“When I left Creston, a lot of people knew me as the Cupcake Girl,” says Danika Peltzer with a laugh. “And that was okay. At the age of seventeen, it was flattering when customers came into the shop specifically for my cupcakes. But I’ve gone off to school and worked and learned a lot. And now that I’m back in Creston, I want to take what I’ve learned and expand my business. I’m really excited to see where the next chapter takes me.”
With her business, Luv at First Bite, Peltzer is offering handmade, locally produced confections. While the infamous cupcakes from her days working behind the counter at Famous Fritz Meats and Deli are still available in a myriad of flavours, Peltzer will soon be offering a wide range of confectionary items. She has also been accepted into the LEAP program, offered through Kootenay Employment Services.
“After I graduated high school, I knew what I wanted to do, but it took me a while before I found the right program,” says Peltzer. “As I was looking into the best option, I learned what flavour profiles worked together and which did not, and my cupcake business really took off. And then I found Okanagan College in Kelowna.”
Ten months later, Peltzer received her Pastry Arts Certificate. “It was an intense ten months,” she says. “But I learned so much and had a lot of amazing experiences and opportunities.”
The real learning, however, came on the job for Peltzer. “While working at the Delta Grand Resort, I went from making half a dozen items at a time to suddenly making 400 items at a time. That was a learning curve. And so was learning how to make confectionary showpieces.”
While in Kelowna, Peltzer entered a wine-pairing competition hosted by the Okanagan Chef’s Association and had to make 250 servings. With a partner, Peltzer won the competition and were awarded a seven-day trip to a national conference in Ontario. “I was able to attend a number of seminars and trade fairs, and watch various competitions,” says Peltzer. “I also spent some time in Montreal and took a short course at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy.”
But Kelowna was not where Peltzer felt she belonged. She wanted to return to Creston and be with her family and work on expanding her own business rather than working for others. “The pace of life in Kelowna wasn’t for me and I just really like it here,” says Peltzer. “I know it’s going to be a lot of work to expand Luv at First Bite, but I’m looking forward to starting the LEAP program and learning more about the business aspect of what I do. I’m excited to find some clarity of direction and focus in where to go next, and how to best expand my confectionary line. I’m looking forward to finding support, and to the community being aware of what I’m doing. The LEAP program will push me out of my comfort zone, for sure, but I’m super excited.”
Hoping to expand her menu to include seasonal and holiday selections, Peltzer also wants to support as many local businesses as possible, sourcing her ingredients from within a hundred-mile radius. “I want to use local milk and real butter, as well as local bacon for my bacon/mudslide cookies,” she says.
Peltzer plans to meet with William Tell Family Estate, Tigz Tea Hut Experience, and Bohemian Spirits in the near future to present flavours that “will infuse local flavours and give customers something they might expect but also something that is a little outside the box.”
With access to a certified commercial kitchen, Peltzer is presently gearing up for Valentine’s Day. “While I haven’t confirmed the menu yet, I’ll be preparing chocolates, different candies, Turkish delight, fruit jellies, cream puffs and macaroons in various flavours. I’ve had really positive feedback from my gluten-free chocolate cake made with quinoa. I didn’t want anyone with a gluten allergy or anyone who’s celiac to feel like they have to miss out or eat something that pales in comparison to the real thing. I’ve actually had a lot of people say they prefer the taste to a typical flour-based chocolate cake.”
Peltzer knows that there is a long road ahead to turn her passion into a viable business. “But I know real ingredients found locally will make a huge difference. I have high standards,” she says, “and I want to make the best tasting products possible.”
As well as offering custom orders, Peltzer will be selling her delicious creations at farmers’ markets throughout the Kootenays. Luv at First Bite has a Facebook page or those interested can call 250-402-3731.