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How to Find Girl Scout Cookies Near You!

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Miami Valley Girl Scouts will begin selling cookies at booths in their neighborhoods this weekend. With the safety of girls and families the highest priority, you’ll see many precautions like masks, sanitizer, and contactless credit card payment options, as well as new formats like drive-through booths!

The pandemic has limited the number of places Girl Scouts can be in public this year, so Girl Scouts of Western Ohio is making it easy for the public to find and share the joy of Girl Scout Cookies.

Visit gswo.org/findcookies to find a cookie booth near you, or to select a local troop to deliver cookies to your door. If you want to share the joy, there also are options for shipping or donating cookies.

Beginning Friday, February 19, you can even order Girl Scout Cookies for pickup or delivery on Grubhub.com or the Grubhub app! This option will be available for customers within a limited range of the council’s Dayton service center, during select hours.

Girl Scouts will sell cookies only through Sunday, March 14, so don’t delay in picking out your favorite treats!

When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you support Girl Scouts and you power amazing experiences and life-changing opportunities for girls year-round—from awesome trips to community projects to outdoor adventures. You can read many of their plans on the council’s online Cookie Connection map.

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls learn to think like entrepreneurs and learn to take the lead as they gain five essential skills throughout the program: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. In fact, many Girl Scout alums who are business leaders frequently credit the Girl Scout Cookie Program for giving them a head start in the corporate world!

Buttercream Bliss at The Cakery

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Cake please

Classic Cakery: Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Icing

DISCLAIMER: You may need a tall glass of milk in order to read  about our latest Food Adventure. 

When the Big Ragu asked Hungry Jax to name one of her favorite places to eat in the Dayton area, she didn’t even hesitate to yell out “THE CAKERY!”   She went on and on about their buttercream frosting and how it reminded her of a bakery back in her hometown.  So when an opportunity arose to highlight this local bake shop for an article, Hungry Jax about bit off Ragu’s hand claiming this mission!  Sure, Chef House, Big Ragu and The King have had a delicious Cakery cake here and there at Birthday Parties, and have even picked up a cake, but our stops have mostly been drivebys.  Not the case with Hungry Jax, who’s obsession with the greatness of the Cakery has made her a mini-expert.  So on a cold and snowy day, the Food Adventure’s crew ventured out again to see what Hungry Jax was so hyped up about.  And we were not disappointed with this full blown Food Adventure!

From buckeyes to wedding cakes, The Cakery can satisfy any craving big or small! This family owned business has been around for almost 20 years, and once you taste their products, you’ll see why!  The Cakery opened in July of 1995 (located at 140 Woodman Drive).  In 2008, Tom and Karla Kennedy became the third and current owners.  Their daughter, Jamie Burchfield, had started working at The Cakery in 2002 after graduating from pastry school.  Jamie started out as a cake decorator and most recently has taken on the role of Office Manager after the birth of her second son last year.  After seeing a rising need to serve their loyal customers from Jamie’s hometown of Troy, OH and the areas north of Dayton, the Kennedy’s expanded the business.  In May of 2013, the Troy location opened (1875 W. Main St.) and has been going strong ever since.  We had the privilege of sitting down with Jamie to learn some delicious and fun facts about their crafty creations.

6 pack

This is our kind of 6 pack!

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— The Cakery prides itself on baking all of their goods “in house” and they have the grocery list to prove it.   At 1,000lbs of powdered sugar and 200lbs of butter per week, The Cakery ensures that each and every creation is of the best quality and taste!

— There are three main traditional frostings offered for their cakes and cupcakes:  Buttercream, Chocolate Buttercream, and White Vanilla Cream.  Each week they go through 25 five-gallon buckets of the traditional Buttercream, 8 buckets of their Vanilla cream, and 3 of the Chocolate! But the flavors don’t end there. You’ll also find cupcakes topped with snickerdoodle frosting, lemon, strawberry, peanut butter, caramel, orange cream and more!

