A Dessert Lover's Guide to the Mississippi River

One of my favorite things about working on riverboats was the opportunity to experience so many different kinds of regional cuisine. Stretching from the Gulf of Mexico almost all the way to the Canadian border, the Mississippi River region is home to some of the country's most diverse and most well-known dishes: crawfish étouffée, Memphis barbecue, fried chicken, tater tot hotdish — the list goes on. Since I never quite outgrew my sweet tooth, I always made sure to leave space for dessert, and I quickly realized that the Mississippi's desserts deserved just as much recognition. Below are some of my favorites:

Beignets - Café du Monde - New Orleans, LA

Pillowy better-than-doughnuts coated in so much powdered sugar that diners are advised not to wear black, beignets are a well-known must-have in New Orleans. Although they can be bought just about anywhere in the city — and every place makes them just a little bit differently — Café du Monde has the distinction of being one of America's oldest cafés and is well worth the visit. With recipes changing little since 1862, Café du Monde boasts a small but mighty menu of New Orleans standards like beignets, chicory coffee, and café au lait.

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Travel Tip:

The original and most iconic Café du Monde location is at the French Market; however, its fame can also give rise to long lines during daytime hours. Service is efficient and there's almost always a band or two around to pass the time, but if you'd rather just get your beignet and go, the Riverwalk Outlets location, just a few blocks away, is usually less crowded.

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White Chocolate Bread Pudding - Houmas House - Darrow, LA

The first thing you should know is that I don't actually like bread pudding. Something about soggy, stale bread soaked in bourbon just never sat right with me. Then, during a work lunch at Houmas House, I put some on my plate to be polite, and the rest, as they say, was history. Using white chocolate as its not-so-secret ingredient, Houmas House's bread pudding packs a big punch in a small bite, with just enough bread wrapped in a crunchy, syrupy, caramelized crust.

Freak Shake - The Soda Fountain - St. Louis, MO

Decked out in neon and pastel, the Soda Fountain is as much an experience as it is a restaurant. Located in the Union Station entertainment district, it is something like what would happen if Willy Wonka set up shop in a 1950s diner: towering displays of candy, classic diner fare hot off the grill, and an entire menu page dedicated to ice cream. Of it all, the Soda Fountain is perhaps best known for its freak shakes, 22-ounce milkshakes taken to new heights with everything from candy to cakes to potato chips. The Soda Fountain has three freak shakes on its permanent menu, with seasonal creations appearing throughout the year (think pumpkin spice, chocolate-covered cherry, and king cake).

Huckleberry Taffy - multiple locations - Hannibal, MO

In the hometown of Huckleberry Finn's creator, you'll find huckleberry preserves, huckleberry ice cream, huckleberry coffee, huckleberry syrup, and huckleberry taffy. Something between a blueberry and a raspberry, huckleberries have a sweet, concentrated flavor with a touch of tartness, making them a unique flavor for saltwater taffy. Soft and subtly sweet, it's impossible to just eat one (or five), so make sure to stock up if you won't be back for a while. (Trust me — I didn't, and I still regret it.)

Pumpkin Bars - Harvestville Farm - Donnellson, IA

As an unabashed pumpkin-spice-and-oversized-scarf devotee living in the part of the country where the fall season lasts for about 14 minutes in November, I finally felt like I'd made it when I landed at my first Midwestern farm. It's the little things in life. As the name suggests, Harvestville Farm is a celebration of all things autumn, complete with a corn maze, pumpkin house, hay rides, and a "retail barn" filled with home decor and seasonal snacks. It's there that I met the pumpkin bar: moist, cakey, pumpkiny goodness whose sweetness is moderated by a generous helping of tangy cream cheese frosting. It's like pumpkin spice and oversized scarves on a fork.

Maple Frosted Long Johns - Bloedow Bakery - Winona, MN

On a snowy Saturday morning in Winona, it's not uncommon to see a line stretching from the front door of a small, unassuming building down the ramp and onto the sidewalk of an otherwise still-sleeping street. Its target? The best "little bake shop" in Minnesota. Open since 1924, Bloedow Bakery still uses the original recipes for many of its doughnuts, pastries, and breads. Among these is the fan-favorite maple frosted Long John, a fluffy rectangular doughnut coated in maple frosting and topped with crispy bacon. Does it get any more Midwestern than that?