This small coffee shop in Marmet is a new one just down the road from Chum's Hotdogs.



Simply Sweet Coffee & Donut Shop offers coffee and donuts, which to me, sounds perfect before or after a hotdog with yellow slaw.



Better yet, they even have a drive-through. So, you can get your caffeine and sugar fix before work, as well. But, if dining in is more your speed, they do have a cute interior with some tables and chairs spread about.



At the front is a glass case full of various types of donuts. Glazed, cake, filled - I tried one of each. They were all pretty tasty, with the blueberry cake doughnut being my favorite of the bunch.



If you're looking for savory, though, you're in luck because no good pastry shop goes without a pepperoni roll.



Simply Sweet's pepperoni roll is a hefty little guy with an adequate amount of sliced pepperoni and a side of marinara.



I don't love the air pocket at the top of the roll, but I did enjoy the bread to pepperoni ratio and the added sauce on the side.



Overall, I think this type of restaurant is a welcome addition to the area. Locally made donuts, pastries, pepperoni rolls, and coffee are a crowd-pleaser, and I can see these sweet treats being a welcome snack any time of day.



Grade: B

"Frisch's Big Boy is a regional Big Boy restaurant chain with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. For many years a Big Boy franchisee, in 2001, Frisch's became the exclusive owner of the Big Boy trademark in Indiana, Kentucky, and most of Ohio and Tennessee, and is no longer affiliated with Big Boy Restaurant Group ... Frisch's is the oldest, longest surviving regional Big Boy operator, excluding Bob's Big Boy in California, which was the original Big Boy restaurant and franchisor," according to Wikipedia.



I remember there being a Big Boy restaurant near me growing up in the Northern Panhandle. I remember liking the statue outside, so the restauranr has always been fascinating to me. I don't know that I have seen any Big Boy locations left in West Virginia, but when I was traveling, I did find one in Ohio that I wanted to check out. The cluster of Big Boy restaurants in this area were all owned by one franchisee, who did things his own way.



"His double-deck Big Boy hamburger was slightly different than Wian's. Dave Frisch also created his own Big Boy character: a thinner boy with reddish or blond hair, wearing striped rather than checkered overalls, presented in a running or skipping pose," according to Wikipedia.

"Most Frisch's Big Boy restaurants still display statues from this design, albeit usually repainted with brown hair and checkered overalls. In 2017 a redesigned statue resembling the West Coast Big Boy was introduced."



The Big Boy is essentially the first Big Mac - a double-decker burger with a special sauce. Though, thd burger served at Frisch's is slightly different than those at other Big Boy restaurants. The original Big Boy hamburgers had mayonnaise and red relish. Frisch later replaced these with tartar sauce and added dill pickles in his version ... "The use of tartar sauce on Frisch's Big Boy hamburgers wasn't simply a matter of taste. Frisch recognized the use of a single combined condiment was simpler and faster. Later the Big Boy system adopted the idea, using the combined form of red relish and mayonnaise, commonly known as thousand island dressing, on Big Boy hamburgers."



So, I ordered the big boy cheeseburger, which came with two thin beef patties placed on a three-layer bun with lettuce, a slice of American cheese, and thousand island dressing. It was great! This dressing-burger combo is clearly a winning one because many restaurants have adopted the concept. A little sweet, a little tang. It adds a special zip to a burger. Mac & cheese and a strawberry shake completed this meal, and both were top notch.

Pollo Tropical is a chain that serves Caribbean-inspired food and drinks - and it began right in Miami.



"What began in Miami as a simple recipe for citrus-marinated grilled chicken has evolved into a world of tropical flavors, and is quickly transforming into a lifestyle of happy, healthy, laid-back fun. Welcome to Pollo Tropical® where passion is married to freshness to create a one-of-a-kind experience. Our chickens are free of hormones and trans-fats. From our signature grilled chicken and slow roasted mojo pork, to world-renowned Create Your Own TropiChops®, nothing surprises and delights like our fresh-made food served in a Caribbean inspired atmosphere."



They have "tropi-chillers," which are like slushies. So I tried one in strawberry, which was exactly what you imagine - ice cold, strawberry syrup flavoring and a pleasant mix between crushed ice and solid chunks. Satisfying.

I also opted for a little cheesy bite accompaniment: Cheesy Yuca Bites - What do you get when you combine yuca with cheese? Cheesy Yuca Bites! Light and crispy on the outside and filled with melted cheese on the inside. They’re the perfect side dish – or just as tasty as a snack! - I wouldn't mind them being even crispier, but this was a nice foil for the sweet drink.

Coca-Cola is fascinating for many reasons: Not only is it a drink, enjoyed around the world, but I nerd out about their marketing.



So, when I took a trip to Atlanta recently, I made sure to stop at the World of Coca-Cola. Amongst many other activities, the space consists of the vault, where the hidden recipe is located, as well as sodas from around the world.



This was really exciting to me, because there were so many different options from so many different corners of the world.



Here is just a sampling:

- What tastes like raspberry cream soda? Sparletta Sparberry! This caffeine-free beverage is available exclusively in several countries across central and southern Africa. Did you know it was first introduced in Africa back in 1955?



- Minute Maid Joy Apple Lychee is a caffeine-free still beverage with ripe apple and lychee notes. Lychee is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree native to southern China that is now cultivated in many parts of the world. Did you know you can pronounce lychee as “lie-chee” or “lee-chee”?



