7 Layers Bakery — Real NY-Style Baked Goods Made By Real New Yorkers!

7-layers-ownerswebIn case you didn’t realize it, I have something of a major sweet tooth. I’m more of a chocolate and peanut butter guy than I am into any type of fruit-flavored treats, but no matter what type of baked goods you prefer, I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll love at 7 Layers Bakery, located in the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (S.R. 54) in Lutz, in the same plaza as Amici Pizza.

It was easy for me to become friends with 7 Layers owners Evelyn Barreno and her husband William Morello. After all, not only are they fellow transplanted “New Yawkas,” they serve Evelyn’s amazing baked goods, most of which remind me a lot of the great bakery items I loved when I was growing up on Long Island.

Evelyn, whose background is in marketing, says she has been baking since she was a kid. “My mom, my grandmother…all of us…love to bake,” she says. “People have always told me I should open my own bakery, so here we are.”

7-layers-cupcakeswebI remember meeting this fun young couple at last year’s Wesley Chapel Fall Festival and being instantly hooked not only on Evelyn’s cake and cookie samples, but also on Will’s high-spirited, friendly approach to getting people to try everything.

Since their store opened a little less than a year ago, William and Evelyn have become involved with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, and held a Chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony almost a year ago.

“We’ve made a lot of friends through the Chamber,” Evelyn says. “The response since we opened the store has been amazing.” The bakery is also a favorite of Joey Richman’s, the young Wesley Chapel resident we wrote about in  a couple of recent issues, who has had some continuing health issues following a recent kidney transplant.

There’s no doubt that the baked goods are top-notch. Although the store is named for the famous Italian seven-layer rainbow cookies that Evelyn and Will grew up with in New York City, I initially fell in love with 7 Layers Bakery’s awesome specialty cupcakes, especially the Reese’s peanut butter cup cupcakes, which have not only decadent peanut butter-flavored icing, but also…surprise!…a mini Reese’s cup hidden in the center.

7-layers-cream-hornswebOther great cupcake flavors include double chocolate, double vanilla, creme brulée, toasted marshmallow, red velvet, cookies and cream and so many more.

But, even this man can not live by cupcakes alone. I’m also partial to Evelyn’s hand-piped cannolis with homemade cannoli cream, her amazingly flaky Napoleons, the real NY-style black-and-white cookies (Evelyn says some of her customers call them “half moons”) and the store’s assortment of loose Italian-style cookies available by the pound, especially the soft-baked chocolate chip cookies and the traditional NY-style lace cookies (which, according to Evelyn, some people call “Florentines,” even though I never heard that term before). 

Other items also available at 7 Layers Bakery include homemade tiramisu, flan and tres leches, as well as Italian sfogliatelle pastries (like crispy croissants with custard-style cream inside), as well as an ever-changing assortment of Leann’s cheesecakes, which are uniquely served in jars and great coffee.

Holiday Traditions!

Evelyn also says that she is already gearing up for the holiday season. “We’ve already started doing our pumpkin spice and we’ll have apple pie cupcakes soon,” she says. “By the time the holiday season really gets started after Halloween, we’re going to have to bring in an additional oven to handle the holiday orders,” Evelyn says. “We have a lot of very loyal customers.”

She says that in addition to Christmas tree-shaped, iced cookies, she will be creating some surprises for the holiday season. “But, get those orders in early, because we run out of our cookies a lot now already, so we expect to really be busy this holiday season.”

Custom Cakes, Too!

There’s no doubt that Evelyn also creates some amazing custom-designed cakes in your choice of flavors and designs.

“If you can dream it up, I can make it for you,” she says.

7 Layers Bakery (26306 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) is open seven days a week. For more info, visit 7LayerCookieCakes.com or the company’s Facebook page or call 388-2271.

Cappys Pizzeria Of Tampa Palms Delivers Great Meals

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Looking for delicious, but not too-thick Chicago deep-dish pizza ? Try Cappys Pizzeria in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center. Other favorite dishes include the large Greek salads, the veggie pizza, the calzones and the small New York-style pepperoni pizza.

Even if I never tell you that Cappys Pizzeria, located in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center, is my absolute favorite pizzeria in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, I will say that I have never had a bad meal at this inviting, uniquely decorated little gem.

Cappys Tampa Palms managing partner Harold Hasselback says that even though his pizzeria has never been #1 in either our annual Reader Survey or on my list of favorite pizzerias in the area, he’s proud that the five Cappys locations together have won the “Best of the Bay” title from Creative Loafing’s readers an amazing nine times.

“People always ask us why we don’t do wings or pasta or other Italian specialties, like other pizzerias,” Hasselback told me during my most recent visit. “I tell them that, at Cappys, we’d rather do everything we do the best we can do it and the fact we’ve won so many awards from not only Creative Loafing, but also Tampa magazine tells me we’re doing it right.”

