Raspados are like a Mexican version of snow cones. And considering how hot Phoenix gets, I was pleased to find "Raspados Solaris" while visiting.



From lemonades and cut fruit cups with spicy toppings to iced coffes and ice cream, there are a number of refreshing desserts on the menu.



I ordered the Victoria Raspado, which was "Organic Cream Cheese Berry Raspado topped with a Napolitano Flan."



This was so good. It was fresh and light, but it still felt indulgent. I've never visited Mexican dessert shops before traveling to Arizona, and I wish it was something we had locally.



They even have some savory treats, like chips topped with mayo/sour cream, cheese, chili powder and lime. That will have to wait for next time.



Grade: A

Charleston has so many amazing festivals during the summer.



One of my favorites is Multifest.



"MULTIFEST is a highly anticipated event in West Virginia that brings together various cultural and ethnic communities in an atmosphere of tolerance and goodwill through art, music, education, cultural programs and cuisine," according to the website.



It was founded in 1989.



And has the mission: "The Multi-Cultural Festival of West Virginia, Inc., aka Multifest, is a non-profit organization that seeks to enrich, develop & enhance multiculturalism in the lives of those we serve in the community. This is done by providing a friendly, family-oriented environment, non-violent tolerance & safe venue to celebrate diversity for all citizens through art, music, education, ethnic cuisine, health & wellness and cultural programming."



They feature a variety of musical artists, but of course, I get most excited about the food.



There were SO many food vendors that I had a hard time keeping track of them all.



But here are some of the ones I noted:



Phat Daddy's, Dem 2 Brothers, BG'z LA Street Tacos, Oishii, Holy O's Donuts, Sharky's, Fudge Bar, MR Poppins, Bayou Classics, Chicken Teriyaki, Fruits Juice, New Orleans Sno Balls, Jojo's Tacos, Taste of International, The Lucky Lemon, Le'Cool Concessions, Pop's Sno Palace anndn Treats, Zul's, Jumbo Fish Wings & Shrimp, Shotgun's Smokehouse BBQ, Chef Hogate '85, Philadelphia Water Ice, and more.



Plus some vendors that had huge signs promoting deep-fried goodies.



I was able to check out three vendors.



Though, honestly, I wish I could've stopped at more!



Those were: Scooby's Icy Treats, Bro Marsh BBQ, and Rumtastic Gourmet Rum Cakes.



Let's start with Scooby's Icy Treats.



I've actually been trying to track these folks down for a while.



I just happened to not be in the same place as them until now.



They offer a bunch of different flavors of Philadelphia water ice, which is like a super smooth, satisfying snow cone, but more fine and delicious.



I opted for the tropical rainbow, which just felt like summer in one bite. Super colorful, fruity, fresh.



It was super refreshing. Grade: A



Then, moving onto Bro Marsh BBQ.



This Beckley-based BBQ food truck offers pulled pork, ribs, hot dogs, wings and more.



I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with slaw, potato salad and macaroni and cheese.



This was a pretty good pulled pork sandwich. Nice helping of pork, pretty decent slaw.



The potato salad was decent, as was the mac and cheese. I wanted some more oomph in that mac & cheese.



But it wasn't bad.



Grade: B



Finally, Rumtastic Gourmet Rum Cakes.



This guy is based out of Georgia, but these little rum cakes ship everywhere. They come in 7 flavors: Original/French Vanilla, Pecans, Chocolate, Pineapple, Red velvet, Lemon, and Pina Coloda. He said the original/French vanilla was most popular, so I went with that. You can certainly taste the rum in these little guys, but they're also moist as heck.



"While struggling with the mortgage meltdown crisis of 2008 and 2009, our founder Kevin L. Wilburn found himself with little money and a lot of time on his hands. He decided to tinker around with a long-held hobby, baking. And thus, Rumtastic was born! Now of course he couldn’t eat all the large cakes by himself, so he started sharing the cake with his co-workers at work. The demand for the cake was so high that the sharing turned into selling! And as they say, “the rest is history!” Rumtastic is a provider of gourmet rum cakes. The original recipe was an "old family favorite." We wanted to bring a lot of excitement and indulgence to that recipe. After extensive sampling, we came up with a recipe that is sure to delight and pleasure any palate. We focus on using quality ingredients to provide "the perfect gourmet rum cakes." We have varied sizes, including "made to orders." We are located in Atlanta, GA. We ship all over the United States. "What ever your budget, we have a cake for it. Wherever you are we will get it to you." We look forward to being your preferred provider of quality service and product.



