NEIGHBORS CRAZY ABOUT COOKIES APRIL 2018 118 / THE ESSENTIALS

NEIGHBORS CRAZY ABOUT COOKIES

BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR can often evoke images of extending friendly greetings, gifting homemade pies, or even graciously dog sitting on occasion, but for Meryl Kennedy Farr, Chairman and CEO of Neighbors, it meant coming together with a group of investors and business owners to save a local failing business. In August of 2016, Neighbors acquired the assets of Pine Valley Foods, Inc, which had been in the fundraising industry producing cookie dough for over twenty years. The story is one of “persistence, grit, hard work, dedication, and relentlessness in the face of adversity,” says Farr, adding, “It’s also a story of neighbors coming together to help others.” At the time, the purchase saved many local jobs. Now, their tubs of cookie dough help support communities all over the country. “We can all give back and in return, life is a little sweeter.”

The youngest of four daughters, Farr was born and raised in the “rural village” of Mer Rouge, Louisiana. After completing a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Spanish from the University of Georgia, she opted to return home to assist her father in the family rice business. At the mere age of twenty-one, she successfully oversaw the start-up and development of Kennedy Rice, Mill, LLC. Envisioning the need to bring sustainable and organic products into the retail rice market, Farr and her sisters launched their own branded rice products. As president and owner, she successfully engineered its implementation, and currently packages farm to table rice for their brand 4Sisters Rice, formerly known as KenChaux Rice.

ARTICLE BY VANELIS RIVERA PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK

hen they bought Pine Valley Foods and W incorporated it into Neighbors, Farr knew it needed some revamping. “I guess you make it your own when it’s yours,” says Farr. As far as product development, one of their challenges was figuring out who they were because “there is truly a cookie everywhere you turn,” says Farr. Quickly realizing it wasn’t possible to be everything to everybody, they found their niche. At this point, Neighbors represents a dynamic effort focused on producing superior quality dough, quality driven manufacturing at their facility, and product transparency for their customers. “For us and for the size of the company, that was really a very important move.” A major step for the company was working on more private labeling, where they manufacture for another company’s brand. “I can’t say the names of two of the really large cookie companies that we manufacture for, but there are two very well known names that we produce for on a daily basis,” says Michelle Bernard, Neighbors Director of Marketing.

Since the procurement, Neighbors has never stopped evolving. Aside from their significant adjustments toward co-manufacturing and retail, there have also been several monumental developments on the fundraising side of the business. “This year we will make our biggest change to date,” says Farr. “With Covid-19 and the rise of uncertainty around schools, we have been forced to think differently about what we are doing as a company and the services that we provide.” They ended up creating new ways schools can continue their fundraising success with less touch points and more order visibility. “The future is here for fundraising and it looks better than ever,” exclaims Farr. In development for the beginning of the school year is a website which will allow schools to create their own page and personal links for each student. That will enable students and parents to email their fundraising page or share it on social media, making it easier for participants to place orders online. “It’s a really great way to get more people involved because you’re not having to go face-to-face to show them a brochure, you can just send them a link and they can shop online at their convenience,” says Bernard. Not only is this a great idea and a better direction for fundraising, it simplifies their already direct process on their website, which has made fundraising fun and profitable for schools, clubs, sports teams, churches, and non-profit organizations around the country for nearly twenty years.

Many of the Neighbors cookie dough recipes were already developed when Farr took over the assets of the company. However, they have focused on launching higher quality products, including a new line that includes Nestle Toll House morsels. Customer favorites include White Chocolate Macadamia, Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, M&M, Snickerdoodle, and their number one seller, Chunky Chocolate Chip. But Farr’s “all-time favorite” is their oatmeal chocolate chip, made with real oats and Nestle morsels. Neighbors has also started focusing on more “on trend” products, such as edible cookie doughs. Since their launch during the fall of 2018, the edible doughs have become a large portion of their business. “Many people were eating raw cookie dough for years; we have just made it safe

to eat,” says Farr, referring to their eggless recipe, which uses heat-treated flour. “It’s simply delicious,” says Bernard. Right now customers can choose from Chunky Chocolate Chip, M&M, Brownie Batter, or Birthday Cake. At the perfect portion size, cookies (or a spoonful of edible dough) makes it easy to indulge without overworking your sweet tooth. A quick browse through their retail shop or fundraising catalogs will inspire you to find any excuse to indulge in America’s favorite treat.

