How Vegas does winter: with edible treats.
We don’t get much snow in sunny Las Vegas, but that didn’t stop at least one chef in town from creating a mini-meringue snowman on a plate. Michel Richard is famous for his whimsical food designs and having pastries to die for. At his hot spot Central at Caesars Palace (open last fall), executive chef Todd Harrington had the pastry chef whip up this cute little winter treat for me. He was so lifelike, I had a hard time wanting to dig in! One forkful of the homemade chantilly creme that covered the plate, looking like melted snow, solved that. The snowman is a vacherin dessert (watch out for other fun designs throughout the year — Chef loves ‘em), meringue on the outside, soft ice-cream in the middle. As I broke through the meringue, which had been hardened and dried in the oven, the sinful vanilla ice-cream started to melt a bit, and the adorable snowman’s parts finally started to cave in, so he was easier to eat. And eat him I did — this little snowman was ridiculously delicious! As he started to look more and more like a real melted snowman, I knew my taste (pun intended) of winter was coming to an end. I’m a warm-weather girl and a foodie to boot — I’d take this version over the real kind any day!
I hear this little guy is going to be offered only until the end of this month, so if you’re in Las Vegas, hurry down! Of course, I can’t wait to see what they come up with next…
33 Comments
It’s amazing to me how a pic of a dessert on a plate with a nice story can seriously make me start checking airfare. This looks fabulous! So inventive and delicious sounding.
The food in Vegas is soo good! Worth the trip, for sure.
Don’t eat yellow snowmen.
Oh, Marc! Haha. No danger of that this year — looks like we’re not getting any snow at all!
Yum. That looks so good. It reminds me of a marshmallow snowman I made in Elementary school. We used glue to put it together, but I still wanted to eat it.
The powdered sugar is a nice touch.
It so looks like the gourmet version of marshmallow snowmen! So funny about the glue.
Does he have a fruit roll up type thing as a scarf? If so, mmmmm. That looks very oishi as we say in Japan. I bet you enjoyed it. Did you snap pics of the inside?
That little snowman looks divine. Even though I’m not a big meringue fan, I love ice cream, especially presented in such a fun way. Was the greenery edible, too?
The homemade ice-cream was beyond! The greenery was thyme, edible but more for decoration.
Fidel, I totally should have taken pictures as it melted, but he looked kind of weird all taken apart! Melted, yes… But also drunk since it’s in Vegas haha
That is a fantastic looking dessert! Central is going on the list! (but man it’s getting to be a long list…)
that looks soooo yummy!
It was!!
YUM!! I wish I was with you for that tasting!!!
Isn’t he darling! Christmas in Vegas must be a bit like Christmas in Australia…
I’m on my way!!!!!!!
Vegas is funny — this year we had a pretty mild winter, but it’s usually cold enough for snow. There just isn’t any because it’s the desert!
So funny! Only in Vegas
Looks delicious, wish I was there, I have such a sweet tooth
I can write that about a lot of things!!
Angela, it’s funny — I really don’t! But I’m a sucker for vanilla ice-cream and home-made whipped creams and such.
I almost said that was too pretty to eat, but that’s a statement that is absolutely never true.
Agreed! I guess other people balk at eating his face…
What a great idea for a winter dessert! I’d have had a hard time eating it too–at least until after I’d taken a million pictures. LOL. It sounds wonderful.
He was so cute!
I want one! I wish he wouldn’t melt on the way to Chile.
Looks delic!
Too cute to eat
I wish I’d felt that way ha! I ate the whole thing myself!
YUM! That looks delicious!
And how adorable!
You need to try it!
I often feel the same way, some dishes look just to good to eat.
Poor frosty! JK… but what a great way to play in the snow without even having to put on scarf and mittens. Def a must have for January!
So cute! Our restaurants in Miami should have a special winter dessert like that!