And, that logic is hard to argue, as Cappys is unassumingly always packed for lunch and dinner and offers great craft beers (like Cigar City Brewing’s Jai Alai) on draft, although I still prefer the mass-produced Italian Peroni beer, as well as house red and white wines and six different wines available by the bottle or glass (including a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, a chianti, pinot noir, merlot and cabernet sauvignon).

Salads & Starters

Whether you choose the Caesar, tossed or Greek salad at Cappys, I assure you that the “small” could feed two people for dinner if they ate nothing else, or at least four people as a normal side dish/starter. The large salads are really family-sized, feeding at least 4-6 (or even 8) people each, depending upon how much other “stuff” each person also plans to eat. 

Our office favorite is definitely the Greek salad shown at the top of this page. It’s got the usual iceberg lettuce, pepperoncinis, onions and black olives, all topped with a zesty, authentic-tasting Greek dressing, feta cheese and enough potato salad for two or more people to enjoy as its own side dish, in addition to your salad course. I did say they were big, right?

I also really love the “small” tossed salad, which is served with a mild Italian (not balsamic) vinaigrette dressing over a variety of mixed greens, including plenty of tasty red cabbage that gives the salad a unique flavor. And, the Caesar dressing and croutons are spot on, too.

Our office also highly recommends Cappys crispy calzones and especially, the cheesebread appetizer and garlicky breadsticks served with a savory marinara sauce for dipping. My personal opinion is that ordering any of the three is overkill if you’re also getting pizza and salad, but Cappy’s cheesebread, breadsticks and calzones are all excellent.

Crust Me!

While it may not be what I remember from when I lived on Long Island or New York City, I do enjoy Cappys thin-crust NY-style pizza, because I love any pizza crust that crunches and even Harold’s too-thick-for-me-but-not-as-thick-as-most-Chicago-deep-dish pizza is crisp enough to cut the roof of your mouth (Note-if the roof of my mouth isn’t both burnt and cut, I probably didn’t enjoy my pizza).

cappys-veggie-pizzaOn our most recent visit, we sampled “The Cappy,” with ham, pepperoni, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and some extremely tasty sweet Italian sausage (other meat and fish pizza toppings include anchovies, tasty meatballs and even grilled chicken).

But, speaking of sausage, I will admit that my favorite deep dish pizza at Cappys is a large with pepperoni and sausage only. You have to eat it with a knife and fork and it still is covered in an outstandingly chunky tomato sauce that I genuinely love, so really, who’s complaining?

I also have friends who highly recommend the “The Veggie” at Cappy’s, which is topped with green peppers, onions, mushrooms, black olives and fresh tomatoes, although I’m not the biggest veggie pizza fan. Vegetarians also can add artichoke hearts, green olives, basil, broccoli, feta cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and of course, pineapple.

Don’t Miss These Specials!

If you check out the Cappys ad in our most recent New Tampa issue, you’ll find coupons worth $3 off any purchase (dine in or carry out) of $20 or more and $5 off any purchase of $30 or more. The coupons can’t be combined with any other offers, but they save you a little bit of money on what I am confident will be a tasty meal at Cappys, which is perfect for everyone from families with kids to senior citizens.

Cappys Pizzeria (16019 Tampa Palms Blvd.) is open seven days a week for lunch & dinner every day. For more information, visit CappysPizzaOnline.com, or Facebook.com/CappysTampaPalms.

Wesley Chapel Fall Festival This Weekend!

fallfestThe 11th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival was great, according to Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce CEO Hope Allen. But, Allen says, the 12th annual Fall Festival, which kicks off at 5 p.m. today and runs all weekend,will be even better.

The event is scheduled for tonight from 5-10 p.m.,  Saturday, October  29, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., & Sunday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at The Grove of Wesley Chapel.

The WCCC is taking a step back when it comes to organizing and putting on the festival. Because the event, which drew an estimated 5,000 people last year, is such a huge undertaking, the WCCC has reached out to event management company Simply Events to take it over. The 2016 Fall Festival will be presented by the Suncoast Credit Union & The Grove.

“We wanted the event to stay,’’ Allen says. “We knew it was an asset to the community, but we didn’t know if we were capable of having another great event, because it does take a lot of man hours. So, we partnered with Simply Events. Same event, same location, but we contracted with a company that puts on events because the Chamber is getting out of the event business.”

Simply Events has organized the Westfield Mall Back to School Bash, Hudson’s Sun West Crab & Shrimp Festival and the recent Beer & Burger Throwdown at Raymond James Stadium. Allen expects the Fall Festival to shine again. “It will look better,’’ Allen said. “It will be larger, and there will be a lot more activities.”