Though the company claims that “happy” starts at their online shop, for Farr the road to building a sugar rush empire has not always been easygoing. “The biggest lesson is that turnarounds are not for the faint of heart,” admits Farr, recalling that someone told her she should do turnarounds only if she wanted to die before her thirty-fifth birthday. “They take a lot of effort, they take a lot of love, a lot of passion,” she adds. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but she has found that taking that great leap is what has formed the faith and fashion of her company. “My father built a beautiful culture. We have wonderful people, some people who have been with us for thirty years. And that was my background,” Farr says. Initially she underestimated the value of culture, but walking into a very specific ethos at Neighbors and then having to turn that around, while also earning people’s love and respect, proved to be extremely challenging but ultimately so rewarding. To her, business is about relationships. She knows that most vendors don’t just want to be sold a product, they want to be partners, and customers buy based on loyalty, wanting to know that if a mistake is made, a company is going to make an effort to remedy it: “I think that’s culture, and it’s very easy to do.”

A daughter, sister, wife, and mother, Farr is a pioneering entrepreneur whose values command her business ethics and goals. As one of the few women in agribusiness and her family’s company at the time, Farr relied on her family for support as she navigated the new terrain. Thanks to the experiences gained, Farr hasn’t shied away from embracing a commitment to diversity in the business world: “In ways, it’s been a beautiful time to be a woman and to be a woman in our culture.” Bernard echoes the same sentiment adding, “I’ll tell you what, I came from a womenrun business into this, so it was a lateral move for me as far as that goes. I really do like working for women entrepreneurs.” Bernard considers Farr one of the most driven people she knows, drawing inspiration from her work ethic and hands-on approach. “I love that there are different people in the mix because it just makes such a better team,” says Farr, explaining the significance of hiring people of different cultural and religious backgrounds. Bernard attests to the enjoyable work environment saying, “I really love it here. The people are so friendly. It is definitely a family atmosphere. Everybody is proud of the work that is being done and the potential for growth within the company.”

For Farr, the idea of being neighborly can be encompassed by a cookie. “A cookie in itself is such an act of love.” When you support a neighbor’s fundraiser or bake cookies in your house to share with your children or neighbors, that comes from love. There may be tons of sweets that have the same effect, but for Farr cookies tend to bring very specific fond memories. “There’s nothing more wholesome or pure than the chocolate chip cookie to me,” she says. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what cookie you’re crazy for, as long as you pass the love along.

Follow Neighbors Cookies on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about their cookies and other sweet treats and visit their website to browse their mouthwatering cookie catalogs: https://www.neighborscookies.com/.

Family is Family No Matter Where You Are

Happy August BayouLife friends and family as we continue our pilgrimage through this pandemic crisis. Anyone else growing their own food and stockpiling toilet paper in preparation for the apocalypse? Just kidding… my daughter and I have a small herb garden on the patio but I really don’t think basil and mint will be much in the way of sustenance should we all find ourselves in a bunker with a crash helmet. Right?

These times are in a word, extraordinary, this much we know, so I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to write about (again) this month. When doing my clinical research (I know, insert eye roll here), I came across a lot of different ideas for an “August Blog Post,” you know things that I would “normally” write about… you know, because things are really “normal” right now.

For instance, I might “normally” write about helping your FAMILY plan a trip to Disney. As much as I love Disneyworld, and forgive me travel agents and Disneyworld personnel, but I’m a little reluctant to get in the boat on Splash Mountain with 100 other sweaty people… I don’t really care if the plane tickets are only $12. Or maybe I would “normally” write about hosting an outside FAMILY summer party… I mean, we can surely social distance outside. Except it is 100 degrees and feels like 150, so yeah… that would be such an epic fun party. Unless of course, everyone got in the pool and

article by Cindy G. Foust

stayed six feet apart. But MY family and friends can’t “unsee” me in my bikini, so that’s a “nogo” at my house, for sure. Just kidding… I don’t have a bikini, I have a “truck-inki” which is a covering you use when you want to cover your truck. It’s a new thing I’m inventing, so look for it on the internet.

Or perhaps I would “normally” write to encourage your FAMILY to start a journal where you write and document your favorite memories from summer. Wait. Does anybody

out there have any favorite memories of this summer?

And we all know what a fashion influencer I am, so there is an outside chance (very outside) that I would “normally” write about hot summer trends and all things fashion. Right? It could happen. But is anyone going anywhere to wear the cute denim Daisy Dukes I just ordered?

And a final topic, and one I have written about before, so it would be “normal” for me to offer different ideas to keep your kids from getting bored this summer. Wait. Parents can’t help their kids beat boredom when we are more bored than our kids, right?

