Schulze and Burch Biscuit Co. of Chicago, who purchased the real assets of Yarnell's Ice Cream in Searcy following the 78-year-old company's sudden meltdown last June, is apparently making good on their promise to bring the classic Arkansas ice cream back to the state.

They'll hold what they're calling a "Sqroundbreaking" ceremony to officially celebrate the return at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 19 (UPDATE: It's been rescheduled to 10 a.m.) in the State Capitol Rotunda.

Why "Sqround"? As seen in publicity photos, the new Yarnell's will be ditching the familiar cylindrical box, in favor of a rounded rectangle carton. While some are sure to cry foul on the packaging change, our read is that's actually a bonus on top of the news Yarnell's is coming back. The cylindrical cartons could be infuriatingly messy when you were scooping for the dregs at the bottom of the container.

• Cheree Franco
• Cupcakes for Grown-Ups: Lavender and lemon

In honor of Valentine's Day cliches, I'm going to talk about cupcakes now. Specifically, I'm going to talk about Hot Spring's Fat Bottomed Girl's Cupcakes. Fat Bottomed Girl's is a cozy shop with pink walls and limited nook seating on Hot Spring's downtown drag of Central Avenue. Charlene Simon, who owns Bathhouse Soapery and Caldarium next door (receipts from one gets you discounts at the other), opened the shop in November, but it's taken me a few months to get around to sampling.

At $3.50 a pop, Fat Bottom's cupcakes are pricey, but sometimes there are free mini-cupcakes on the counter. And the flavors are super fun. I can't wait to try pb&j (peanut butter cake and icing, grape jelly filling), champagne (in the batter!) and pistachio and rosewater. The menu changes daily, so not every flavor is available, but there are always several flavors to choose from.

• Kat Robinson

This Saturday is the eighth annual all-you-can-eat Chocolate Lover's Festival in Eureka Springs. It's held at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. At $10 a pop (less for kids), you get to sample a smorgasbord of chocolate edibles (cakes, cookies, beverages, dip-ables), as well as chocolate body products (soaps, shampoos, etc.) There will also be take-home goodies and professional, amateur and youth contests for best decorated cake, best dessert, best candy, best brownie, best cookie and most creative dessert. (Full disclosure: Eat Arkansas contributor Kat Robinson is one of the judges.) Entry fees benefit local schools and nonprofits. There's no website for this year's event, but last year's website should give you a good idea of what to expect.

For more info call Jay Nickle at 479-855-1111 ext. 371 or Pam Hinson at 479-253-7700.

Operating out of the historic soda fountain corner of the Green Corner Store on 15th and Main, the newly-opened Loblolly Creamery serves locally made ice cream, sweets and sodas. Inspiration for the business, co-owner Sally Mengle explained, came from the building itself, former home to the C.H. Dawson Drugstore 1905 to 1967. Both she and co-owner Rachel Boswell are passionate about making sweets and ice cream and wanted to honor the building’s rich history.

The business idea “fell in our laps,” Mengle said. “We got to fit the business around the location.”

They debuted samples at the first annual Arkansas Cornbread Festival last month, where they captured an award for their caramel polenta cake. Last night they hosted their second event, a cream and soda tasting with pints of ice cream on sale for $4.

UPDATE: Loblolly won't officially open until 2012, likely in the spring, though there will be at least one other event between now and then. Once the business opens, pints will go for $5.

Taking place during the Holiday Tree Lighting and Craft Market at the Bernice Garden in the SoMa neighborhood, the fountain area of the Green Corner Store was packed with folks lined up to sample the sweet treats. Nearly everyone who sampled the ice cream left with a pint or two in their hands. Four flavors were available: chocolate sorbet, cinnamon vanilla custard, all-organic scotch pecan and my personal favorite, the tart and punchy citrus sherbet. All flavors are made with Coleman Milk, but they’re seeking out a source for Arkansas pastured milk.

Having been an ice-cream addict for at least two decades now, I consider myself something of an aficionado. Trust me, these flavors won’t disappoint. The ice cream is smooth and the texture a nice halfway point between home-churned and store bought. The flavors are subtle, allowing the texture and milky flavor to shine. Let’s just say that after returning home that evening, I ate nearly an entire pint of citrus sherbet.

