Dessert Diversity caters to those with a sweet tooth

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Maria Dolberry, her daughter Deborah Barber and granddaughter Lilith posed recently beside the display cases filled with baked goods at their Dessert Diversity shop in Sulphur Springs. The business is open 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Telephone number for the bakery is 479-298-1233.
Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Maria Dolberry, her daughter Deborah Barber and granddaughter Lilith posed recently beside the display cases filled with baked goods at their Dessert Diversity shop in Sulphur Springs. The business is open 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Telephone number for the bakery is 479-298-1233.

SULPHUR SPRINGS -- It seems everyone is encouraged to eat lots of sweets during the holidays. With family and friends baking cookies, making candies and whipping up seasonal desserts, we're tempted at every turn with more goodies. Some don't lose their taste for sweets after the holiday celebrations end and a few even operate on the philosophy: "Life is short; eat dessert first."

Maria Dolberry and her business partner, daughter Deborah Barber, cater to those with a year-round sweet tooth. They opened their business, Dessert Diversity, in mid-November at 112 S. Hibler Street in Sulphur Springs. The shop is open 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Dolberry was born in Canada while her father was stationed at Goose Bay Air Force Base. With her father, and later her husband, in the Air Force, she's moved a lot in her lifetime. She moved to northwest Arkansas from Texas in 2005 and now lives in rural Gravette.

Dolberry's daughter Deborah was born in Montana. She moved here with her mother in 2005 and she and her husband, David Barber, live in Sulphur Springs with their month-old daughter, Lilith. Dolberry's parents came to the area in 2006.

Both mother and daughter enjoy cooking, especially baking. Maria worked in a bakery many years ago. Deborah has taken culinary classes at Northwest Arkansas Community College and worked as a cake decorator at Rogers Walmart in 2011.

Desserts at Dessert Diversity include many varieties of traditional cookies, cupcakes, cakes, scones, pies and tarts. The bakery has no fryers, so they don't carry fried doughnuts, but offerings include baked doughnuts, Danish, stuffed croissants and other pastries. Popular items for children's parties include caramel apples and cake pops, made from a mixture of crumbled cake and frosting, then rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate. New items will be introduced periodically.

Dolberry says she likes trying new things. Customers with special dietary restrictions have provided some interesting challenges. Seeking to create a special birthday dessert recently for an acquaintance whose diet is egg-free, corn-free and sugar-free, she did some experimenting and prepared tiramisu. She said when she worked in the international division at Walmart, she had several co-workers, notably several from India, who had difficulty finding favorite desserts that were popular in their native countries. She and Deborah have chosen "diverse desserts for a diverse world" as the motto for the business and indicated they are willing to bake popular desserts from foreign countries.

The Dessert Diversity co-owners are very interested in catering to people with special diets. Whether a person is on a restricted diet because of health problems or has simply resolved to eat healthier or lose some weight in the new year, they are willing to cooperate and meet those needs. They have produced desserts that are gluten-free, egg-free and sugar-free.

Dolberry says Dessert Diversity will feature wedding cakes, birthday cakes and cupcakes, or large orders of sweets for special events and meetings. Many times special orders can be available in two to 24 hours. They can be ordered by calling 479-298-1233, emailing [email protected] or visiting the Dessert Diversity Facebook page. Delivery can be arranged if an order is large enough.

Customers with a special fondness for sweets will benefit from the Dessert Diversity guinea pig club. Memberships can be purchased for three months or for a year. They can be used for oneself or given as gifts. Guinea pig club members are entitled to one free dessert a month and receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases.

A grand opening celebration hosted by the city of Sulphur Springs is being planned for Dessert Diversity and its neighboring businesses, All Purpose Glass and Judy's Cafe, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20. Mayor Shane Weber invites all in the community to attend and help welcome these new businesses.

Community on 01/10/2018