Cookie News

Girl Scouts unveil radical new flavor for 2023 cookie season in Dallas

They say it's a sister to the Thin Mint.

Photo courtesy of Girl Scouts

The Girl Scouts are up to something radical: According to a release from Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and Girl Scouts of the USA, they're adding a new flavor for the 2023 season that's a spinoff of their trademark Thin Mints cookie.

Called the Raspberry Rally, it's a thin, crispy cookie that looks and acts like a Thin Mints, with the same chocolaty coating, but instead of a minty center, it's infused with raspberry flavor.

They're calling it a sister to the Thin Mint but everyone knows that the Thin Mint is an only child and has no siblings.

The new raspberry-flavored cookie will be available to consumers nationally during the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie season, alongside favorites like Thin Mints and Samoas. But it will be available online only, the first Girl Scout cookie lineup to be thusly sold, with the idea that it will enhance Girl Scout e-commerce sales and entrepreneurial skills.

It will also be in limited quantities so, stand by for some frenzied online ordering once the season begins.

UPDATE 1-12-2023: Girl Scout cookie season begins on January 12. The Raspberry Rally, for sale online only, will be available for purchase on February 27.

The release recounts the myriad pluses of the Girl Scouts cookies program, not that anyone needs persuasion, I mean all you have to say is cookies, but here goes:

One-hundred percent of proceeds raised from in-person and online cookie orders directly benefit local councils and troops.
Girl Scouts learn leadership, problem-solving, and community building through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, resulting in an invaluable experience that cultivates an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program encourages girls to be risk takers, to think outside of the box, and to be confident in their own abilities.

The program embraces the understanding of the world of business, money management, and entrepreneurship. Cookie Business badges range anywhere from goal setting to learning effective in-person and online sales pitches, using market research, creating business plans, and implementing digital marketing campaigns.

There's also the fact that it's just fun to get something that isn't readily available 365 days per year.

This is not the first new flavor the Girl Scouts have introduced. Who could forget Adventurefuls, the brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and sea salt they introduced for the 2022 season? Still available, btw.

"The Raspberry Rally is the perfect addition to our delicious line up of Girl Scout Cookies," said Jennifer Bartkowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. "When you purchase a box of Girl Scout Cookies, you are fueling girls’ learning and development through incredible leadership development programs. All proceeds stay local and support troops in your community with essential funds to power unique opportunities and adventures for their girls."

While Girl Scout Cookies will be available for online-only purchases starting in December, the official start to Cookie Season is Friday, January 13 in Northeast Texas; visit www.girlscoutcookies.org to sign up to be notified as soon as Raspberry Rally and other Girl Scout Cookies are on sale.

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Escargot News

New all-day French bistro in downtown Rockwall is all from scratch

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Belle View Bistro Rockwall

An all-day French bistro has made its debut in Rockwall: Called Belle Vie Bistro, it’s a new mom-and-pop in the charming historic downtown district, at 112 E. Rusk St., the former home of The Fatted Calf restaurant, where it opened its doors on November 12.

Belle Vie is from Luis and Iliana Marquez, a hard-working couple who also own Los Marquez, a popular taco--themed food-truck-turned-restaurant in Rockwall they first debuted in 2019. In May, the couple took over the former Fat Chicken space to open a brick and mortar location of Los Marquez, where they serve well-made Mexican food like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, but also burgers & fries. They open for breakfast with breakfast tacos, and run a daily lunch special, often creative, always popular, such as birria ramen with choice of beef or lamb for $11.

But the couple had a bigger vision of creating a place where chef Luis could stretch and showcase his skills.

"Luis has a lot of culinary experience, and it’s something that he’s been putting aside,” Iliana says. “We were just waiting on the perfect time to bring this to life.”

"This is something exciting and new for us, it’s something that we always wanted to make,” Luis says.

Like Los Marquez, Belle Vie is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving classics like French onion soup, moules frites, escargot, and duck confit. There are also comforting and American dishes like spinach-artichoke dip, crab cakes, and fish & chips.

Lunch features Cobb salad, a French dip, and chicken & Brie panini, while an extended breakfast -- which runs from 7 am to 4 pm — includes pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, beignets French toast, and crepes, plus pastries and breads made from scratch.

Mural on the wall at Belle Vie Bistro RockwallFacebook

The bakery counter is a delight, with eclairs, croissants, scones, fruit tarts, and cake slices in flavors like carrot cake and white chocolate raspberry. There's also a serious coffee program with espresso drinks such as lattes.

"We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch," the duo says. "Our bread—whether for sandwiches, paninis, hamburgers or anything listed on our menu is made fresh just for us by our incredibly talented pastry chef and baker. The same care goes into our pastries and desserts ensuring every bite is special and crafted with love."

The dining room is warm and cozy with dark wood chairs and plush booths and a full-wall mural depicting a street in Paris. They also have a full bar, with cocktails and beer on tap. Prices are reasonable, ranging from $9 for a Belgian waffle during breakfast to $45 for prime ribeye at dinner.

For now, they're not taking reservations — it's first come, first serve.

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