Just A Good ‘Ol Boy Making His Films The Only Way He Knows

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John Schneider, best known for his role in the 1980s as Bo Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” is heading up the CineFlix Film Fest, which will make a stop in Wesley Chapel Oct. 31-Nov. 3.

John Schneider has starred in hit television shows like “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “Smallville,” where he played Superman’s father on earth, and is currently starring in Tyler Perry’s popular “The Haves and the Have Nots” on the Oprah Network. Schneider has had five singles reach No. 1 on the country music charts. He also has made and starred in dozens of films.

His latest adventure, however, may be the one he finds the most exciting.

Monday, October 31-Friday, November 3, Schneider and producer Alicia Allain (founder of Maven Entertainment) are bringing the CineFlix Film Festival to the Cobb Grove 16 & Cinebistro in Wesley Chapel as part of what Schneider says is a first-of-its-kind independent film festival.

The concept: to showcase new filmmakers while also giving them a cut of the festival’s sales proceeds.

“It’s our first year, so there may be some bumps in the road,’’ Schneider says. “Not only have we never done this before
no one has done this before.”

Schneider then chuckled. “In two weeks, I’m sure we’ll be saying, ‘What in the world were we thinking?’ But, we’re all about trying new things and helping folks have a new experience.”

The idea to take the film festival on the road, with seven other stops in three other southeastern states, including Lakeland and Palm Beach Gardens in Florida, arose from Schneider’s career as a touring country music singer. Schneider recorded 10 albums and had five No. 1 hits, three of those coming after his role as Bo Duke on “The Dukes of Hazzard” came to an end in end in 1985.

“I noticed that film festivals seem to be more about the festivals than they are about the filmmakers,’’ Schneider said. “I started to realize that I thought somebody needs to start a filmmaker-centered film festival, and wouldn’t it be cool, since I used to travel on country music tours, to take it to the people instead of people having to search out independent films?”

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(L.-r.) John Schneider, Catherine Bach & Tom Wopat starred in “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Schneider is bringing his CineFlix Fest Film Festival to The Grove theaters Oct. 31-Nov. 3.

The tour, though, almost didn’t happen. Louisiana, where Schneider started John Schneider Studios to help independent filmmakers, was beset this summer with its second flood in this calendar year, almost completely submerging all 58 acres of Schneider’s property, which includes a film set, a bamboo forest, a lake, a swamp and a large home that was built in 1910. Almost half of the movies he helps make are filmed and edited there.

“I tell everyone that the first flood took everything, and the second flood took everything else,’’ Schneider says, adding that all 75,000 square feet of floor space was under at least three feet of water, with some places as deep as six feet.

Because they had no power or Wi-Fi, he and Allain went to a nearby hotel and watched the film festival entries there.

“This is going to slow us down, but this is not going to stop us,’’ Schneider said.

The flood also inspired Schneider to make a new country album, which will be called “Ruffled Skirts.” The album was cut with other southern musicians in the ruined living room of the house.

Although he is still best known for his role as Bo Duke, one of three rabble-rousing cousins — Luke and, of course, Daisy Duke were the others — who spent their days outfoxing Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in their customized 1969 Dodge Charger, aka the General Lee, Schneider grew up in southern New York running around filming things on a Super 8 camera and making movies even as a kid.

“I’ve always considered myself a filmmaker,’’ he says.

A New Career Path

When his run as Bo Duke ended, Schneider became a country music star. But, technology, he says, helped get him back into filmmaking. It doesn’t take nearly as many people to make movies today as it once did, and running your own movie studio doesn’t require the millions of dollars it once did. It was an easy decision to return to his roots.

filmfest3Independent films are often stereotyped as low-budget, off-the-beaten-path movies that aren’t profitable enough for the major studios to bother with. Schneider, who has a lead role in one of the films that will show in Wesley Chapel, as well as cameos in a few others, says there are plenty of hidden gems in the field.

“The great thing about independent filmmakers is they have an idea, they have a story they want to tell, they have a perspective, and they carry that story and perspective all the way through to the end,’’ Schneider says. “So, you see an A+ term paper.”

Schneider says there are movies and documentaries. One of the movies, Hate Crime, opens with police surrounding a suspect who is holding a weapon as dead bodies lay scattered around him. The police then proceed to take the weapon in for questioning, and the film follows the prosecution of the weapon all the way through trial.

“It is absurd and wonderful all at the same time,’’ Schneider says.

A Salute to Honor revolves around three World War II veterans, each of whom had to give up their dream to serve in the military during the war. And, another film centers around two sets of parents, one dealing with the death of their son at the hands of the son of the other parents.

filmfest1“It’s really terrific,’’ Schneider says. “It will make you think, it will make you cry, it will make you wonder and somewhere in there, it will make you want to be a better parent.”

