Decadent Delights A Food
Drink focus issue.
This week’s edition of Food & Drink takes a look at some of the tasty treats in our neighborhood.
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Dacapo’s bakery celebrates 22 years in business 1B · Art Valet goes Black and White 6B • Leader area high schools get set for Baseball season 3B Saturday, February 20, 2016 • Page 1B
Local girl scout troops on the move with cookie sales By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Maybe you noticed them on your last trip to the grocery store – young girls with a keen entrepreneurial spirit offering a product with a long and tasty history? While Girl Scouts have been selling to friends and family for weeks, last weekend marked the start of booth sales. Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Caramel deLites, Shortbread, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Patties, Thanks-A-Lot and Cranberry Citrus Crisps, are on sale for $4 each in front of retail locations across southeast Texas. Get ‘em while they last. The sale ends March 20. For Cadette Troop 24197, who has been together since they were Daisy Girl Scouts, the cookie sale is a tradition. So on Valentine’s Day, troop members Savannah Salazar, Rebecca Crow, Jordan Reeves and Amber Nussberger were at the 43rd Street Kroger to try to make
a sale. While the girls acknowledge that it’s easier “to sell when you are little”, troop leader Rochelle Salazar tells them that they are still “cute.” Age does have its benefits, too. “We work better with money and making change now that we’re older,” said Savannah Salazar. “And we can interact more with the customers.” Their sales pitch is varied. Maybe customers want to know that it’s the last year for the Cranberry Citrus Crisps. The popular cookie variety will be discontinued. If someone wants gluten free, there’s a chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookie called Trios which retails for $5 per package. The girls tell potential customers that the cookies freeze well, or if they don’t want to eat them themselves they can do the Cookie Share program, where cookies are distributed See Cookies P. 6B
Frozen faves
Photos by Christina Martinez At the top, Heights resident Steven Knott takes a bite out of his Gelati at Rita’s Italian Ice on White Oak Drive. Below, two sisters take a bite of their Gelati treat.
All natural ice option at Rita’s Italian Ice By Christina Martinez christina@theleadernews.com
There may be snow on the ground in some parts of the country, but over off of White Oak Drive, the flurries are coming in a much tastier form. Timbergrove residents and partners, Daniel McCrackin and Michael Schwartz, grew up with Rita’s Italian Ice on the east coast. After moving to the neighborhood in 2013, the two decided that they missed their hometown treat and embarked on bringing some of that tradition to their new home. “We opened the first day of school [in 2015],” Schwartz said. “We’re excited for our first summer, our first real season.” Being an east coast tradition, franchises up east close for the winter and re-open the first day of spring. To get everyone excited about Rita’s ice again, franchises invite neighbors to come in to get a free ice on them. This year, the first day of spring lands on March 20, and the White Oak location will be participating in the free ice giveaway. “From open until close, everyone that walks in the door will receive free Italian ice,” Schwartz said. “It’s a fun day!” While gearing up for the first day of spring, Rita’s is launching a brand new cool treat to the everyday lineup –
Sugar-free Italian Ice. The ice is sweetened with Splenda brand sweetener and made with all natural ingredients. So far, two flavors have been launched at the Heights location – strawberry and pineapple. “These have zero high fructose corn syrup, no artificial colors or flavors,” Schwartz said. “They are basically just fruit, water and sugar.” Later in the spring, two more all natural flavors will be added to the lineup with banana and orange rotating in. “It’s a good option if you don’t want the preservatives or if you’re cutting out things like high fructose corn syrup,” McCrackin said. Another highlight for the Heights location is that their award-winning custard is back. With the egg shortage last year, the egg element was missing from the custard, but things are back on track for the frozen treat recipe. Rita’s Italian Ice on White Oak Drive is gearing up for
some great events in the near future. On the calendar later this year, you’ll find a few events with one of their favorite local organizations – Friends for Life. Rita’s has partnered with the no kill shelter and says they will continue to partner with the organization. “Friends for Life is a really important organization to us,” McCrackin said. “You can find a donation box on our counter every day.” Timbergrove residents McCrackin and Schwartz enjoy bringing ice to their new home and the two both have favorites they recommend from the menu. McCrackin said his is the Blendini of cheesecake strawberry and vanilla. Schwartz said his favorite varies from day-to-day, but he is partial to the Misto shakes. The two can both agree that the fan favorite, hands down, is the mango flavor and the mango Gelazi is the best-selling crowd pleaser. Rita’s Italian Ice is located at 2802 White Oak Dr.
Photo by Betsy Denson
Cadette Troop 24197 making cookie sales outside the Kroger on 43rd Street.
Locally owned Dacapo’s Pastry Cafe celebrates 22 years in business By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader
Dacapo’s Pastry Cafe has been making Heights residents happy with its sweet treats and fresh fare since 1994. Today, many locals drop in the store at the corner of 11th Street and Studewood for a fresh sandwich, handbaked pastries, or simply a rest from a hurried world. Still, 22 years ago, the area was in transition. “Transition - it was scary,” Lisa Biggerstaff, co-owner of Dacapo’s Pastry Cafe, said. “When we first started, we would open at 7 a.m., but no one was on the streets until noon, so we changed our opening time to 11, where it stays today.” Biggerstaff owns Dacapo’s in partnership with her twin sister, Tresa Biggerstaff. Together, the women do all the baking, make all their own breads and roast all their own meats. The fare is produced with a commitment to fresh, preservative-free, quality - an equation that apparently works. “We have many regular customers,” Biggerstaff said. “They come by for lunch or for orders to-go, sometimes several times a week. Every once in a while, we will try something new on the menu, but the customers protest if we take something off the menu to do it. Everyone has a favorite.” Dacapo’s has been serving its regulars for so long that the children of original regulars are now bringing their own kids in for treats. In fact, the twins had a grandfather who owned two bakeries, and joke that it is in their genetic make-up to serve the public home-baked goods. “We say we were ‘bread for the business’,” Biggerstaff said, laughing. Garden Oaks resident Patrick McDougle often meets his Heights sister at Dacapo’s for a slice of cake, coffee, or a coup of soup in the afternoon.
Photos by Christina Martinez Co-owner of Dacapo’s Pastry Cafe Lisa Biggerstaff, shows off her fresh out of the oven cookies.
“It’s a very pleasant little place,” McDougle said. “The food is great, the baked goods in particular, and the prices are good, plus it is a little like stepping back in time. There is no internet service so people are actually speaking to one another while they eat. Where else can you find that?” And the name? Biggersstaff says people often think it’s an Italian bakery, because of the See Dacapo’s P. 3B
make it an ice day First Day of Spring - March 20
Stop in for a FREE IcE on us.
Italian Ice
our award-winning
is not a snow cone and nothing is shaved. It’s refreshing, smooth and made fresh daily.
frozen custard is creamy, delicious and better than ice cream or yogurt.
and they’re
! s ’ a t i r t a y onl Rita’s of Houston Heights 2802 White Oak Drive, Houston, TX 77007 ritasofhoustonheights.com Follow us on
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