These were pretty dang tasty. Grade: A

Nellie's Cookie Jar is a female-owned small business cookie shop in Charleston, West Virginia. "Made from scratch and baked to perfection, these 3-inch cookies are too good not to share," according to the website. I recently heard about this home business, so I placed an order online to check out all the cookies:

Nellie: The cookie that started it all! Bursting with semi-sweet chocolate chips, our take on this classic cookie will become a staple in your house too.

Vandalia: A dense and gooey chocolate cookie filled with peanut butter chips in every bite. Okie A rich and buttery cookie featuring oats, coconut, and chocolate chips.

Okie: A rich and buttery cookie featuring oats, coconut and chocolate chips.

Avonlea: Sugar cookie topped with a lovely buttercream, this cookie is light and sweet with a hint of almond.

Ninth East: A chocolate lover's dream of a chocolate cookie packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Seasonal: Spring Fling A light, chewy cookie bursting with fresh orange zest and white chocolate chips.
These are some really tasty cookies! You all know I'm not even a chocolate chip fan, but I could appreciate these. The seasonal one especially had me thinking summer. AND, while the actual cookies are absolutely delicious, I cannot understate how accommodating and kind the owner was during the ordering process. I had paid and picked a date to pick up my cookies, but my plans were thrown out the window when I hurt myself and was hospitalized. The owner was so patient with me and even hand-delivered them to my house after all the hubbub. That's just one of many reasons I love local businesses.

Grade: A

I have two words for you: S'mores. Bar. Not only do I love a fun, interactive, dining experience, but I also absolutely love s'mores. So this combination in Gilbert, Arizona, piqued my interest.



Toasted Mallow serves up, marshmallow desserts, milkshakes, cupcakes, cake bites, and more. They are totally customizable, and can feature a range of toppings, sauces, and candies.



I ordered a s'mores bowl, which is a graham cracker bowl that was then layered with their housemade salted caramel marshmallows, topped with chocolate and caramel sauce, and toasted lightly.



I mean, come on! Does it get much better than this? Layers of sweetness - and all my favorites flavors - in one bite. Plus that light crunchy texture of a perfect toasted marshmallow. S'mores are just such a delight.



While the construction of the dessert is pretty simple, it's the experience and the nostalgia around s'mores. I think that make it truly a special experience.



Grade: A

The collective of Charleston has lost its ever-loving mind when it comes to Crumbl Cookies. Weeks after it opened, there were still lines out the door at all times of day and night. When they finally opened online carryout orders available in the next day or two, I placed an order for a party box. That is 12 cookies for those counting.

If you're not familiar with Crumbl Cookies, it is a national chain that features large cookies in a handful of flavors that rotate each week. Last week when I visited these were the options available:

- HONEY CAKE FT. TEDDY GRAHAMS®
- CHOCOLATE MALLOW CUPCAKE
- PEANUT BUTTER FEATURING SNICKERS®
- CLASSIC PINK SUGAR
- MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP



My favorite of the bunch was the peanut butter cookie that had a Snickers topping. it wasn't as cloying as I thought it could be because that peanut butter cookie served as a good base. The others were OK, but I've had some better ones locally. They are a bit pricey, so I'm curious what folks think.

A "paleta" is a Mexican fresh fruit and cream pop from Michoacán, Mexico. It's similar to a popsicle - but fresher. 
   

Paletas Betty has been making Mexican ice and cream pops since 2010, so they know a thing or two.



In addition to the paletas, they offer fruit salads, fruit drinks and cold brew coffee. 



Paletas come in a number of flavors: mocha (coffee and chocolate), Mexican hot chocolate (cinnamon and chocolate), arroz con leche (rice and cinnamon), and the one that caught my eye: fresca con crema - strawberries & cream. 



Side note: I think this photo of Josh & Kaitee is album cover worthy. 



I think ice cold desserts are necessary in a place like Arizona, because everything feels like it's on fire all the time. So the desserts help cool things down. And these paletas hit the spot. It was so cool and sweet and refreshing. The creamy ones are a bit more decadent, but still fresh. I also love that these have some chunks of fruit so the texture adds a little something-something.



Grade: A