As I was combing through the internet searching for inspiration or at the very least, praying for some motivation that would help me connect my column to our food issue,

I got to thinking about this whole “normal” mentality. In all the articles I read and all the websites I visited and through all the Pinterest pages I clicked on, I never saw anything that suggested that we “just be still” or “chill out for just a cotton picking minute.” But is that “normal” behavior for us? To just chill-axe? I got to thinking about my own childhood and early teen years, and what the “norm” for us was, and let me tell you, there was no Pinterest posts to help my parents “keep us busy” or offer up “boredom busters.” Nope, we were just expected to make our own fun… to entertain ourselves… to come up with our own entertainment. By the way, these expectations were all without the help of 587 television stations, an Xbox and Netflix. Oh, and YouTube…can’t forget that one. And while some folks might dispute this next fact, I think we all turned out okay, even “normal” …if you would.

Also, when I was growing up, we didn’t take elaborate vacations. My dad worked

overseas 30 days at a time, so when he came home, he wanted to STAY home. Although we did get to go to Six Flags Over Texas sometimes and we thought we were the Godrocks family (whoever that is, but Mr. Harkey always compared prosperous people to the Godrocks so they must have been important and rich.)

Yes, we would pile in the Chevy Cindy Citation (I would inherit it years later when I got my license) and head to Arlington for food, fun and fellowship. We were packed in there like sardines but we didn’t even argue or care because we were headed to ride the Judge Roy Scream and eat a “pink thing.” Oh, and take vintage saloon pictures. Wait. Does anyone care about my childhood vacations?

Sorry, I tend to #TBT sometimes and I take y’all with me, whether you want to go or not. The original point of this hot mess express column is this: even if you don’t get to take your FAMILY on a Disney cruise this summer; even if your kids don’t get to go to their great camps; even if your summer camping trip gets postponed… wait… does anyone really camp in the summer? When the heat index is 150 and mosquitoes are the size of a Buick?

Back to the point, back to the point… even if you feel stuck in quicksand and like you are drowning in despair… I would challenge you to remember this… family is family no matter where you are. The lack of a destination vacation can’t change that. Our homes should be our epicenters and our children’s livelihoods should be our priority, right?

Maya Angelou, a wonderful American poet, said it best, “I sustain myself with the love of family.” Let that sink in for a minute…your family is a gift, a priceless and treasured gift, and no pandemic, no virus can change that, no matter how your “normal” has been affected.

Social media is full (I really should capitalize that word so you can hear me screaming) with so much negativity and worry and division that I can hardly bear to get on it… in fact, to borrow a quote from my good friend, Allison, “I’ve found myself divorcing it for a while.” So many people are consumed with getting back to “normal” and don’t get me wrong… I sit and think about the old “normal” versus the new “normal” just like everyone else.

And I grieve for family and friends afflicted with COVID; I grieve for businesses struggling to right the ship; I miss my work, church and social life day-to-day interactions; I miss being with my FAMILY every weekend and helping my mom put up jelly. And if I’m truthful and I always try to be with my readers, I have to really work on my own negativity and pessimism and how it might be affecting my children, just like everyone else. It’s real and it can be paralyzing.

But the real truth is, I still have my FAMILY, and we are all safe and healthy. We are living our lives in our epicenter, different for sure, but we are “sustaining” one another as we navigate this uncertain time. Negativity and pessimism will certainly continue to creep in but I have every confidence that our great nation will endure; this virus will be cured; and our “normal” routines will be restored.

In the meantime, continue working to make positivity a priority and keep that vibe in your epicenter as we continue to take things one day at the time. Who knows, we may not want to admit it, but the old “normal” might not be the lifestyle we want to return to once we realize the value of our new one. Cindy G. Foust is a wife, mom, author and blogger. You can find her blog at the alphabetmom.com for weekly columns about home life, parenting, small business stories and insight with a smidgen of literacy. Give her a like or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

River Oaks Home For Sale

With Entertainment Amenities Galore

ANYONE SEARCHING FOR THAT NEW HOME IN NORTH Monroe will want to take a closer look at this 3,900 HSF 4-bedroom/3.5-bath home offered in the exclusive River Oaks area.

Upon entering, you’ll feel at home in the open living areas swathed in today’s neutral tones, complemented by beautiful hardwood floors. The sought-after high ceilings are accentuated with heavy crown molding, adding to the overall ambiance, surrounding a fireplace cradling new remote-controlled gas logs.

