A Date with Mom at the Aviary Cafe

Greetings and happy Friday!  I’m blogging to you from my bedside with a plate full of homemade chocolate dipped-macaroons, and a glass of rye IPA.  No, they don’t go together at all.  But they’re both delicious when served separately.  I only baked three macaroons as a little experiment.  They turned out REALLY good!  I’ll definitely have to work on the recipe this weekend. 

Anyway, we should announce the Driscoll’s berry giveaway winners…

Commenter #12 - Julie from Fruitcake in the Kitchen!

and #53 - Justeen from Blissful Baking! 

Congratulations, ladies!  I’ll be contacting you shortly about your prize…

Thanks to everyone who commented and entered.  I always, always appreciate your lovely comments. 

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This is kind of a different post from me today.  On Tuesday I went on a random lunch date with my mom.  She was feeling spontaneous that day and asked me to try out a new café in downtown Springfield.  “They have crepes,” she said.  I grabbed my coat and purse and scrambled out the door.  I happen to love crepes.

As shown in this picture from 2010.  Nutella crepe in Paris!

We went to Aviary Café and Creperie.  If you live in the Springfield-Branson area, it’s located on the corner of Walnut and Jefferson.  It’s absolutely beautiful inside.  I adore all of the thought that went into decorating this place.  It’s decorated with vintage-French theme, and there were little bird and tree nick nacks everywhere.  This is what I want my house to look like.

I took these pictures with my iPhone using Instagram.  I’ll probably do that more often; it’s fun.

 

I loved all of the blue, the candles, and the clocks.

 

Mom and I started out with a bowl of French onion soup.  We wanted a little something savory and salty before we ordered our dessert crepes.  The soup was delicious, traditional, and served with a crouton and cheese on top.  I think the cheese was gruyere, possibly a smoked gruyere.  I’ve learned a lot about cheese over the past few months.  I think an informative cheese blog post needs to happen.

I ordered the Salted Caramel; crepes served with homemade butter caramel with sprinkles of sea salt, accompanied by whipped cream.  I think they may have drizzled crème anglaise on top, too.

Oh my goodness.  No words.  I could drink the salted caramel sauce.

My mom ordered the Aux Nutella; crepes filled with French chocolate mousse and Nutella, mounded with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

I think I liked hers even better.  I was kicking myself for not ordering them.  What was I thinking?  I love chocolate and Nutella.  Oh well, there’s always next time!  Next Tuesday, Mom?

Served with strong coffee.  I was jittery from all of the sugar and coffee all afternoon.  A good jittery.  The kind of jittery that gives you energy to shop until you drop with your mom.  We hit the Amish store, the bead store, the incense store, Entertainmart, and Aldi in about three hours. 

If anyone wants to try out Aviary, I’m down.  I need to go back and try their pommes frites drizzled with truffle oil.  Is anyone else crazy about truffles?  I love how they smell.  I’m like a cochon.