Culinary experience to feature Girl Scout Cookie-inspired dishes and desserts created by area chefs and restaurants

Cookie Crunch 2016Get ready to sample delicious delicacies as the Girl Scout Cookie Crunch returns!

In this creative food-based event chefs and restaurants create delicious and unique dishes, be they sweet or savory, all made with Girl Scout Cookies. The Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, ArtsQuest and the region’s culinary community will come together for the 2nd annual event, Sun., Feb. 28, 1-3 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. Tickets are $30 for the public, $25 for ArtsQuest Members and $21 for active Girl Scouts ages 17 and under; they’re available at www.steelstacks.org and 610-332-3378.

At Cookie Crunch, held on National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, attendees will enjoy a variety of offerings created by area restaurants and eateries. From amazing appetizers to decadent desserts, each will feature one (or more) of the nine Girl Scout Cookie brands: Thin Mints®, Peanut Butter Patties®, Caramel deLITES®, Shortbreads®, Lemonades®, Peanut Butter Sandwiches®, Cranberry Citrus Crisps®, Thanks-A-Lots®, and Gluten-Free Trios®. Attendees can also vote for their favorite cookie-based dish, with awards given out in both the sweet and savory People’s Choice categories.

“The Girl Scouts Cookie Program is unique in that it is the largest girl-led business in the world and girls choose how to use their proceeds” said Ken Anderson, Senior Director of Product Program at Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. “Girl Scout Cookie Crunch is a fun opportunity for the community to come together to support Girls Scouts and celebrate the annual cookie sale which runs from January 14-March 13.”

Last year’s First-Place winner, Iron Lakes Country Club of Allentown, which wowed the crowd with their Chipotle Shortbread Mac n’ Cheese, will return again this year in an attempt to maintain their People’s Choice title. Other restaurants already confirmed to take part in this year’s Girl Scout Cookie Crunch include:

  • Bruno Scipioni’s Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria, Bethlehem Township
  • Shula’s Steak House, Allentown
  • Parkhurst Dining Services, Cedar Crest College
  • Trixie’s Treats, Allentown
  • Emeril’s Chop House, Sands Bethlehem

The complete list of participating restaurants will be announced early next year. All of the cookies used in dishes at the event will be sold by local Girl Scouts, and a cookie booth will also be available at the ArtsQuest Center, providing attendees the opportunity to leave with plenty of their favorite cookies.

Media partner for Girl Scout Cookie Crunch is 100.7 WLEV. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania and the ArtsQuest™ Arts Education Fund, which helps to provide quality arts and education programs for area students.  As a ‘Thank You’ to all attendees, all guests leaving the event will receive one box of Lemonades®, celebrating their 10th anniversary!

Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania and ArtsQuest are also looking for additional restaurants and sponsors to be part of this exciting culinary event. Any restaurant or business interested in learning more may contact ArtsQuest’s Mark Demko at mdemko@artsquest.org or the Girl Scouts’ Carla Hickey at Carla Hickey at chickey@gsep.org.

For more information, visit www.steelstacks.org.

About Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) is the largest girl-serving organization in Pennsylvania and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.  GSEP serves more than 40,000 girls in partnership with almost 15,000 volunteers in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties. Today, 80 percent of women in leadership and executive roles in the U.S. were Girl Scouts.  Girl Scout alumnae comprise 70 percent of women in the U.S. Congress.  For further information about Girl Scouting, how to join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, call 215-564-2030 or visit www.gsep.org. Follow GSEP on Facebook or Twitter @GirlScoutsEPenn!

About ArtsQuest

ArtsQuest™ is a Bethlehem, PA-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting music, arts, festivals, cultural experiences and educational and outreach programs that aid in economic development, urban revitalization and community enrichment. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest®; the Banana Factory® cultural arts and education center; and the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks™ arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.5 million people annually. For more information on ArtsQuest, visit www.artsquest.org or call 610-332-1300. Follow ArtsQuest on Facebook or Twitter @ArtsQuest and @SteelStacks!