Turning a corner, you’re welcomed into the gourmet kitchen and cozy breakfast area facing windows that frame a woodsy view. The light & bright kitchen features an island, granite countertops and new stainless steel appliances in warranty, surrounded by elegant white cabinetry.

For entertaining at home at any time you wish, this residence stands out with its custom-built outfitted theater room including: • 3D HD projector • Eight over-sized reclining chairs with cup holders • Top-of-the-line surround sound audio • And more than 2,000 Blu-Ray and DVD movies remain!

In addition, there’s a game room furnished with a Brunswick pool table, and of course there’s room for a card game table to round out your indoor activities.

Downstairs are three bedrooms with hardwood floors, one of which is a large master suite offering: • French doors opening to a covered patio • Master bath with separate vanities and walk-in closets • Walk-in shower & jetted soaking bathtub.

Upstairs, you’ll find a fourth bedroom that’s ideal for a private king-sized guest suite with an updated en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet that would also be suitable for your teen’s own space. And here’s another plus – a large getaway bonus room perfect for use as an office, playroom or studio!

As you step outside on the back porch or covered patio, a serene view of woods with a wooden privacy fence provides a safe haven for pets, plus a large patio to accommodate grilling or a fire pit.

The two-car garage contains a double-door storage room with a convenient work bench to make all those outdoor projects easier to tackle.

Recent improvements include interior & exterior paint, new water heaters, and an architectural shingle roof. This desirable home is located near private clubs, a neighborhood park, a church and the popular Chauvin Market, while only minutes away from medical facilities, banks, shopping and the university.

For inquiries, contact Mr. Young, (318) 537-0485. Photos for viewing at www.facebook.com/2809Deborah.

Catahoula’s Opens on Bayou DeSiard

Local Restaurant First to Open on Bayou in Over 25 Years

THERE’S A LOCAL SAYING THAT the best is on the bayou… and a new local restaurant is looking to prove just that. Catahoula’s is opening this month and is the first restaurant to open along Bayou Desiard in over two decades. Owner Shane Smiley has had this concept in mind for years and found just the right spot to make it work. “This is something I have dreamed of doing for years. With lots of planning and careful preparation, it has become a reality,” said Shane. Catahoula’s broke ground at the end of 2019 along Desiard Street, just past ULM’s campus. Shane, along with his childhood friend, Rob Little, made the investment in the community because they wanted to provide a different atmosphere where friends, family, ULM students and faculty, out of town visitors and more could get great food in a good location with excellent service.

The restaurant offers a variety of appetizers including fried pickles, cheese fries, onion rings, Natchitoches meat pies and trash can nachos. Their signature appetizer is the Catahoula Dip that features Andouille sausage, braised collard greens, mixed with melted cheese and served with house fried tortilla chips. The appetizer is the culinary creation of Colby Mardis, General Manager. Colby has 18 years of restaurant management and sales experience, in addition to his culinary school training at Texas Culinary Academy. He worked with Shane to create the menu and provide quality ingredients, like the po’ boy French bread sourced from South Louisiana. There’s roast beef and ham, as well as fresh Louisiana catfish and shrimp. On the lighter side, there are several salads to choose from - Southwest, Wedge, House and Caesar. The burgers are handmade patties made from ground upper two-thirds choice Angus beef. Other sandwiches include Buffalo chicken, grilled chicken and chicken salad. Plus, there’s several options of wing flavors - Buffalo, Gohujang, Lemon Pepper, Honey Sriachia and Sweet Chili. Their signature side

is the Julienne Cut Fries, a thin, shoestring style fry that is the perfect amount of crispy and crunchy. During the week, you can grab a plate lunch and choose from fried catfish, fried shrimp or half a po’ boy. There’s even a kid’s menu, delicious desserts and breakfast will be available on Saturdays.

In addition to the menu, the restaurant boasts 12 TVs, perfect for catching a variety of sports. Another benefit is the beautiful bayou. “I believe the bayou and our other local waterways are under-appreciated so we are excited to offer outdoor dining,” said Shane. “We have ULM just across from us and will be able to see the multi-national championship water ski practice and perform. We hope to be a destination before and after ULM athletic events as well.”

Catahoula’s opens this month so stop by and check out the newest restaurant not only in the Twin Cities, but on the bayou!

PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Positive Steps Offers Answers

BY J. PRESTON PARRY, MD, MPH

THOUGH MANY JOKE INFERTILITY isn’t hereditary (if your parents didn’t have children, it couldn’t apply to you), PCOS is an important exception. PCOS is short for polycystic ovarian syndrome, which relates to an overabundance of eggs and is a top reason for not only subfertility, but irregular cycles.