- With the taste of sweet melon, Fanta Melon Frosty is a refreshing sparkling beverage is beloved in Thailand’s sunny, tropical climate. Did you know that The Coca‑Cola Company's second-largest brand outside the USA, Fanta, is available in many distinct flavors in more than 180 countries?



- Sprite Cucumber is a caffeine-free, sparkling beverage with a crisp cucumber flavor, providing a refreshing twist on this classic lemon-lime beverage. Did you know that Sprite originally launched in 1961 and is now enjoyed in over 190 countries?



Would you try any of those?

Talk about being a kid in a candy store! At the mall in Bridgeport, there is a store dedicated to just candy: Candy Unlimited.



From lollipops to gumballs and everything in between, the store has packaged candies, candies by the pound, and special individual treats.



One of my favorite sections to discover is the one that features all kinds of candies from decades ago. Candy cigarettes and candy buttons are just a few.



I also love checking out the hard–to–find candies, like giant jawbreakers snd fruity tootsie rolls.



Isn't there just something magical about being able to scoop up as much candy as you'd like and create a bag full of your favorites? I think so, at least. And, that's just what I did, and it kept my sweet tooth satisfied for a week.

Does anything say "summer" more than a lemonade truck? It's Tarty Time is a Morgantown-based lemonade truck that sets up at events. There are more flavors, than just lemon, though, like pomegranate, guava, and blood orange. The prickly pear caught my eye, because this is some thing you typically see in Arizona. It is sweet, but it's tart, and it gives you that balance that makes you keep wanting to come back for more. Definitely a must-have for warm summer evenings.



Grade: A

While in Arizona, I wanted to get a taste of the local food.



I definitely did that through the local restaurants, but I was excited to try some of the local goods, too.



At A.J.'s Fine Foods, there were lots of products marked as local and I picked up all the ones that intrigued me.



Here are some of my finds:

Cutino Sauce Co. - habanero-inspired hot sauces

Queen Creek Olive Mill - olive oils, vinegars and other sundries

Carolina's Chocolate - dark chocolate with latin flavors

Kettle Heroes Artisan Popcorn - unique Southwest flavors



The Simple Farm - goat's milk caramels

Hayden Flour Mills - stone milling and ancient grain flours

Do you have any other Arizona favorites?

"Liquid nitrogen ice cream begins like any ice cream: cream, milk, vanilla, sugar and any add ins (cookie dough, plz). Then you add the liquid nitrogen to the equation. This is where the fun begins and the cool fog billows out of the mixer. Since the ice cream can be made in a matter of moments, this allows customers to customize their own ice cream and see it made right in front of them. Most liquid nitrogen ice cream stores don't event have freezers because they make the ice cream to order," according to Spoon University.



This nitrogen ice cream food truck in Hershey, PA, Nitro Freeze Creamery, was serving their gourmet ice cream at an event I attended. Flavors were made with Girl Scout Cookies, so I had to try one of my favs: Tagalongs.



Ice cream + Girl Scout Cookies = that's a tough combo to beat. Sweet, cool, a little crunchy, a lot creamy. Delish.



Grade: A

Conner Prairie is a living history museum in Fishers, Indiana, United States, which preserves the William Conner home. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the museum recreates 19th-century life along the White River, according to Wikipedia. I'm a nerd when it comes to learning, so I loved checking this place out with my friend Kayla. And, of course, exploring the food.



Their shop has a lot of Indiana-based foods, and I was excited to check out all of them.

"Triple XXX Root Beer is serious business. From the early days of its inception, to the loyal soft drink lovers who keep coming back for more, a Triple XXX Root Beer isn’t just any Root Beer. There’s flavorful history surrounding this product. In the 1920’s, close to 100 Triple XXX Thirst Stations dotted the landscape along the United States and Canada, with over 150 bottlers producing the frothy product. It wasn’t just road warriors consuming Triple XXX Root Beer—you would’ve also found the soft drink for sale on Mississippi steamers."

"In 1991, Mark Tarner founded the South Bend Chocolate Company and operated it as a second business. The company got its start making chocolates under a license from the University of Notre Dame. Its first three products were the Domer, the Rockne and Nuts for ND. New confections roll out of the factory everyday. Twenty five years after our founding, we produce over 500 different chocolates and sweets. These products are available in stores nationwide and through our company owned stores."

"Purchases of Monastery Baked Goods products help support the mission and ministries of the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, Indiana. The history of Monastery Baked Goods is rooted in a love of baking among the sisters. In support of Christkindlmarkt, an annual German festival held in Ferdinand, the sisters started making and selling springerles, a traditional German cookie. Following some suggestions from friends and community members, the sisters experimented and created the recipe for almerles, almond-flavored cookies that have the appearance and texture of the springerle."

And "old-fashioned chocolate, candy & ice cream shop offering seasonal specialties & guided tours" from now-shuttered Good's Candy Shop.

Devil's Due Distillery is a Kearneysville distillery specializing in whiskey and moonshine.



I had a quick tasting and snagged a bottle for my bar. While they specialize in whiskey and moonshine, they also have vodka and bourbon. Some of the most exciting options to me include Blackberry Moonshine, Pickle Moonshine, and Peach Moonshine.



But for me, I had to take home a bottle of Mango Moonshine. Next on my list is the raspberry, though. Make sure you stop by to check it out if you haven't yet!