Mrs. Williams Diabetic Delights
Cinnamon Horn
Marble Cookie
Peanut Butter Cookie
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Lemon Cookie
Oatmeal Walnut Raisin Cookie
Dark Chocolate Walnut Cluster
Milk Chocolate Honeycomb
Dark Chocolate Caramel
Milk Chocolate Nougat Nut Cluster
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter
Cherry Cheesecake
Banana Cream Pie
Cinnamon Cruller
Fudge Walnut Brownie
Chocolate Glazed Cream Éclair
Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish
Only recently brought to my attention by a patient, though apparently a staple of the city for over twenty-five years, it was largely for the sake of research that I turned off Spring Mountain Road to visit Mrs. Williams Diabetic Delights, a long chat with head baker Pepe Medina showing an impressive understanding of the issues facing those with glycemic issues as well as the limitations of ingredients used in his craft.
Owned by Janet Prusinski, neither she nor Pepe themselves Diabetic though the disease has undoubtedly touched both of their lives, Mrs. Williams Diabetic Delights is located at 3466 South Decatur Boulevard and although limited in size with both interior and signage showing signs of aging the prices and customer service both speak of a special bond between owners and clients, the prices far lower than one would expect considering specialty ingredients with most far cheaper than even those at “Big Box” retail stores.
Ironically encountering a young woman that I take care of during this visit, herself also only recently made aware of the tiny storefront with more than two-dozen daily baked goods plus handmade sugar-free chocolates and a collection of mass produced treats available by the bag, conversation with Mr. Medina provided a great deal of insight into the process involved in making each product, ingredients such as mannitol cautioned due to unfavorable effects in some, though a sizeable sampling did not in any way alter my gastrointestinal tract.
Deciding the best idea would be to sample at Pepe’s recommendations, a total of seventeen items including a few free cookies boxed or bagged before being taken elsewhere to enjoy, first bites were intentionally invested in those very cookies, most of them tasting far more like their namesake ingredients than those sold at traditional bakeries with both the lemon and marble particularly enjoyable while the oatmeal raisin, cinnamon horn and peanut butter all ate more like a biscuit than the softer sort of cookie that usually catches my eye.
Acknowledging a substantial sweet tooth, though certainly not opposed to cutting calories provided taste is uncompromised, hand-crafted chocolates show an excellent eye for detail and although milk chocolate is not as sweet as many the darker options are virtually indistinguishable from the stuff at Sees or Ethel M’s, the Walnut Cluster and Caramel both equally well crafted while the crisp Chocolate Honeycomb is something I’d glady consume as an alternative to the “real” thing.
Offering a menu that includes calorie counts as well as net carbohydrates, sugars and suggested portion sizes too, it was with a half dozen pastries that the tasting continued and although the Cinnamon Cruller was unfortunately a bit dry and flavorless both the Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish and airy Fudge Brownie were very well formulated, the laminated pocket both flakey and well-flavored at a cost of less than $2 while deep chocolate notes filled the latter’s moist, cake-like interior.
Mixed in feelings about the Éclair, both the choux and chocolate frosting pleasant while the interior tasted like little more than Reddi Whip – which is indeed low carb – any misgivings were instantly forgiven when teeth sank into the graham cracker crusted Banana Cream Pie and subsequent fruit topped cheesecake, the former half the price and calories as that at Drago Sisters with twice the quality while the latter capitalizes on the dish’s already low-sugar nature with indulgent creaminess and light tangy notes that would keep all but the most devout fan of heavier styles such as Junior’s satisfied.
FOUR STARS: Capable of pleasing even an ardent devotee of sweets despite targeting a crowd that should be trying their best to limit their intake of refined sugars and carbs, Mrs. Williams lives up to its “delightful” signage in all but a few instances with the sort of prices that make it worthwhile for everyone to investigate for themselves.
RECOMMENDED: Cheesecake, Banana Cream Pie, Milk Chocolate Honeycomb, Lemon Cookie, Dark Chocolate Caramel.
AVOID: Cinnamon Cruller, Chocolate Chip Cookie.
TIP: Free samples of several items are available in store while those looking for a bargain should check out restaurants.com for certificates of $10 off $20. Frequent Customer Cards and 10% off coupons are also available in-store for subsequent purchases.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
http://www.mrs-williams.com/
