Dulce Galeria at Bucerias

I am an unashamed sweet tooth.

Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that if I’m in a new country and I see a sign that says “(that country’s) Finest Traditional Sweets”, I’m pretty much there like a bear.

That’s the sign I saw, colorfully designed in aqua green and purple, strolling down Lazaro Cardenas blvd in centro Bucerias, marking the entrance to Dulce Galeria. Truth be told I wasn’t that excited at first after having left a couple of stores making similar claims in downtown Vallarta being rather disappointed at their lack of any uniqueness or authenticity.

Dulce Galeria in Bucerias however, is an exception; the kind of exception that you hope to find at the smaller, slightly less touristy town that exists that little voyage out from the main city center.

Striking up a conversation with the store’s owner, you learn that the selection is a combination of traditional sweets that she acquires from all over Mexico; from Jalisco, from Nayarit, from small towns and big towns; anything interesting,  unique and excessively sweet might find it’s way here.

If you’re smart you gravitate quickly towards the plate free samples, that glorious feature that makes your  trip to a candy store enjoyable whether you’re buying or not. On the plate you see tiny slivers of candy of many a strange variety.

First you get introduced to an ingredient common to many of the store’s items, called Guava. I couldn’t manage to work out whether this was some extract or manipulated form of the fruit guava, because in taste and appearance it bears no resemblance, despite being delicious in a non traditional way. It’s coloured the brown of caramel and has a consistency similar, almost like but not quite as thick as that of not quite fully caramelized condensed milk. The taste of this is relatively expected, sweet and thick and… caramelly… particularly compared to the peculiar first taste that hits your mouth, one that you’d swear was something mildly and sweetly alcoholic.

Many candies in the store are innovations using this Guava substance including the delightful Guava coconut roll who’s name accurately sums up it’s content and implies it’s deliciousness.

A strange sweet on the menu who’s name is both less and more mysterious is called simply “Mango with a splash of chilly”. Learning that it is not in fact spicy allows you to put this one to the test. Surprisingly (for me at least) this was an instant favorite, the sweetness of the mango combining with the faintest hint of heat from the chilly provides an unusual yet easy to appreciate lolly that leaves you wanting more.

Other available treats included marshmallows covered in sprinkles, mango cream mixed with chopped pecans, toasted pumpkin seeds, and various crystallized fruits.

While at first glance the store is tiny, the hardest part of a visit quickly becomes deciding what of all the awesomeness you’re going to take home with you. Unfortunately the prices are such that you’ll probably only want to select a few things and leave the rest for next time.

There’s no mix and match, and no familiar western favorites, but at Dulce Galeria, you’ll certainly find your sweet tooth satisfied. Much like the nearby Gringo’s Bookstore, I say that Dulce Galeria is not a store but an experience. The enjoyment of learning the composition of various sweets you’ve never seen before, finding out where different items come from and making your selection between so many things that look so nice is almost as great as the enjoyment of stuffing your face with the sugary snacks after you leave.