Some think one can’t get too much of a good thing, but with eggs that isn’t always the case. Eggs can actually get in each other’s way blocking release. While many women worry if they stop having their cycles it’s because of ovarian failure, particularly for young women with irregular periods it comes from too many eggs, especially after weight gain. Some women have PCOS from menarche, but others (often after finishing high school) get that freshman five, fifteen or fifty pounds and that is when their cycles become irregular. If weight gain leads to cycle irregularity, these are the women for whom weight loss is more likely to result in monthly periods again.

The reason extra eggs cause irregular cycles is because they make male hormone which gets other eggs to stop developing (and can lead to some extra hair on the face, lips, cheeks, etc.). The male hormone also drives abdominal fat deposition (resulting in more of an apple than a pear physique), which increases insulin levels (e.g. prediabetes), which overlaps in helping make more male hormone, and the cycle continues.

Weight loss helps lower insulin levels, which can help stop this vicious cycle. Similarly, birth control pills can lower production of testosterone as well as how much male hormone the body can interact with, also helping. (However, birth control pills can take six months or more before one sees an improvement in the extra hair.)

For women with PCOS wanting a baby, birth control pills won’t help fertility. Similarly, while weight loss can improve chances, this often isn’t enough for many women, particularly if they’ve already tried to lose weight for years. In this case, fertility medications for “ovulation induction” can help, but one has to be particularly careful with women who almost never have cycles. The reason is just blindly taking medications without ultrasound to monitor how the ovaries respond can result in far too many eggs being recruited, causing complicated multiple gestation pregnancies. Kate Gosselin having sextuplets is the perfect example of a 28 year old with PCOS who got too many eggs during treatment. However, there are ways of minimizing risk.

If you think you have PCOS, you will want a doctor to make sure it isn’t another condition, as other medical issues can masquerade as PCOS. Similarly, if you are wanting to build your family, we would love to help you. Call us at 833-POS-STEP (833- 767-7837) and let’s help you have the child of your dreams!

Please join us on Facebook every first Friday of the month for First Friday Fertility Live 12:00 PM CST.

Alex Latin Restaurant

A Familiar Face Opens New Restaurant

THIS YEAR COULD USE SOME The Honduran breakfast is still around good news and we have just that. Alex and still a favorite. The plate features Cruz has opened Alex Latin Restaurant fluffy scrambled eggs, a side of fried black and Cafeteria in the heart of West Monroe, beans, strip steak, fresh avocado, cheese making popular Honduran dishes even more and plantains, all served with homemade convenient. Alex and his mother opened tortillas. Another authentic and fresh dish Latin Food in 2012 and now Alex has opened is the pupusas, a beloved Honduran dish Alex Latin Restaurant with the same dishes made of thick corn tortilla and stuffed with a everyone in Northeast Louisiana has grown savory filling. You can even get a somewhat to love in the past eight years. The dishes sampler platter with the Pupusas al Gusto, a boast hints of Alex’s home country, full of trio where you can choose from black beans, flavor and well herbed. pork, chicken and cheese. The chicken and

“It’s tropical food, much different shrimp platter is perfect for lunch or dinner, from Mexico. It’s not spicy. The spicy is on featuring seasoned, grilled chicken and the side,” Cruz says. Try one of their meat butterflied and grilled jumbo shrimp. Other dishes—perhaps a flank steak or a grilled house specialties include tacos, fish filets and pork chop—and you’ll understand just fried chicken. There is also quite the selection what he means by tropical. A subtle citrus of sandwiches, burgers and salads. permeates almost every dish. And he offers And of course there is everyone’s up one other key fact about the food that will favorite - the coffee! A rich, robust Pilan bean prepare you for the experience. “The food is is espresso ground, that is then steamed in fresh. Every product, fresh.” the espresso machine. Separately, a slightly

sweetened whole milk is also steamed. After the espresso and milk are prepared, equal portions are blended into the cup and topped with a splash of foam. Strong, rich, and just slightly sweet, the coffee is the ideal companion to any meal. In addition to the house cup, Cruz also makes traditional espresso, both sweet and dry, and its tiny companion, a straight Cuban espresso served in a sipping cup no bigger than a thimble.

Whether you are looking for a hearty breakfast, a tasty lunch or a filling dinner, Alex Latin Food is now open! You can find them on North 7th Street in West Monroe, just down the street from West Monroe High School. Stop by and say hello to Alex and the entire friendly staff who are happy to serve you!