Schneider understands that even though “The Dukes of Hazzard” went off the air 30 years ago, his star power is still enough to draw people to the festival just to see him. But, he hopes those who do come for that reason will end up sticking around for the movies themselves.

“There will be a tent outside, I’ll be there and so will other filmmakers,’’ he said. “We’ll have some Q-and-As, some music, some private time. This is really for people interested in the process of filmmaking and film distribution what goes into telling a story. Yes, people can come out and bring their ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ lunchbox and that’s fine, but I’m hoping to skew more towards film students and musicians and artists, really, who want to know how it works.”

The Neighborhood News is a proud sponsor of the CineFlix Fest, which  is scheduled for Mon.-Thur., Oct. 31-Nov. 3, at the Grove 16 & Cinebistro at 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd. For more information, check out CineFlixFest.com, or call Cinebistro at 948-5444.

Importance Of Cybersecurity Stressed At PHSC

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Keynote speaker Sri Sridharan, the managing director of USF FCC, told the audience that cybertheft of consumers’ financial information and money has become so common that it is usually unreported by the media and not investigated by law enforcement.

As people spend more of their time working, shopping and socializing online, they’re risking real-life consequences to their financial, professional and even personal well being. That’s the message that a group of experts delivered on Oct. 11 during a recent cybersecurity symposium at the Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

Speakers presented information about protecting yourself from identity theft and social media risks, as well as about internet-based crimes such as human trafficking. The event was co-hosted with the Florida Center for Cybersecurity (FCC) at the University of South Florida (USF) and is part of PHSC’s Community Awareness Series.

Keynote speaker Sri Sridharan, the managing director of USF FCC, told the audience that cybertheft of consumers’ financial information and money has become so common that it is usually unreported by the media and not investigated by law enforcement.

“Just because you don’t hear about it doesn’t mean the problem isn’t there,” Sridharan said, adding that identity thieves target public Wi-Fi networks such as those made available by coffee shops, restaurants and stores to intercept personal information from people using those networks.

Another trend, called ransomware, allows hackers to encrypt information on a computer or data network, preventing users from accessing their files. Users regain access by paying money to the hackers. Sridharan said one way people can avoid identity theft is taking personal responsibility for online behavior.

“Cybersecurity is a serious problem and people have to practice good cybersecurity ‘hygiene’ to protect their personal information,” he said.

Using complex passwords that are unique to each login, shopping at well-known commercial websites, not using unknown USB drives or memory cards you’ve found laying around and becoming savvy about malicious links in emails and websites are some of Sridharan’s suggestions for maintaining your online security.

Dumpster diving (going through people’s garbage looking for discarded documents with personal information on them), shoulder surfing (peering over someone’s shoulder to steal a password or PIN) and skimming (a small device that scans your credit card when it’s inserted at the gas station, ATM or other automatic money machine) may sound like extreme sporting activities but they’re actually some of the common techniques used by identity thieves according to Jeff House, associate director of PHSC network services, who also spoke during the symposium.

“The main thing is being aware that the technologies we take for granted can easily cause us to lose our identities,” House said.

He recommends shredding sensitive documents before discarding them, positioning yourself away from the prying eyes of people around you when working online or using bank cards in public and taking a good look at point of sale terminals at registers and gas pumps to see if they appear to have been altered with information-stealing skimmers.

Social Security Protection

Staking out your Social Security account online long before claiming your benefits was the advice from Daryl Rosenthal, a public affairs specialist from the Social Security Administration. He says going online to SocialSecurity.gov and creating your account (called “my Social Security account”) allows you to review your earnings history for accuracy, learn about benefits and keep someone else from accessing your account and stealing your benefits. Rosenthal said it’s not easy for someone else to access your account, but it can happen if they acquire enough personal information about you. “To get an account, you have to enter information you know about yourself beyond your Social Security number,” he said.

Rosenthal also advises that people shouldn’t routinely carry their Social Security cards with them, and that they should resist providing their Social Security number to businesses that request it.

The internet has become a virtual playground and shopping center and Corporal Alan Wilkett of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) says there’s a dark side to that activity, with human trafficking taking place online. He says the practice of human trafficking involves economic slavery, body organ harvesting and the sex trade.

“The auctions of people are taking place online and it’s one of the most diabolical things around,” Cpl. Wilkett said. “Most of the adults I talk to have no idea this is going on.” According to Cpl. Wilkett, the best way to combat human trafficking is increasing public awareness of the problem and a willingness to get involved.

Bullying is the topic for PHSC’s next Community Awareness Series event, which will take place Wednesday, November 16, 2 p.m.-3 p.m. It will be held in the Building B conference room of the Porter Campus, located at 2727 Mansfield Blvd. For more information, you can visit PHSC.edu or call 527-6629.