By Danielle Rexrode
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Halloween may already have a handle as October’s most popular holiday, but there’s another lesser-known celebration this month that gives you the right to indulge your sweet tooth all month long. October is National Dessert Month.

It’s unclear when National Dessert Month started. But one thing’s for sure: Whoever is responsible is a genius!  “National Dessert Month is mainly a commercial holiday,” says Jeff Terilli, chef de cuisine at Brooksby Village. “Many big names like Kraft, Sara Lee, and Nabisco sponsor the holiday.  Restaurants across the country celebrate the month and it’s very popular on the Internet with dessert recipe sharing.

“The Food Network channel also has a great deal of programming dedicated to National Dessert Month. Many of the mainstream shows such as Emeril Live feature dessert recipes. They also host baking competitions and fruit carving,” Terilli adds.

Life is sweet in Beantown
There are plenty of places to satisfy your sweet spot in the greater Boston area. Desserteries, like Finale located off Columbus Avenue in downtown Boston, are popping up all over the place. Not your “take a ticket and wait in line” run-of-the-mill bakery, Finale serves up sweets in an elegant setting, complete with candlelit tables and cloth napkins. Patrons order mouth-watering concoctions like Chocolate Euphoria, an artistic arrangement of black forest torte with cherries, a white chocolate dome with a strawberry center, and molten  chocolate cake topped with butterscotch sauce and homemade candies. Finale also features an extensive list of dessert wines, champagnes, cordials, and ports.