THE DISH: Scouting new uses for popular cookies
Mar. 3—We're in the height of Girl Scout cookie season and many of us are looking for what to do with these boxes of sweet treats.
In lieu of freezing any extra boxes, local businesses are turning the popular cookies into treats for adults and children alike.
For what might be the most creative use, Crusader Brewing has turned two flavors into new beers.
Launched Saturday, there is a dark and light option: an imperial stout inspired by Caramel deLites and an American pale ale based on Lemonades.
Each beer is served with a cookie of its type.
Crusader Brewing is located at 5880 District Blvd., Suite 18. Visit crusaderbrewing.com for hours and more information.
Dewar's is also having fun with flavors, introducing three limited-time flavors featuring cookies.
Rather than starting from scratch, the local shop took existing flavors and added the cookies.
Its lemon flake ice cream is enhanced with Lemonades for an icy cool treat. If you're feeling more decadent, try mint chip with Thin Mints or chocolate fudge with Caramel deLites.
The flagship Dewar's Candy Shop is located at 1120 Eye St. Visit dewarscandy.com or call 661-322-0933 for hours and additional locations.
Along with cupcakes featuring the cookies, Sweet Surrender is also serving coffee drinks with the unique flavors.
In its cases, the southwest business has been serving cupcakes topped with Trefoils (shortbread), Toast-Yay! (French toast inspired), Thin Mints and Caramel deLites.
The bakery is also whipping up sweet drinks featuring Toast-Yay!, Thin Mints and Caramel deLites.
Sweet Surrender is located at 6439 Ming Ave. Visit sweetsurrenderbakery.com or call 661-835-8530 for hours and more information.
Eureka! celebrating women
In honor of International Women's Day on Wednesday, Eureka! has introduced the Gilding the Lily cocktail.
It features the Uncle Nearest 1856 whiskey from a company that not only produces incredible whiskeys but is also a female-led distillery known for its history in honoring the first African American master distiller, Nathan "Nearest" Green.
The whiskey cocktail also includes blood orange, ginger, lemon, egg white, orange bitters and cinnamon.
Created by Eureka! Santa Barbara bartender Sunna Thorkelsdottir, this libation is inspired by Joy Perrine, a pioneering female bartender best known for creating bourbon-based cocktails during a time when adding anything to whiskey was considered "gilding the lily." Perrine is the author of the now-famous "Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book" and its sequel, and has helped pave the way for women to be creative and respected behind the bar since the 1980s.
Thorkelsdottir won the internal contest held by the scratch kitchen and craft bar restaurant challenging its bartenders and managers to create their favorite Uncle Nearest cocktail. The winning recipe not only has bragging rights and a $500 discovery prize attached, but it will be served all month long.
From Wednesday through April 4, $1 from each Gilding the Lily cocktail sold will be donated to Women for Women International, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to female survivors of war
New and fresh at El Pollo Loco
Along with new menu items, El Pollo Loco has freshened up the look of one of its Bakersfield stores.
The El Pollo Loco at 2661 Mount Vernon Ave. reopened its dining room and drive-thru after a remodel featuring its new L.A. Mex design.
This is the chain's first remodel in Bakersfield with a complete redesign of the building exterior, featuring the "Fire Tower" that evokes the feel of the flames that create the brand's famous fire-grilled chicken.
The dining room has a modern, stylish look with pendant lights made from the forks that the EPL Grillmaster uses to cook the chicken over open fire.
"We're incredibly excited to have remodeled our first El Pollo Loco in Bakersfield. We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors of Bakersfield back into our restaurant to experience our authentic fire-grilled chicken and Mexican food in a unique, modern environment," District Leader Hector Martinez said in a news release.
New on the menu is a fresh protein option for its fan favorite double tostada salad.
Along with citrus-marinated fire-grilled, all-white meat chicken breast, guests can opt for the salad to be served with a double portion of shredded beef, served along with fresh Hass avocado, shredded lettuce, savory whole pinto beans, traditional Mexican rice, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and freshly prepared pico de gallo salsa, with creamy cilantro dressing on the side.
"We've heard the love for El Pollo Loco's shredded beef loud and clear and are happy to announce it's now being paired with an El Pollo Loco favorite," Chief Marketing Officer Andy Rebhun said in a news release. "Our double tostada salads are a longtime hit so incorporating our signature shredded beef felt like the perfect way to deliver the double tostada salads fans know and love while introducing a new protein to spice things up."
Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.