— The peak season for weddings tends to be from May-October.  During this time, The Cakery averages anywhere from 6-10 Wedding cakes per weekend! And don’t worry Brides, Jamie will ensure that your vision for the cake of your dreams is met.   The artists behind the scenes, have made cakes taller than Kindergarteners with all different types of embellishments from fondants and fresh flowers, to pearls and candles.  Check out the gallery on their webpage to see some of their amazing creations!

— Zagat.com voted their buckeyes as “The Best in Ohio” and most recently honored as Dayton Magazine’s “2014 Best in Dayton” bakery, beating out other top local confectioneries!

 

MUST EATS:

— CHOCOLATE CAKE with TRADITIONAL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:  Keep it classic Dayton.  You can’t go wrong with indulging in this mainstay.  The chocolate cake is moist but not too dense. And the creamy buttercream frosting has just the right amount of sweetness without being overpowering. This is an annual combination for Hungry Jax’s birthday cake!  The Big Ragu has enjoyed these at many parties.  For The King, it was love at first bite.

Chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting!

— SNICKERDOODLE CUPCAKE: Yes, you read that right. The beloved cookie has been transformed into a cupcake that will leave you wanting more! This cinnamon sugar cupcake is topped with an equally delightful cinnamon frosting.

— ICED BUTTER COOKIES: A soft cake-like sugar cookie topped with the traditional buttercream frosting. You can buy these strait out of their display cases or order them to be decorated for a special occasion!

— BUTTER CREAM SHOTS: Fan of frosting? Well here you can buy a shot-sized dollop of buttercream to indulge in.  Be aware though, side effects include an immediate rush of pure joy and contentment that will leave you wanting more!  We love crazy foodies who do butter cream shots with us.

—CREAM PUFFS  These little puffs of joy are filled with a light and  creamy mousse.  Absolutely terrific, The Big Ragu and The King claimed these as their favorite.

— Somewhere over the the “RAINBOW CAKE“:  This cake is a layer cake sold by the slice. The layers are actually the tops of cakes that the bakers shave off when leveling out a cake prior to decorating.  Instead of wasting these perfectly delicious cake shavings, the bakers created a layered cake out of them, alternating the cake layers with strawberry preserves and buttercream frosting. This cake varies slightly from day to day depending on what types of cakes are being made.

 

 

Rainbow Cake

Rainbow Cake: No pot of gold is necessary at the end of this rainbow!

— FLAVORED CUPCAKES: Along with the traditional cupcake flavors of  chocolate and white cake, you’ll also find a large variety of specialty cupcakes.  Orange cream, strawberry lemonade, strawberry cream, peanut butter and jelly, almond, and banana are just a few.  Each of these are topped with unique frosting s to complement the fun flavors of the cake.

— FILLED CUPCAKES: In addition to the tasty flavors, The Cakery also creates cupcakes that are filled with frosting, mousse, or custards.  Some flavors are cookies and cream, key lime and chocolate truffle.

— BUCKEYES: Zagat.com got it right! These peanut butter filled bites of delight are truly some of the best around!  The King could have eaten a couple dozen of these things.

Honorable Mention: Gourmet cakes that deserve mention are the Carrot Cake, Spice Cake, and Humming Bird Cake (tropical cake made with pineapple and coconut with an apricot filling). The King, loved the carrot cake.   Also, don’t forget the Layer cakes, which can be filled with a variety of fruit preserves, fresh fruit, custards, mousse and more!

 

The choices and combinations of cakes and desserts are endless!   Cakes start around $17 and cupcakes at $1.50.  If you have a special order to place, be sure to give them at least 2-3 days notice to ensure that the bakers can meet your needs.

If you’re a bride, it’s highly recommended you book them once you have a sate set as their schedule fills up fast. They also have a variety of goodies you can order, such as brownies, tarts, pastries, cookies, and other treats that you can indulge in.

Shots on us

Shots are on us !

So, the next time you have a sweet craving or need a cake to celebrate a special event, let the creative team at The Cakery meet your needs.  Stop in and try some of these tasty treats and let us know what you think!  Check out their website for more information,  or follow them on Facebook!

The next time you are hosting a party, and need some desserts, stand up on your chair and announce to the family.. “LET THEM EAT CAKERY !”

