Latest news with #Leilani
Style Blueprint
24-06-2025
- Business
- Style Blueprint
This Arlington Bakery is a FIRST for West TN
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit Pastry lovers, rejoice! Barefruit Cafe, a local bakery known for its croissant donuts, will be opening its first brick-and-mortar cafe in Arlington's historic downtown square later this summer. If you've never heard of a 'croughnut' — a term originally coined by famed pastry chef Dominique Ansel — imagine buttery, flaky layers of a croissant bundled up into decadent, multilayered donut perfection. Along with a tempting assortment of its staple and seasonal flavors, the cafe will serve coffee and other beverages, offering a cozy, coastal-themed spot for locals to indulge in the sweet hybrid treat. Read on to learn how Barefruit went from a single farmers' market stand to a Midsouth destination! Pin Pin Starting a cafe has been a longtime dream for Leilani and Blake, who have four children. The idea began brewing over a decade ago when the couple visited a coffee shop in Honduras. 'We were sitting at a bible study with some friends,' Leilani recalls, 'and it opened our eyes to the fact that simple little things, like a good cup of coffee or a pastry, can be used as tools to connect people and build relationships and community.' When the two signed up for a booth at Millington's Lightfoot Farm Market in October 2023, they just planned to sell coffee from their home espresso machine. But Leilani decided to make a small batch of croughnuts from a recipe she was experimenting with, and they were an immediate hit. 'We sold out within 45 minutes, and at the next market, it was the same,' she says. 'By the December market, people were following us as we brought in trays of croughnuts, and they sold out before we could put most of them in our display case.' Pin Demand grew even more when Leilani posted her croughnuts online. Soon, she was supplying them to several local coffee shops, including JoJo's Espresso and Congregation Coffee in Germantown, City & State in Midtown, Ethnos Coffee Roasters in Arlington, and Coffee Central in Southaven, MS. Leilani recruited her brother, Dominic, to help her get the cottage bakery off the ground. And, naturally, her kids taste-tested the new flavors she rolled out each month. Since introducing the novelty pastry to farmers' markets and coffee shops throughout Memphis, she has been amazed by the buzz it has generated. 'Customers have told us that they drove from as far away as Arkansas and Mississippi for our croughnuts,' Leilani says. 'The support and love we have received have been overwhelming. It's also been encouraging because they take a bit of work to make.' Pin Croughnuts take a whopping three days to make, with each batch handcrafted using the French method of dough lamination, which involves repeatedly rolling and folding the dough to create its flaky, buttery texture. Each croughnut contains about 144 layers of laminated dough, Leilani says. 'It has taken a lot of trial and error to create consistency with the pastry, especially once we started upping our quantities,' she says. 'So much goes into the process. It's like an art form.' Once the dough is finished, the croughnuts are fried to golden perfection and topped with house-made glazes and creams. Leilani uses high-quality ingredients, from grass-fed butter shipped from New Zealand to pure grapeseed oil and other organic and non-GMO products. Pin Barefruit Cafe's rotating menu features more than 50 luscious flavors inspired by the season and food experiences from Leilani and Blake's travels. The two most popular flavors are vanilla bean creme (infused with Madagascar vanilla bean pastry cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar) and brown butter glaze, which has a rich, nutty taste with a hint of salt. 'My favorite is our signature glaze, which is a classic French vanilla glaze,' Leilani says. 'After testing all of these different flavors, I keep going back to the simplest ones.' Barefruit Cafe has also added coffee back to its offerings, sourcing beans from Collierville's Vinculo Coffee Roasters, which partners with farmers and distributors in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Ethiopia. 'We have a passion for coffee and for giving people the opportunity to try coffee from different countries,' Leilani says. 'With our storefront, we hope our love for coffee will shine through as much as our croughnuts do.' Pin Leilani and Blake converted their Volkswagen Vanagon into a coffee and croughnuts truck (fondly referred to as the Barefruit Bus). Still, a brick-and-mortar location has always been in the works. Their storefront is slated to open in late July on Chester Street in Arlington's square, which the couple chose because 'it was the perfect spot for us and lined up with everything we had been praying for,' shares Leilani. While the space is small and the seating is limited, she hopes the move will eventually open the door to expanding Barefruit Cafe. 'Our vision has always been to create a space where families and friends can sit down together and have great conversations over coffee and build community,' she says. In the meantime, Leilani already feels like she is living her dream. 'I love being able to work alongside my husband doing something we love,' she says. 'It feels like we are on a date when we get to serve together, and it's fun bringing our kids into that and introducing them to this world of entrepreneurship.' Pin Can't wait to try a croughnut? Follow Barefruit Cafe on Instagram or Facebook to find out where the Barefruit Bus will show up! ********** To see more local restaurants, check out our Food & Dining archives! About the Author Emily McMackin Emily McMackin Dye is an Alabama native and Tennessee transplant, who recently moved to Memphis from Nashville. A freelance writer, she enjoys exploring history, culture, and the lifestyle scene surrounding her new home in The Bluff City.
Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Reality TV star rushed to hospital for surgery as fans concerned
Real Housewives Of Cheshire star Leilani Dowding has worried fans after undergoing surgery. Leilani shared an update from hospital after having a septoplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Taking to social media, Leilani revealed she had undergone an operation. She wrote: "Hello. I woke you up. So that's a good Thing. For me." One fan then commented: "Septoplasty? recovery is absolutely horrible but worth the results, just use your ointment and nasal sprays properly too to help the healing." She then replied: "And fez drilled out my sinus. All gross and infected." Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is usually done to treat chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. Sharing more pictures from hospital Leilani showed the canular in her hand and wrote: "This is the worst bit. Making me feel sick looking at needle out my hand."
Scottish Sun
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
ITV reality star rushed to A&E as she shares worrying hospital bed snaps
The star has been taken to hospital for septal surgery HOSPITAL DASH ITV reality star rushed to A&E as she shares worrying hospital bed snaps REAL Housewives of Cheshire star Leilani Dowding has been taken to hospital for surgery. The 45-year-old reality star and model shared pictures and a video from her hospital bed on X (formerly Twitter), giving an update on her current condition. 3 Leilani has shared that she's been in hospital after having an operation on her nose Credit: Getty Leilani revealed that she has had to have functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) as well as a septoplasty, which realigns the septum in your nose. The star shared a picture with her nose tapes up on the site alongside the message. "Thanks for all the get well wishes … not had an accident .. not had mouth sewn up yet," she joked. "Just had an op on my sinus. Haven't been able to breathe for a while and being a mouth breather isn't fun… "it's also smelly as it was full of pus.. should be home later today." 3 Leilani is a star of Real Housewives of Cheshire Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
ITV reality star rushed to A&E as she shares worrying hospital bed snaps
REAL Housewives of Cheshire star Leilani Dowding has been taken to hospital for surgery. The 45-year-old reality star and model shared pictures and a video from her hospital bed on X (formerly Twitter), giving an update on her current condition. 3 Leilani has shared that she's been in hospital after having an operation on her nose Credit: Getty Leilani revealed that she has had to have functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) as well as a septoplasty, which realigns the septum in your nose. The star shared a picture with her nose tapes up on the site alongside the message. "Thanks for all the get well wishes … not had an accident .. not had mouth sewn up yet," she joked. "Just had an op on my sinus. Haven't been able to breathe for a while and being a mouth breather isn't fun… READ MORE REAL HOUSEWIVES "it's also smelly as it was full of pus.. should be home later today." 3 Leilani is a star of Real Housewives of Cheshire Credit: Getty 3 The star has assured fans that she's OK Credit: Getty - Contributor
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Amber alert issued for missing Savannah toddler believed to be in extreme danger
The Brief Levi's Call issued for missing 3-year-old Leilani Elliott, believed to be in extreme danger after unauthorized removal during supervised visit in Savannah. Leilani last seen with Jessy Elliott near Wheaton Street; possibly traveling in a white Nissan Altima, model year 2020-2022. Authorities urge immediate contact with 911 or Savannah Police Department if seen; Leilani described with black braided hair, yellow hoodie, dark leggings, and white shoes. SAVANNAH, Ga. - Authorities are searching for a missing 3-year-old girl believed to be in extreme danger after being taken without permission during a supervised visit in Savannah. A statewide Levi's Call, Georgia's Amber Alert System for missing and abducted children, has since been issued. What we know According to the Savannah Police Department, Leilani Elliott was last seen around 10:20 a.m. Thursday near 825 Wheaton Street and was believed to be with Jessy Elliott. Investigators say the child was taken from the 900 block of Wheaton Street without authorization during a supervised visit. Jessy Elliott was last spotted around 10:45 a.m. walking east on Wheaton Street toward East Broad Street. Dig deeper Leilani, 3, has black hair styled in braids with beads and was wearing a yellow hoodie, dark leggings, and white shoes. Jessy Elliott, 32, has brown hair with blond ends and was last seen in a blue or teal tank top, blue jeans, and leggings. Her hair has brown roots with blonde ends and her hairstyle is a ponytail. Authorities initially reported the pair may be traveling in a white Nissan Altima, model year 2020 to 2022, headed eastbound on Wheaton Street. What we don't know The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain under investigation. What you can do Police believe Leilani is in extreme danger and are urging anyone who sees either of them to call 911 immediately or contact the Savannah Police Department at 912-658-0990. The Source The details in this article were provided by the Savannah Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
