your Escape to Blue Ridge

The Sweet Shoppe of the South

Photo Courtesy of The Sweet Shoppe of the South

For the best cupcakes you’ve ever eaten The Sweet Shoppe of the South is the place for you! Their cupcakes are so out of this world delicious that they actually won on the show Cupcake Wars in 2012 for their PB&J, S’mores, Lemon-Raspberry, and Carrot Cake flavored cupcakes. The show helped bring so much business to the shop that today there are even more delicious flavors to enjoy like Moosetrax, Hot Fudge Sundae, Chocolate Cream Pie, and so much more. And it’s not just cupcakes they offer either; you can order full cakes, chocolate covered strawberries, and pies. The Sweet Shoppe should be a must see (and eat) on your list, for sure! 

Mona Lisa’s Dessert House

Photo Courtesy of Mona Lisa’s Dessert House

Cakes, pies, brownies, cookies, mousse and dessert cocktails oh my! Mona Lisa’s Dessert House has every kind of dessert you could imagine in the most lovely and welcoming setting! Satisfy your sweet tooth and treat yourself to a nightcap after a delicious meal in downtown Blue Ridge. With a “specials” menu that’s ever changing, Mona Lisa’s will keep you coming back for more. Try a Raspberry Mocha Buttercream cake one night and Chocolate Mocha Cannolis the next. Then wash it all down with any of their special dessert cocktails like the Creamsicle Dream Martini or the Dark Chocolate Mounds Martini. The possibilities are ever changing and ever delicious!

The Chocolate Express

Photo Courtesy of The Chocolate Express

There’s nothing quite like walking into a chocolate store and smelling the wonderful, rich and creamy chocolates all around. If you’re a chocolate lover then you’ll be in heaven at The Chocolate Express! Fudge, truffles, chocolate covered nuts, espresso beans, cookies, and sugar free candies; the list goes on and on. If it’s chocolate, it’s there! Every treat is made from scratch and uses only the freshest of ingredients. And they have over 60 different kinds of chocolate! You’ll likely walk out with a whole bag of treats and goodies; just enough to hold you until your next visit! 

The Little Bakery 

Photo Courtesy of the Little Bakery

While the store front is still on the way The Little Bakery has anything but a little presence! Desserts are currently available for special order or at Misty Mountain Hops. They specialize in delicious and unique cheesecakes. From Nutella Cheesecake, to Nudder Butter Puddin Cheesecake, to Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake, to even a Dunk-a-roo Cheesecake; the flavor possibilities are endless and up to you if you custom order! And you can always stop by Misty Mountain Hops for great drinks and an ever changing dessert menu from The Little Bakery. They try to make all their desserts not only delicious but fun and unique too! 

Das Kaffee Haus 

Photo Courtesy of Das Kaffee Haus

Not only can you enjoy delicious European coffee drinks and pick me ups at Das Kaffee Haus but they also have a variety of delicious desserts and treats. From pies, cookies, cakes, truffles, macaroons, tortes, cheesecakes, and muffins you’re sure to find your favorite dessert. You can never go wrong pairing sweet treats with coffee for that extra sugar rush to keep you going. You’ll fall in love with this cute and chic coffeehouse in no time! 

Rum Cake Lady

Photo Courtesy of The Rum Cake Lady

Home to delicious Cuban food and desserts, The Rum Cake Lady has to be a stop on your list! They are famous for their yummy rum cakes that come in all kinds of flavors including chocolate, limoncello, salted caramel, red velvet, and their original golden rum cake that was Georgia’s winner of “100 Plates Locals Love”. They even have special gluten free rum cakes so everyone gets a chance to take a bite! While they are famous for their rum cakes they also have other desserts like caramel flan, tres leches cake, lemon bars, chocolate torte, and pastelitos which are puff pastries filled with guava and cheese or sweet cream cheese. This is a great place to immerse yourself in the Cuban culture for a day by enjoying some of their favorite foods and desserts; yum!

Three Sisters Fudge

Photo Courtesy of Three Sisters Fudge

Everybody loves fudge; and Three Sisters Fudge has just that and more! All the fudge is made fresh, on-site with real butter and cream to make it extra tasty. With dozens of fudge flavors to choose from you’ll be sure to find something perfect for you. They have original flavors like chocolate and peanut butter, and more fun and unique flavors like white chocolate cheesecake, s’mores, rocky-road, red velvet, and pumpkin pie. And on top of all the delicious fudge they also sell nuts and pralines, as well as a variety of sucrose free fudges for those with allergies. Three Sisters is such a fun little shop with the finest fudge around!

MooBears Ice Cream & Hot Dogs 

Photo Courtesy of Moobears

For the best ice cream around checkout MooBears Ice Cream & Hot Dogs. They specialize in hand dipped ice cream and milkshakes with over 20 flavors to choose from! And every month enjoy “The Flavor of the Month” to bring out all the joy of the season. Make your trip to MooBears a whole meal by enjoying one of their 12 different hot dogs. Ice cream and hot dogs are a timeless combo, so stop on by and get yours today!

We are lucky to have so many wonderful desserts to choose from here in Blue Ridge, so make sure you take full advantage of all the town has to offer. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for all things rich and sweet, and we aim to please! Treat yourself and check out these fantastic places for some of the best desserts you’ve ever had! Life is sweet, so enjoy it!

