Now I’m sitting on the couch, eating a Vinkie, compliments of Trisha. What the heck is a vinkie, you ask?
Well a Vinkie (isn’t that such a fun word to say?) is a vegan Twinkie! It’s one of Trisha’s top sellers at No Udder Desserts, and as I shove this last piece in my mouth, I can see why.
My 30 minute conversation with Trisha left me feeling motivated and inspired. Sharing with Trisha my plans to open up Delectable You next year, she was gracious enough to offer me some advice that she wished she had been given before opening. Friends, you have no idea how helpful it is to get advice from people who are already doing what you want to be doing, so when they share with you, they may as well be giving you a million dollars.Not only did I leave No Udder Desserts with some new found knowledge that I will be applying to my business plan (now in its editing stage), I also left with some treats! And as I took photos and sampled these desserts.
When I got home, I had a thought:Starting now, each week, I am going to feature and write about a chef or restaurant/bakery in whatever city I am in. I’m going to interview the chefs, the staff, and the owners whenever possible to give you a full idea of their concept, their passions, and how they come to life on your plate. Why do this? Because, quite frankly, this life is not all about me! In putting together my business plan, I have done hours and hours of research, from surfing the internet to find out how many cupcakes Crumbs and Sprinkles sell in a day, a week, a month, what their financials are, who else is doing vegan/gluten free desserts, what percentage of the population is celiac, has dairy sensitivities, and, and, and…to driving around L.A. sampling pastries as well as savory foods that I’ve read about in blogs, magazines, newspapers and heard about from friends and family. What I’ve ended up with is a re-introduction to my fat jeans (thank god I didn’t throw those out!) and a heart felt goodbye to my skinny jeans as the pounds have been packed on (clearly I don’t just taste: I taste, then eat…a lot!), many miles on the car and more trips to the gas station than I care to think about, but more importantly, a much bigger understanding of the business I am in, and want to dive further into. I’ve sat with many restaurant owners who have given me advice, and in return, I want to feature their wonderful restaurants and the amazing things they are doing not only because of their hard work, but also, and more importantly, because of their unrelenting dedication to their goals and dreams. These are the people who turn their can’ts into cans, and their dreams into plans.
So, without further ado, I give you, No Udder Desserts! Trisha Lobefaro is the owner and baker of this bakery, “a healthy alternative to the udder.” Not able to eat dairy, she soon grew tired of not being able to enjoy the desserts many of her peers could enjoy, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Thus, No Udder Desserts was born.
“Trisha began No Udder Desserts, Inc. almost 4 years ago under the practice of balancing the decadence and succulence of dessert with animal-friendly recipes. Now, with the help of fellow dairy-free eater Julie Zunder, the No Udder Desserts name is expanding and broadening their already delectable palette. No Udder Desserts, Inc. allows you to indulge in your desires while remaining healthy, dairy free and animal free. Even true dessert lovers cannot taste a difference.”
The Woodland Hills location that I had the pleasure of visiting this morning is the first store front for
No Udder Desserts. They opened their doors in May of this year, but before that, were selling their products wholesale to different restaurants around the city, including
The Vegan Joint in Woodland Hills and Culver City
http://www.theveganjoint.com/,
Lotus Vegan in North Hollywood
http://www.lotusvegan.com/, and
The Vegan House in Hollywood
http://www.myveganhouse.com/, to name a few. Though their first retail store is open, they continue to supply those locations with their products, so check out the websites for more details!
The Menu
What can you get at No Udder Desserts? I thought you’d never ask.
I tried the chocolate cupcake…
The whoopie pie…
And, of course, the Vinkie!Cakes and Cupcakes: chocolate peanut butter banana, chocolate chocolate, vanilla vanilla, red velvet, chocolate coconut, coconut, lemon poppy seed, lemon, carrot cake.
Other desserts: cheezecake, cookie bars, and cluster’s (corn flakes with peanut butter and sometimes chocolate too – YUM!).
Other vendors: No Udder Desserts also carries vegan and gluten free products from other vendors, so if you are seeking gluten free as well, you have options! There were 3 different type of cookies including snickerdoodle, chocolate chip and trail mix, as well as whoopie pies.
Beverages: a selection of coffee and tea.
*Catering is also available.
*They also do special occasion cakes including birthdays and weddings!
Pricing
One of the things that struck me about No Udder Desserts was that their prices are so reasonable! $2.50 for a cupcake, $1.50 for a mini piece of cake, and a few dollars (I can’t remember exactly) for a mini whoopie pie or a cookie. Typically, vegan desserts cost much more than this, so it really was a pleasant surprise.
Location and Contact
20839 Ventura Blvd
Woodland Hills, CA
91364
They are located in a strip mall and are not visible from the street, so slow down!
Website: http://www.noudderdesserts.com/
Trisha, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for the chat this morning! You are such a lovely person, and I cannot wait to see No Udder Dessertsgrow and become a household name! I look forward to seeing you again very soon!
To everyone else, if you are in L.A., vegan or not, make the trip out to
No Udder Desserts – you won’t be disappointed! And if there is a restaurant/chef/bakery in your city that you want me to talk about on my blog, send me the name of the restaurant along with some information and pictures, and I will feature it/them! And if you
are a restaurants/chef/bakery and you want me to come to your place and feature you, I’d be happy to! Contact me at
lauren.lobley@gmail.com.Eat, drink and be merry, friends! And for the love of all things sweets, eat a Vinkie!!
Love always,
Lauren
xxx