Please browse of photo gallery below, and leave your comments about The Cakery.  We would love to hear your take!

Follow Food Adventures on Facebook for more foodie scoop from all over Dayton !

We are not food critics, we are just four people that love to eat !

You can check out our weekly feature articles here on Dayton Most Metro every Thursday.

 

 

 

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Local, Legendary Food Adventures at 2nd Street Market – Part 1

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Some of the Best of Dayton, all in one place !

How about one building that combines some of the best cooks in Dayton and lines them up along the wall in their own vendor booths?  It’s not a dream, it’s reality in downtown Dayton.

This is the first of 2 Food Adventure  installments over the next few days, and both cover Dayton’s 2nd Street Market.  What a shocker, the first one focuses on FOOD !

The Big Ragu & Crew have become semi-regulars at the market over the past few years.  Some of our tastiest excursions have been in this treasure trove of great eats.

Variety is the spice of life, and this is true for the market located on the corner of Webster and 2nd Street.  If you have never  stopped in, then you haven’t had some for Dayton’s best.

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— A great place to grab a bite to eat and a unique place to do some Christmas shopping !!!  The official address is 600 E. Second St.

— The market is open 3 days: Thursday & Friday 11am-3pm,  and Saturday 8am – 3pm.   The great offerings are overwhelming and coming here has become one of our Food Adventure addictions.

— Many vendors offer fresh fruit & vegetables.  Others offer freshly baked desserts and breads.  You want more?  How about cheeses, meats, spices, canned goods and more.  There are more local, fresh and organic choices here than anyplace we know of in Dayton.

The best tasting side you never heard of: Sweet Potato Quinoa from Chef Case

 

MUST EATS:

— THE SMOKED SALMON CREPE at CREPE BOHEME :  The Big Ragu will tell you this is the best place in Dayton to get a crepe.   Crepe master Sabine combines the smoked salmon with goat cheese, capers and grilled vegetables.  It is a symphony in your mouth.  Her secret is using the freshest ingredients around and flavor combinations that will knock your socks off.    Not a salmon fan? No worries..  choose one of the menu items or “make your own” crepe with various ingredients.  Prepare to be blown away.Honorable Mention: The crepe with Nutella, marshmallows and blackberries.  All the taste of guilty pleasure with not so much guilt.

— FAMOUS CHICKEN PANINI from THE CHEF CASE : Chef Joe Fish believes that using local ingredients promotes fresh flavor.  Here he works some magic with a whole herb grilled chicken breast and Artesian Basil Pesto.  The panini is made on fresh bread and pressed, thereby melting provolone and Parmesan cheese into gooey deliciousness.   The chef is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and creates some of the best tastes in town.  In fact, there are so many delicious menu items here that we have to give honorable mention to two more of them.  First, make sure you try a serving of the Sweet Potato Quinoa.   It is a healthy, flavorful side dish that not many people know about.  Trust us on this !  Lastly the MONTE CRISTO PANINI is a sandwich you need to get your hands on.  It is ham, turkey and swiss cheese finished with a pure maple syrup drizzle.  Give your taste buds a good value for around 7 bucks.

Peanut Brittle Cupcakes from Purely Sweet Bakery (click to enlarge)

 — THE DISTINGUISED DARBY at CHEEKY MEAT PIES: Who doesn’t love tasty meat and spices in a flaky crust?  Forget about calories, the taste is worth every mouthful.  This original take on New Zealand Street food is gaining a bit of a cult following in the Miami Valley.  “The Darby” verison is ground beef mixed with spices for a delicious combo.  The meat pies are hand held and made to be mobile.  Be careful when taking a bite, they are hot inside !  A friendly staff makes the experience that much more fun.  Honorable Mention:  The Dirty Bird Meat Pie is a tasty treat and a perfect bite “on the go” at the market.  It features chicken and a delicious sauce.  We can’t describe these fantastic meat pies, you just gotta try them !