S’mores Elevated



S’mores. A favorite dessert for families and a fun time sitting around the firepit. A little graham cracker, a little marshmallow, a little chocolate is an amazing combination for the perfectly crafted s’mores, BUT how do you take your s’mores to the next level?

BACON of course!🥓

Chocolate Lovers

What about using Reese’s Peanut Butter cups instead of milk chocolate?

Photo courtesy of Hershey’s

Candy Bar Style

Give me a break. Give me a break. Make me a s’mores with a Kit Kat bar!

Photo courtesy of Flickr

“Get the sensation” of minty deliciousness when you make your s’mores with a York Peppermint Patty!

Photo courtesy of Hip2Save

Peanut, Peanut Butter!

There isn’t much that compliments chocolate better than Peanut Butter, but have you ever added it to your s’mores? We promise, this extra layer of yum will change the way you make s’mores forever!

Photo courtesy of Jif

Healthier?

Make your s’mores a little healthy with strawberries!

Elevate your sweetness level with bananas! When the sugars caramelize, your taste buds are going to jump for joy!

Photo courtesy of the Food Network

Piece de Resistance

Chocolate lovers already know, but we’re going to let you in on a secret. NUTELLA! This hazelnut chocolate is an incredible way to elevate your s’mores and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time!

Photo courtesy of Laura in the Kitchen

What’s Your Fav?

Do you have better s’mores concoctions? Leave a comment with your favorites or tag us on Facebook or Instagram!

Shining the Spotlight on Mercier Orchards



Farmers in the state of Georgia produce more than 26 million pounds of apples annually with nearly all the orchards concentrated in the North Georgia Mountains. Distinguishing oneself from the other apple orchards might be a large task for some. But Adele Mercier was never easily daunted by the business challenges of competition presented to her and her husband Bill and their 27-acre family orchard they started together in 1943. She had big plans for this little orchard in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Little did she know that it would take her to the dawn of the next century to execute her plan.

In 1999, Adele presented her vision for the Mercier Orchards to the regional tourism association. She shared with them her dream that Mercier’s was going to become an international tourist attraction, right along with her friends from the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway who had just started running scenic excursions to McCaysville and back. That afternoon, the tourism professionals chuckled at the naiveté of this eighty-year-old with such outlandish pipe dreams. Over the past two decades since, many of those in attendance that day have eaten their fair share of humble pie (or maybe apple fried pies?).

Mercier Orchards has grown ten times its original size, with 300 acres of apples, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries. The farm market that once boasted just bins of apples from July till December is now open seven days a week from 7 am till 6 pm, 361 days a year.  The Market Store has enlarged to several thousand square feet with outstanding food products, fresh, frozen and canned, with the majority locally sourced. If you are planning on preparing meals during your cabin stay with us, you must visit Merciers. Don’t bother with a shopping list. Every item will take you on a new culinary journey.

The Market has also grown to include a bakery boasting several varieties of fried pies, as well as apple cider donuts, and a large variety of bread, cookies and many other delectable baked goods.  The bakery also supplies the recently enlarged Market Café (open 7am-6pm daily) with award-winning biscuits, bread and rolls served at breakfast each day till 11 am. Breakfast buffet on Saturdays and Sundays is a great place to gather with family and friends, with buffet hours extended to noon.  After a morning in the orchards, picking your own fruit, lunch at the Market is the best place to hydrate, chill and nourish.

Yes, part of Adele’s dream was to bring multi-generational families in to enjoy the seasonal harvests of the orchards. Adults of all ages will enjoy the memories of their childhood days while picking apples, and the children will enjoy every moment, from the wagon ride out to the u-pick them area to delighting as they fill their buckets with berries, peaches or over 30 varieties of apples. U-Pick is subject to availability and the weather. For current picking dates, click here.

Maybe choosing your fruit at the Market is more to your liking than picking your own in the field. That doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the Orchard experience. From 10 am till 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, indulge yourself with a $5 tractor ride and tour of the 300-acre orchard. The Mercier family loves to share all there is to see and know about their orchard with their guests.

The fruits of the orchard are best enjoyed fresh, but for some, pressed and fermented fruit has as much allure. Mercier’s knows this first hand and would like to invite you to their Tasting Room at the Market. A variety of delicious hard ciders and wines, made with all “Georgia Grown” fruits can be sampled and purchased. “We are currently the only apple orchard in Georgia that can say they grow, press, ferment, and bottle their own product.” avowals their website.

As for Adele’s vision? Late last November, this writer visited the orchard with a friend to purchase a couple of bags of apples. It was late on a Sunday afternoon, three weeks past the high volume tourist season and we expected to be able to run in and out with our fruit purchase. We found the enormous parking lot to be nearly full. Walking into the Market, we discovered every cash register manned and customers were five plus deep waiting in those lines. My friend and I counted six different languages being spoken around us while we patiently waited our turn to pay for our purchases.

Adele Mercier passed away in 2013, leaving her internationally known Market in the very capable hands of second, third and fourth generations of the Mercier Family. They strive to bring to every visitor an experience that they will soon not forget. To learn more about Mercier Orchards and to see their event calendar, visit them at www.mercier-orchards.com.