It's 2012, and everything is backward. Today, people are fighting to legalize pot—a substance that was pounded into our child brains as bad bad BAD—yet control delicious, harmless sugar, a substance that was poured into our child mouths. There are candy taxes, advertising restrictions, and product size regulations: The War on Sugar is America's new War on Drugs.

Sugar is now a political stance. First Lady Michelle Obama tells us to stop eating sugar, to eat more vegetables. New York mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of large containers of soda and sugar-filled drinks. Our nation is getting fat and sick. Type 2 diabetes rates are up 90 percent in the last decade. By 2030, 42 percent of Americans will be obese.

But that doesn't mean we still don't love a sweet treat; this week we embraced the deeply conflicted relationship we have with them..

• Cookie dough addict Cienna Madrid tours the Cougar Mountain Baking Company
• Sarah Galvin introduces us to the wonderful people behind Full Tilt Ice Cream
• Anna Minard writes a love letter to a croissant (and butter)
• Jen Graves investigates the $35 (!) baked Alaska
• Dominic Holden introduces us to possibly the most interesting man in Seattle, who also happens to make the best Cherries Jubilee

AND SO MUCH MORE. Read it all here.

Then go get yourself a treat. You've earned it.