Culinary tour of Denton stops at some sweet spots

I spent four and a half years at the University of North Texas in Denton. By the last year, I was ready to get out of there. I had been to every nook and cranny of the city and was ready for a change of scenery. Funny thing, though: After a month of being in another city, I was ready to go back. I longed for the perfect balance of greenery and buildings, old and new. I also missed the down-home, country-fried, sweet-tea attitude of the small mom-and-pop shops. Here are my fave places to visit whenever I can escape the hustle and bustle of big-city life:

Beth Marie's Old Fashioned Ice Cream

This little shop will make you feel the history of the square. It looks like an ice cream parlor you would expect to find in a Norman Rockwell painting. A long oak bar features bar stools to spin around in and soda-shop glassware for the "for here" orders. The ice cream is made there, too. One tasty creation is their Almond Joy flavor with coconut flakes and chocolate pieces in a rich vanilla base. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, you can't go wrong with the classic hot fudge sundae.

Cupboard Natural Foods

This food store is probably what I miss most about Denton. Even before I went to school there, my mom and I would visit the store's cafe, which has delicious smoothies. Anything mixed with strawberry tastes too sinful to be good for you. I have no idea how they do it. Soups are hearty, and the "yogurt" machine, which makes a tofu frozen treat, is sometimes stocked with the peanut-butter flavor. It totally kicks any yogurt chain's ass. The store has a large beer selection, too, so you can host your own in-home beer tasting. We did a lot of that in college.

The Candy Store

Don't let the simple name fool you; this place stocks more than jawbreakers and Gummi bears. When you walk in, you are immediately awakened with the smell of fresh coffee, flavors like southern pecan and snickerdoodle. The store sells handmade truffles and rare candies. My favorite is the German Fruits. The small fruit-shaped candies have a hard sugary shell and a chewy center. I pick the strawberry ones out of the mix. If you acquire a favorite flavor, they try to make sure you get extras of those in your bag.

Candy Haven

Ok, I promise I don't have an issue with sweets. This place really does have the best cake in town. I used them for my wedding cake and would recommend them for any special occasion. They made my pink ladybug cake exactly as I had envisioned it. And I can testify that the cakes freeze well, too. I ate it on my first anniversary and am still alive to talk about it (albeit divorced and alive to talk about it).

The Wildwood Inn

I have always loved this bed-and-breakfast. It looks like a little mansion. The chef here is highly trained. Sure, I love when I go to a B&B and Grandma makes biscuits, but sometimes I need food that I can't make at home. Asparagus wrapped in phyllo, toasted ravioli and flaky scones are just the beginning. What I admire most, though, is the extensive wine list. The Riesling is delightful -- not something you usually find in a college town. If you need to get away from the DART rails and tall buildings, you should spend a weekend here. The rooms are spacious and the whirlpool bathtubs are big enough for two. They also have a heated pool and a hot tub out back. Did I mention that I love this place so much that I got married here?