Sugar plums and gingerbread, anyone? Check out these Nutcracker-themed treats at local restaurants
The Carolina Ballet's Nutcracker opened this past weekend in Chapel Hill, before moving on to the Durham Performing Arts Center and the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts this month. And, for the fifth year, the ballet is collaborating with local restaurants and bars to offer up some Nutcracker-themed desserts and adult beverages. Yum!!
Here's a sampling of the few (family-friendly) treats (descriptions courtesy of the ballet):
Waltz With Plums at A Place at the Table
This festive, layered dessert features chestnut custard, spiced pumpkin and sugar plum jelly, gingerbread and a honey caramel drizzle.
Gateau Clara at LucetteGrace
Pasty chef/owner Daniel Benjamin’s creation consists of chestnut mousse, black currant yogurt cremeux, almond cake, black currant gelee, and almond shortbread.
Mouse King's Midnight Snack at SO.CA
The dessert features chocolate gingerbread, coffee buttercream, white chocolate snow and marzipan mice.
The Nutcracker at Two Roosters Ice Cream
Featured in a chocolate ice cream base, they toss in generous chunks of our homemade “crack bars,” made with saltines, brown butter, chocolate, and pecans. Other Nutcracker-themed flavors are peppermint pecan nutcracker, Chinese oolong flower tea, gingerbread cookie crunch, Spanish hot chocolate and churros and a non-dairy Arabic coffee and spice.
Sugar Plum Bonbon at Videri Chocolate Factory
Videri makes this treat with local plums, brown sugar, dark chocolate and cinnamon. The dairy-free ganache has a warm, fruity flavor and a lovely fluffy texture inside its dark chocolate shell.
Clara's Fallen Ornament at Vidrio
Vidrio’s dessert is prepared to look like a holiday ornament that has fallen off the Christmas tree and shattered on the floor. The dessert incorporates flavors of the season – white chocolate mousse, spiced pomegranate gelee, gingerbread, gingerbread meringue.
On the adult drinks menu, you'll find Clara's Gift, a new offering from Trophy Brewing, a Sugar Plum Fairy Martini at 10th & Terrace, a Mother Ginger at Guglhupf, a Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail at Bittersweet and more.
Check Carolina Ballet's website for the full list and links to each of these restaurants! The Nutcracker runs through Dec. 29.
One thing to note: Carolina Ballet is offering $15 off tickets to either performance on Dec. 20 with a donation of socks for kids in kindergarten to 12th grade to Note in the Pocket, which provides clothing to kids in need in Wake County. More information is on the Ballet's website.