If you're looking for a sign to deviate from your lame fad diet that's probably not going to work anyways, here it is.
It's National Dessert Day, you can't not participate. Print this note out and hand it to your personal trainer before hitting the mat for compensatory crunches.
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To guide you through this glorious day, here's a list of the 10 best desserts in and around Detroit:
Salted maple pie from Sister Pie
To pick any single pie from Sister Pie is hard, but to walk out of the bakery without having tasted the salted maple pie (especially with fall fully in swing) would be a shame. So walk into the bakery, let your nose be your guide and good luck practicing any restraint.
Get it: 8066 Kercheval Ave., Detroit
Chocolate cannoli from Astoria
This is for the chocolate lovers. Astoria's chocolate cannoli is not for the lighthearted as the onslaught of chocolate requires some previous experience. Sure, the macarons look good, but it's National Dessert Day — we're looking for the heavy stuff.
Get it: 541 Monroe St., Detroit
Sea salt chocolate chip cookie from Avalon
A Detroit classic. There's no better cookie in the city. It has it all: golden-brown edges, gooey soft inside, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chips, perfectly topped with flakes of sea salt. It can stand alone and it pairs well with coffee, what more can you want from a cookie?
Get it: 422 W. Willis St., Detroit
Raspberry pistachio macaron from Cannelle
It's beautiful, visually and gustatorily (Google it). The colors alone make it worth buying the dessert just to look at it up close. It's hard to eat logistically, but once you accept the mess, you'll be glad you did. The fresh fruit combined with the crisp macaron makes for a delicious journey.
Get it: 45 W. Grand River Ave., Detroit
Kanafah from Masri Sweets
A classic. Getting a taste of the Middle East is easy thanks to our neighbor, Dearborn. The dessert consists of a layer cheese under fine semolina dough, covered in a sugar-based syrup. Best served warm and fresh.
Get it: 5755 Schaefer Rd., Dearborn
Conchas from Mexicantown Bakery
This traditional sweet bread roll is something you have to try at least once. Then again, and again and again. The crunchy topping provides texture and flavor, and maybe conchas wouldn't be technically a dessert but it's sweet and it would be a shame to exclude them.
Get it: 4300 Vernor Hwy., Detroit
Blueberry donuts from Dutch Girl Donuts
Blueberry is a bold, but purposeful choice. Thankfully, Dutch Girl Donuts is open 24 hours, so you can try every type of donut any time you want, but for today, blueberry is the one. Something sweet, kind of fruity, maybe healthy?
Get it: 19000 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Chocolate almond bostock from Ochre Bakery
Who am I to ignore Ochre Bakery when Bon Appetit ranked it the fourth best new restaurant in America this year? There's a lot to love about Ochre, the smokey carrot dip, the lemon-pistachio loaf, the hummus, but I'm going with the bostock. Go and see what the buzz is all about.
Get it: 4884 Grand River Ave., Detroit
Fruity Pebbles cake from For the Love of Sugar
Alright, this is a shallow choice, purely for aesthetics. When your timeline is looking dry and you need something colorful to liven it up STAT, look no further than For the Love of Sugar. Oh, and the cake is delicious, too.
Get it: 100 Erskine St., Detroit
Paczkis from New Palace Bakery
We don't need to wait for Fat Tuesday to indulge in a paczki, thanks to our vibrant Polish community here in Metro Detroit. Any kind, any time, there's no wrong way to enjoy a paczki, honestly. There are no frills and fancies to rave about, it's a paczki — plain, simple and delicious.
Get it: 9833 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck