The651.com

Tasty news on the Foodie front: Saint Paul Classic Cookie reopens this weekend, Rosedale’s Dinner and Dunk promotion kicks off, and other sweet treats just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Saint Paul Classic Cookie reopens
Saint Paulite baker Katie Novotny claims she learned her trade at the “Food Network college,” but a successful run with her own bakery for three years shows that’s nothing to scoff at. After closing her downtown shop in April of last year, the self-taught baker reopens her Saint Paul Classic Cookie shop at University and Raymond Avenues with a space that’s twice as big with ample parking. The bakery features cookies, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, brownies and bars, with scones, pies and rolls to be added in coming weeks. (2386 Territorial Rd., St. Paul. 651-646-0551.)

See’s Candies Opens in Rosedale
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, See’s Candies has opened a new location at Rosedale. The San Francisco-based company previously operated kiosks at various malls in the Twin Cities, but those were only open during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. Founded in 1921, See’s makes more than 100 varieties of candies, and is most famous for its signature Milk Chocolate Bordeaux. (Rosedale, 1595 Hwy. 36 W., St. Paul. 651-633-0373.)

Cake Eater arrives in St. Paul
One of our favorite Minneapolis bakeries, Cake Eater Bakery, is now offering its goods the St. Paul Cheese Shop. The adorable, tasty cupcakes make regular appearances at many a hip happening in the Twin Cities – and disappear quickly. (St. Paul Cheese Shop, 1573 Grand Ave., St. Paul. 651-1698-3391.)

Amore Coffee to open second location
St. Paul’s Amore Coffee is known for its tasty coffee, pastries, and cookies, and cozy indie coffeeshop ambiance. They just announced that they will be opening a second location in West St. Paul in the next couple of months. Hopefully the new Smith Avenue digs will be as homey as the current location. (917 W. Grand Ave., St. Paul. 651-222-6770.)

More St. Paul sweets:

Twin Cities chocolate shop Chocolat Celeste is perhaps best known for combining its chocolate with bacon. Even if chocolate-covered bacon isn’t your thing, you’re sure to find something here to satisfy your sweet tooth. Chocolat Celeste has won awards for its beautifully-decorated chocolates and delectable truffles. If that’s not enough, Meryl Streep and Rachael Ray are fans, as is Al Franken, for whom the “Almond Al” is named. (2506 University Ave. W., St. Paul. 651-644-3823.)

Find all kinds of sweets besides chocolate at Regina’s Fine Candies. Homemade “carmellows” are Regina’s specialty – they come wrapped in yellow wax paper, like an old fashioned candy shop would. (2073 Saint Clair Ave., St. Paul. 651-698-8603.)

Just Truffles, of course, is known for their decadent truffles. Countless flavors include everything from Kahlua to peppermint, and they’re always adding new flavors and unique combinations. (1326 Grand Ave., St. Paul. 651-690-0075.)

Golden Fig Fine Foods carries everything from the hugely popular baked goods by Salty Tart to chocolate and toffee. Unique sweets include chocolate covered Wheaties, mocha macademia chocolate bark, and Salty Tart’s take-and-bake brownies and fresh-fruit tarts. (790 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-602-0144.)

Cookie and gift shop Two Smart Cookies specializes in custom iced cutout cookies with home-baked flavor. The Minnesota State Fair award-winner bakers Melanie Danke and Patty Mathews also carry a small selection of gluten-free cookies. (181 Snelling Ave., St. Paul. 612-384-1069.)

For the past 25 years, Candyland has been an institution of the Twin Cities. The downtown St. Paul location is lined with old-fashioned glass case counters full of candy and chocolates, the store carries perennial favorites such as chocolate-covered potato chips, plus caramel corn, lollipops, licorice, fudge and jawbreakers. (435 Wabasha St. N., St. Paul. 651-292-1191.)

Special offer: February Dinner & Dunk Promotion at Rosedale Center
Through the month of February, if you spend $25 or more at one of Rosedale Center’s seven restaurants, you can receive two free tickets to the Minnesota Timberwolves game on Sunday, March 28. Simply bring your February food receipts from a Rosedale restaurant to Guest Services. Tickets are values at $35-50 each. (Feb. 1-28. While supplies last, one offer per person, alcohol not included.)

Whether you suffer from celiac disease or you are cutting down on carbs, St. Paul has a whole host of gluten-free options to get you covered.

Gluten-free pizza

After a summer weekend spent carb-loading, mid-week is a good time to eat something healthy. Before you cringe at the thought of healthy food, hear me out: I’m talking carb-free pizza. That’s right – Every Tuesday and Wednesday, everyone’s favorite pizza hangout Pizza Lucé offers a gluten-free menu. Whether you can’t eat gluten or are just watching your carb intake, gluten-free at Lucé is the way to go. Check out the full gluten-free menu here. (1183 Selby Ave. 651-288-0186.)

Gluten-free beer

You may not know it but beer is a no-no for those suffering from celiac disease because of its wheat content. Fortunately, St. Paul has a ton of gluten-free beer options. Pizza Lucé carries Redbridge and New Grist.

Another great gluten-free beer option is one made right here in Minnesota: Bard’s Beer. It’s available at a number of St. Paul liquor stores as well as Supatra’s Thai Cuisine (967 W. 7th St. 651-222-5859).

St. Paul’s gluten-free beer retailers:
Chet’s Liquor: 974 Sibley Memorial Hwy. 651-454-3227
First Grand Avenue Liquors: 918 Grand Ave. 651-227-7039
Thomas Liquors: 1941 Grand Ave. 651-699-1560
Midway Liquors: 1944 University Ave W. 651-644-7900
Big Discount Liquor 333 N Concord Exchange. 651-451-2186
Sharrett’s Liquor: 2389 University Ave. 651-645-8629
Haskell’s: 2221 Ford Pkwy. 651-698-8844
Liquor Village: 2289 Ford Pkwy. 651-699-7070

Gluten-free baked goods

If you’re looking for something sweeter, check out the Twin Cities’ premier gluten-free bakery, Cooqi Gluten-Free Delights. Everything in the shop are gluten-free and primarily organic, and they also happen to taste pretty darn good. They carry everything from cakes, bars, cookies, breads, frozen pizza dough, and wheat-substitute baking mix (2186 Marshall Ave. 651-645-4433). Two Smart Cookies at Selby & Snelling use all organic ingredients and have one gluten-free option, their delicious peanut butter cookie (181 Snelling Ave. N. 612-384-1069).

Also look for St. Paul’s first Trader Joe’s, which carries a huge variety of gluten-free offerings, to open by the end of the month at Lexington and Randolph.