— THE WASABI PEAS at THE SPICE RACK:   The Big Ragu can’t help himself.  He craves these, and you will too.  Dried peas, dipped in wasabi and sold by the box for only 2 bucks.  Perfect for snacking at home, but we warn you.. ADDICTIVE !  The spice rack has some many incredible items from Amish butter to incredible spice rubs.  Check this place out for some hidden treasures for the foodie in you.

— POLLO GUISADO at AREPAS and CO. : Braised chicken thigh (although we ask for the shredded white meat chicken instead), mixed with tomatoes, red peppers, onions and green beans.  All of it is served over rice and plantains.  Finally pick from one of various sauce toppings drizzled on top.  We pick two (garlic and hot sauce) !  Get a friend to help you lift this plate and eat it.  HUGE PORTION !

The best crepes in Dayton are at Crepe Boheme

— THE SHRIMP WITH HOT CHILI SAUCE at BAAN THAI NOI:  We are always pleasantly surprised with Baan Thai Noi’s dishes.  Our favorite is the Shrimp with Hot Chili Sauce.  Two skewers of grilled basil shrimp are served over fried rice with a side of shredded cabbage and a delicious spring roll.  The key to this dish is the sauce we choose to top the shrimp. The hot chili sauce is so sweet, with some heat and a whole lot of taste.  Don’t knock it til you try it, this one is  a sleeper !

Is your mouth watering yet?  Well the good news is, the weekend is here and they are open !  Get yourself down there and stroll around the grounds and soon you’ll be tastin’ Dayton.

More Honorable mentions include:

The Cupcakes at Purely Sweet Bakery,  The Cabbage Rolls at Kolbs Bakery, The Jumbalaya at All Souped Up,  The Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna) at Azra’s, and some good coffee at Caffeine by Carl.

We would be remiss if we didnt mention that their are numerous other fantastic farm vendors with fresh vegetables, honey, fresh maple syrup and organic milk.  Check them all out while you are there.

The 2nd Street Market is truly Food Adventure  paradise !!

In the market for some more from the “Miami Valley foodies ?”  Then “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

Check out some of our best photos yet  in the gallery below from our numerous trips to the 2nd Street Market over the years !!!

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Food Adventures does “Dinner and a Ghost!”

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Is Snow Hill Country Club Haunted ? Have dinner and decide yourself

Ever had dinner with a ghost?   Well here is your chance, Ghost Hunters!   Snow Hill Country Club is haunted, and had been serving up “Dinner and a Ghost” nights on Fridays in October for the past 12 years.    In fact, the place is so legendary, that it was featured on an episode of the Biography channel’s “My Ghost Story.”  The country club is located just outside of Wilmington, on State Route 73.  The “Dinner and a Ghost” nights feature food, fear and even an overnight stay.

The Food Adventures Crew have eaten in many scary places, but this was our first “Haunted Food Adventure.”   The food is pretty straight forward.  On our two trips to the country club, buffet items included turkey and ham, while another night they featured ribs and salmon.   The meal is rounded out with salad, a couple of sides and a dessert plate shared by the table, or possibly some cake.

But we weren’t here for the food, we were here for the ghosts.  And Snow Hill delivered….

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— “Dinner and a Ghost” features appetizers in the bar and a buffet style dinner.    The menu has improved since the 1820’s and they wont be serving  rabbit, steamed onions, venison and beef tongue anymore. 

One of our dinners featured Ribs and Salmon

— After dinner, the hosts take you on a guided tour complete with historical information, sound recordings of unexplained voices, and even a couple of photos believed to be “supernatural.”  Tour gurus include historian Kathleen Madison and Ghost expert/Paranormal Investigator Shelly Suittor.   Supporting cast includes Ghost Hunters Kat Powell and Alicia Soich.

— After the tour, guests are encouraged to look around for about an hour and explore for themselves.  During this time a few notable unexplained “phenomenon” have been known to occur.

— Attendees may purchase alcohol at a full service bar on the main level.

— There are 6 guest rooms, and groups may make reservations to stay the night for about 100 bucks per room.   Included in the stay is “ghost hunting” all night, if you have the guts to roam the halls late at night.   Even golf may be arranged during good weather.

