Valentine's Day is always better with sweets. Courtney's Cake Creations (corner of 1st St and Patricia Ave) this year is offering a number of different options for those looking to purchase something sweet for that special someone in the life. They are offering their sugar cookie kits (pictured above) which includes: 1 dozen cookies, 3 kinds of sprinkles, 1 kind of candy and 3 bags of royal icing for only $30. These decorating kits are the perfect DIY family gift idea. Hot chocolate bombs (chocolate hearts filled with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows) are also available. Simply pour warm milk over them in a mug and they burst open with hot cocoa mix and marshmallows. Available in 3-packs: chocolate, Rollo, and marshmallow. Courtney tells bdnmb.ca that the chocolate bombs went over so well at Christmas time that she wanted to introduce them as an option for Valentine's day as well. hot chocolate bombs. Other Valentine specials include chocolate covered strawberries (6 or 12), a Valentine's day cake, and cookie boxes (cookie box has 3 large sugar cookies and 3 chocolates). Due to the popularity of the items featured for Valentine's day, pre-order sales (by February 10) are a must. You can visit their Facebook page to find out more information on the individual options and pricing details. 1doz chocolate covered strawberries Cookie box from Courtney's Cake Creations. Cookie box from Courtney's Cake Creations.

Brandon has an amazing array of local restaurants, with some pretty exciting food options to select from. From legendary prime rib to hearty sandwiches, here’s our list of "ten ridiculously tasty menu items you must try in Brandon." In no particular order. Philly Cheese Steak Nachos from The Dock on Princess. Beer braised beef, green and red peppers, caramelized red onions, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, cheese, drizzed with garlic aioli and a house made cheese sauce. Legendary Prime Rib from Albert's Bistro Family Restaurant. Served with choice of lemon roasted potatoes or rice pilaf and vegetables. (Photo: Facebook) Veggie Breakfast Bowl from Chez Angela Bakery & Cafe. Locally sourced seasonal vegetables with caramelized onions, swiss cheese, a horseradish mayo and a sunny side up egg served on their Country Style Roasted Potatoes. Roast Chicken Sub from Pizza Express & Submarine. Seasoned roast chicken, with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise & house dressing. Add bacon for that little extra kick. Birria Tacos from Sabor Latino Restaurant. Cheesy Mexican tacos with a generous amount of high quality pulled beef, fresh guacamole, onions, and cilantro consomé on the side. Sampler Pizza from Romana Pizza. Something for everyone with this beautiful pizza. 1/4 - Ham & Pineapple, 1/4 - Bacon & Mushroom, 1/4 - Pepperoni & Mushroom, 1/4 - Double Cheese Joe Beeverz Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. Thin slices of sirloin beef sautéed with peppers, onions, mushrooms and topped with melty provolone and cheese sauce, served in a fresh baguette. La Cuban Torta from Los Brothers Street Food. Ham slices, sliced hotdog, 3-cheese blend, avocado, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, & mayo. Chicken Cacciatore from Marino's Pizza. Fresh tender chicken morsels combined with Marino's homemade cacciatore sauce, customized with your choice of pasta noodle, then smothered in mozzarella cheese Crispy chicken wings from Benny's Restaurant & Catering Services. Available in Sweet Chili, BBQ, hot & honey, Buffalo, salt & pepper, honey garlic, Arizona, and Cajun. To order one of these fantastic menu items visit Door Dash, Feastify, or SKIP the Dishes. Please note that note that some of the restaurants listed above offer their own delivery service therefore they may not be found on any of the apps. Please visit their respective web sites/Facebook pages for pickup and delivery information.

A popular and long-standing retail establishment in Brandon has announced that they will be closing their doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hallmark Appleyard Manitoba Canada announced via social media on Wednesday that due to the devastating impact of COVID on their business, they would be closing up shop here in Brandon as well as their St Vital location in Winnipeg. "The devastating impact of COVID on our business is overwhelming," they shared in their Facebook post. The full statement can be accessed below. The company will continue to operate their Polo Park, Kildonan Place, Kenaston and Stonewall locations.

A Double-Double™ and a Boston Cream donut were Canada's favourite Tim Hortons go-tos of 2020. But while the top coffee orders of 2020 were consistent across the country, the top Tim Hortons donuts of the year differed depending on where you are in Canada. The Apple Fritter was the top Tim Hortons donut in Ontario, the western provinces and the territories in 2020, while the Honey Cruller was No. 1 in Quebec. The Boston Cream was the top Tim Hortons donut across the Atlantic provinces. But it also ranked a very close second in the rest of the country — which pushed it into the top slot as Canada's top Tim Hortons donut overall. "Boston Cream donuts are a classic and I'm not surprised it was Canadian Tim Hortons guests choice this year," says Tallis Voakes, the new Culinary Lead for Tim Hortons who is overseeing quality improvement across the menu in 2021. "It's a filled, soft, yeast donut and has delicious chocolate and creamy vanilla flavours. The concept for the donut comes from a Boston Cream Pie recipe that's over 100 years old — it's so cool to me to see how dishes evolve over time." But for Voakes — whose culinary background includes training at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, working for some of the world's top chefs, and even cooking for the Queen — there's another Tim Hortons donut that can't be beat. "I agree with my friends in Quebec, the Honey Cruller is my jam," says Voakes. "But it's like anything else, everyone's got a favourite and there's no wrong answers." When it comes to the top coffee orders, the results at Tim Hortons were consistent across the country. The classic Double-Double™ was tops, followed by "regular" — one dairy, one sugar — and then a simple black coffee was the third most popular order. Across Canada, the top 10 Tim Hortons donuts were: Boston Cream, Apple Fritter, Old Fashioned Plain, Honey Cruller, Chocolate Dip, Vanilla Dip, Sour Cream Glazed, Chocolate Glazed, Double Chocolate and Honey Dip.(CNW)

Sunrise Credit Union is pleased to be offering a FREE resource for all businesses, large and small, including home-based. GoShopLocal.ca is designed to let more people know about individual businesses and the products and services they provide. The website aims to increase the visibility of businesses in the communities they serve and beyond. It takes just a few minutes for business owners and operators to provide information to allow consumers to learn all about their business. “It’s an effort to drive awareness to all the products and services that our small businesses provide outside of the large companies that we’re all familiar with.” said Sunrise Credit Union President and CEO Tim Klassen, “Sunrise has a big part in small business throughout our region. This initiative is an exciting project that we hope gets some traction and helps our small businesses.” Sunrise Credit Union will be promoting GoShopLocal.ca to consumers throughout Southwestern Manitoba through a robust marketing campaign early in the New Year.