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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, April 3, 2005

THE INSIDE SCOOP
Miniature desserts offer huge flavors

By Simplicio Paragas
Dining Out Editor

Rebecca Williams, left, helped Frances Pons with the pastry display during Sugar Rush's anniversary party.

Photo by Randy T. Fujimori

Sugar Rush

Call: 949-4948

Note: Customers can choose from 21 bite-sized desserts. Orders are taken Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Pastry chef Frances Pons bucked the "Super-Size-Me" trend when she established Sugar Rush, a one-year-old catering company that specializes in providing Lilliputian-sized desserts.

"This is what's happening everywhere on the Mainland," Pons said, while holding up a recent newspaper clipping that supported her assertion about the growing demand for mini desserts. "There is no way to avoid this, even if Hawaii is what I call a 'trend buck.'"

It's doubtful that Island residents will be able to resist Pons miniature desserts.

Teri Ogawa couldn't. After first tasting Pons' pastries during a family get-together last Thanksgiving, she has been hooked ever since.

"I've used Frances' desserts for some of the events I've organized in the past," said Ogawa, a Bank of Hawaii employee and a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. "And I always recommend her to other people."

While attending Sugar Rush's first-anniversary party a couple of weeks ago in the basement of the First Christian Church of Honolulu — which doubles as Pons' "kitchen" that's equipped with one stove, a couple of racks and enough freezer space for her desserts — Pons brought out her latest calorie-laden morsels.

"They're more retro-type desserts," said a halo-wearing Pons, who dressed up like a sugar fairy for the occasion. "They're ones that you'll remember from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

The "Scarlett O'Hara" — Pons likes to bestow whimsical, tongue-in-cheek names to her desserts — dates back even further to the '20s. This traditional Southern-style red velvet cake is light and easily swallowed in one bite.

The "Ginger Rogers" butter cake was slightly spicy and its air-like texture was satisfying. (Too bad Pons didn't add a partnering "Fred Astaire" to complement Ginger.)

Citing Dole company as the inspiration for her "Pineapple Princess," Pons described this as the classic '60s upside-down pineapple cake.

Requiring more than just a bite — and a tiny spoon — the "Strawberry Passion" was a fluffy fruit mousse that packed big flavor for being such a tiny portion.

In fact, this could be said for all of Pons' desserts, including her sweet-potato cheesecake "Southern Belle;" chocolate truffle "Starburst;" "Coco Moco," a flourless torte that's topped with whipped cream and dusted with coco; and "Coconut Cockaigne," a lemon-orange chiffon cake that's lightly frosted with coconut haupia and garnished with coconut shavings.

"They're small, but they're sinful," Pons smiled. "And this is the trend."