— Snow Hill Country Club is located in New Vienna, Ohio at 11093 New Vienna Rd (Daytonians know this as State Route 73).  Famous visitors have included Henry Ford, Eleanor Roosevelt, and legendary 1920’s golfer, Walter Hagen.

— Minimum groups for ‘dinner and a ghost’ are 12 people.  Cost of dinner and tour is $45 per person.

Click to enlarge: What you think of the “orb” in this photo. Is it the sign of a spirit ?

 

MUST SCREAMS:

— Snow Hill was built and owned by the Harris family in 1820.  It was a popular Inn and tavern up through the 1900’s.  One of the oldest running businesses in Ohio, the country club is said to be haunted by spirits of past owners, family members and past guests.

— Many stories abound from the 70’s and 80’s like a man whom believed he hit a pedestrian in the road, but noone was found.   Or records of police and firefighters responding to alarms and seeing unexplained light and movements throughout the house.

— The Food Adventures Crew had a few unexplained happenings during our two tours:

Big Ragu was taking photographs in the dark, damp cellar thought to be a passage for the underground railroad.   In some of the photos, some circular orbs appeared, one very prominently.  We were told that many ghost hunters believe these are tell tale signs of “spirits” in the room.   To be honest, we do not know what to think, other than the orbs were strange and not in photos taken of the same place seconds earlier.  The prominent orb in the photo had a distinct outline and almost looked to have “veins” running through it.  Odd indeed.  Is it a spirit?  You decide.

The Big Ragu was in the storage area of the basement, when the door next to him opened about an inch and then slammed quickly.  He looked around the room at the handful of people near him and they had that “oh crap” look on their face.  Ragu opened the door and saw a dark empty hall with a staircase, there was nobody there.  There was also a moment where the Big Ragu felt something grab his back pocket.  He was unsure if this was a  fan who liked his behind or a ghost.

Elegant, yet Spooky: Stay the night… if you dare

— During our 2nd visit to Snow Hill, one of our fellow guests took a photo of what appears to be an apparition in one of the bedrooms.   Again, unexplained and just plain weird.

— Employees tell stories of glasses shattering, chandeliers swinging violently, and various apparition sightings.

— Recordings of various unexplained voices gave us goosebumps, especially one particular ghost that whispered the word “Becky” as clear as day on the recording.  The voice was creepy like Golem from Lord of the Rings movies, or like someone who ate too much at Golden Corral.

— An 1880’s portrait photo of an man was found in a cupboard, and when locked away, would keep appearing in various open areas of the country club.  One of the tour guests recognized the photo as her ancestor Thomas Wilson, a Civil War vet.   Since being identified, it was found out that he was a former owner of the country club, purchasing it at auction in 1898.  Since being identified, his photo has ceased moving inexplicably.

— A candlemaker tool levitated and slammed to the ground on a couple of occasions in front of various dinner party guests a few years back.   The theory is that the ghost of the original owner, Mrs Harris, might not be keen on a “peasant tool” being allowed in her formal dining room as decor.

 

With Halloween around the corner, this is the perfect time for “Dinner and a Ghost” at Snow Hill Country Club.  We were skeptical going in, and realized after 2 visits, some things happened that we couldn’t explain.  Were they spirits from lives past?   Look at our photos, listen to the recordings in person.  Is the place haunted?  Did we see “ghosts?”  You decide…. and check it out for yourself,  but we suggest you don’t go alone.

Click to enlarge: On our 2nd trip to Snow Hill a fellow guest took this pic. Is is a ghost?

So you want to get spooked?  Want a frightening Food Adventure ??

Then contact Snow Hill Country Club and ask for a private Dinner and a Ghost Group (minimum 12 people).  Tell them Food Adventures sent you!

Don’t forget, you can book an overnight stay and/or a round of golf !

For reservations contact General Manager Katie Gephardt at katie@snowhillcountryclub.com or call her at 937-987-2491.

The  Dinner and a Ghost website can be found HERE –>http://www.snowhillcountryclub.com/dinner-and-a-ghost/

For scary images, haunting plates and funny faces, “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY BELOW FOR UNEXPLAINED AND DELICIOUS PHENOMENA !

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