East Idaho Eats: Cafe et Amour is offering delicious treats in all types of weather

RIGBY — We here in eastern Idaho know the weather can be unpredictable. Whether it’s blazing hot out or freezing cold, you can always bet on finding the perfect treat at Cafe Et Amour.

Cafe et Amour offers hot coffee, cold fruit smoothies, breakfast items, and homemade treats year-round.

According to owner Christina Christiaens, the ‘little pink trailer,’ as it has been dubbed in Rigby, has treats for everyone.

“We wanted to make sure we touched on everybody from the coffee drinkers to the not-coffee drinkers,” says Christiaens. “So, we have a little bit of everything.”

Adding to the charm of the little pink trailer, Christina and her husband Cory get their coffee from a small business, giving opportunities to those who live with disabilities.

Special Needs Coffee, owned by Emanual Butler, a friend of the Christiaens, employs those with physical and mental disabilities to give them the opportunity to work in a safe, comfortable, and happy environment.

“They’re out of California, and they employ about 95% of the staff at their trailer with people with physical and mental disabilities,” says Christina. “My husband’s best friend owns the company, they are both veterans of the Navy, so we were like, that’s what we’re doing! Plus, their coffee is really yummy.”

One of the most popular items for coffee drinkers is a special called the Mardi Gras, made with chocolate, caramel, twisted marshmallow, and Special Needs Coffee.

“Cafe Et Amour is a french name, so on our menu and with our specials, we named them with a french theme, says Christiaens. “So we have the Que Sera too.”

Another popular drink is their peach mango smoothie, which is sweet, tangy, and yummy even when it’s snowing.

“This is one of our most popular smoothies, people keep coming back for it,” says Christiaens. “Even on days like today, (when it’s snowing).”

Some of their popular treats include the hot chocolate cookie which is perfect if you’re a self-proclaimed chocolate connoisseur like me.

The hot chocolate cookie has an interesting back story and takes the work of not one, but two small businesses to bring it to life.

“I reached out to Pandora’s Chocolates right down the street and asked them if I could use their hot cocoa mix,” says Christiaens. “So the hot cocoa mix is inside the cookie and inside the frosting. It’s an exclusive Cafe Et Amour cookie, using Pandora chocolate.”

Last but certainly not least, Cafe Et Amour also offers gluten-free options.

One of their most popular is the gluten-free raspberry cheesecake cookie, which is, dare I saw it, ungodly good. It is soft and creamy, and you can’t tell that it’s gluten-free, even a little bit.

“Gluten-free has definitely been a request for us,” says Christiaens. “We sell a ton of gluten-free stuff, so I always try and have 3 to 5 things on the menu to rotate, to see what people like.”

Make sure next time you’re in Rigby to visit the little pink trailer, Cafe Et Amour.

They are located at 180 West Main Street and are open Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find out more about Cafe Et Amour on their Facebook page.