COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS & MORE / PROOF IN THE PUDDING

Let’s flip the cliché about making lemonade out of lemon.  For now, let’s make pudding instead.

San Diegan Toran Grays has parlayed his great-grandmother’s banana pudding recipe into a thriving business called Extraordinary Banana Pudding (8257 El Paso Street, La Mesa CA).  Now, the three-month old 800-square foot operation in suburban La Mesa offers 25 flavors Grays has created, which include coconut, pistachio, lemon, chocolate, red velvet. 

The shop opened as other businesses were closing for the pandemic.  What Grays learned was to prepackage his puddings in ready to go containers.  Customers can order on the phone, online or stop by the store.

So far, so good, says Grays, who has added menu items like pudding filled cup cakes and cakes.  He’s happy with public reception to his pudding palace so much so that he is planning to open shop #2 in Las Vegas soon.

Great-grandmother's banana pudding

Toran Grays, Pudding Master