Evidence that this nasty fad is over? The proof is in the pudding...or in this instance, in the cream puff.

[From The Associated Press]:

Sure, cream puffs are chock-full of fat and calories and thin is in. But the treats that fell flat among diet-conscious Americans decades ago are making a comeback via Japan.

Dueling cream puff shops — one a Japanese standby, another a U.S. upstart — have popped up on the East Coast, and one plans to expand soon to other parts of the country.

At least one mail-order food company is also reporting a jump in cream puff sales and the Wisconsin State Fair — where they have been sold since 1924 and in recent years gained record popularity — now sells the confection at a rate of one per second.

We're sure you don't want to miss out on this new, much less meaty, trend in eating. The best way to do this is to venture to the Turtle Bay section of Manhattan on the Upper East side and tast test the Japanese cream puffs at the two rival companies: Choux Factory, the Beard Papa.

For further reading on the rivalry check out Eat Drink One Woman. The subtitle for the blog is "eating and complaining in NYC."