Four soda flavors were also available for tasting: a tart cranberry, a smooth and refreshing peppermint green tea, a slightly spicy ginger, and their signature loblolly pine used in root beer floats.

The flavors, Engle said, are inspired by the seasons, and whenever possible local ingredients are used, including honey from Little Rock’s Dunbar Garden and pecans from Indian Bayou Milling Company. All the soda flavors are made by hand, and soon they’ll also be offering from-scratch waffle cones and a variety of candies and baked goods for toppings. All sodas and ice cream will be available for wholesale or catering.

Readers will probably recognize the name Loblolly as our state tree, the Loblolly Pine.

“We want to associate ourselves with Arkansas made, Arkansas natural,” Engle said. "And when you say the word, it kind sounds “like you have ice cream in your mouth,” she adds, laughing.

• Grav Weldon
• PHENOMENAL: Chef Tandra Watkins' cherry inspired dessert

• Grav Weldon

It’s not the only thing that will be on the menu come Monday. Executive Chef Lee Richardson is planning a savory dish with the cherries. And who knows what else is about to be dreamed up.

Want this? It’ll be on the menu for lunch Monday at Ashley’s. Worth it on its own. That’s right, I was privileged to receive a special tasting. The notes this crème brulee hit were astounding. I like cherries. I like pistachio. I usually don’t care for flavored crème brulees (though I adore “plain” ones) but this was just perfect. A delicious pistachio custard is only enhanced by the slightly tart, almost nutty-sweet cherries, and the caramelized sugar crust just caps everything off grandly. The cookies… well, I could eat those cookies every day. My my.

• Kat Robinson
• A PERFECT BITE: MaryClare macaron

Now, we’re not talking about macaroons, the coconut-heavy cookie popular with the pedestrian set. These are fine macarons made from almonds, egg whites and sugar, flavored with great care and thought and thoroughly irresistible. A good macaron is light like a meringue, with a pleasant filling in-between the two halves.

• Kat Robinson
• SWEET AND COLORFUL: Suckers at Sweet!

So hearing about a brand new candy store over in Sherwood was great news for me. And I tell you what, I can’t wait until Sweet! is really going strong.

• Grav Weldon
• MATCHED PAIR: Wedding cake pops from This Cake Pops!

It’s a simple idea… take a ball of cake, cover it in some sort of frosting or fondant and serve it up — a single serving of sweetness just for you, the perfect size to dine on.

The idea has suddenly caught on and spread like wildfire. I noticed this weekend that Starbucks is offering its version. But I can pretty much guarantee they’re not as pretty as these examples from This Cake Pops!, the work of Fort Smith cake pop maker Michelle Tucker. I discovered her work through Details Weddings and Events, which recently hosted a giveaway of the pops. They were so cute, I just had to find out more.

• Kat Robinson
• GOOD AND FREE: Chocolate cupcake at Brown Sugar Bakeshop

• Kat Robinson

No, I didn’t just go by for the freebie. Been craving Red Velvet Cake again, so I picked up a Red Velvet Cupcake along with this sweet Strawberry Cream Cupcake… I’m going to be cupcaked-out by the end of the day, but oh the sugar rush.

Been to the new place? It’s next to Dugan’s Pub ast 419 East 3rd Street in the Tuf-Nut Shops building. Cupcakes are $2.50 each and worth it. (501) 372-4009 or check out the website.

UPDATE: The free cupcakes are gone... but I betcha can still get some good Red Velvet beauties....

• Grav Weldon
• BIG BOX: Heart fulla chocolate

Found that at Martin Greer’s Candies in Gateway. It’s impressive. The good doctor (you did know Martin Greer has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas) tells a tale of an 18 year old boy who came into his store a few years ago and saw the large heart fulla chocolate. Says the boy kept making comments about it while Greer was pointing out different items to him. The boy apparently spoke up and told him “why are you trying to talk me out of this?” That was one lucky girl…

Of course, I am assuming he did gift that heart.