With her successful catering service, Merrill Johnston has been serving gourmet food for over twenty years, but her newest venture now brings gourmet treats to man’s best friend. It’s all her way of paying tribute to her friends Bubba and Rupert.
You may know Merrill from her popular catering service, Delightful Desserts & Culinary Creations, which has been in business for over 25 years. She has also won the award for Best Caterer from Main Line Today in 2012. In addition to her catering service, Merrill and her team supply decadent desserts, hearty soups, and other delicious goodies to many Chester County restaurants and coffee shops.
On the day I stopped in to learn about her Daily Bone-Us Dog Treats, Merrill and her staff were preparing to cater a wedding reception unfolding two days later at Historic Yellow Springs. She took a few minutes out of her day to tell me about her new venture in baking and the inspiration behind it.
Merrill first started making dog treats years ago, when she was concerned about the health of her two aging dogs, Bubba and Rupert. Bubba was a half Newfoundland and half Standard Poodle. Rupert was a Bouvier de Flanders. “They were both rescue dogs. They were two different breeds but they morphed into looking similar.” Merrill recalled fondly.
“I made all their homemade food,” Merrill explained. “I didn’t want them to eat processed foods.” She eventually started baking dog treats that had their tails wagging. “Bubba would sit and look at the cookie jar all day,” Merrill said with a laugh.
She bakes the dog treats in a variety of surprising flavors: apple carrot cheddar; liver, potato, parsley; pumpkin cranberry; pizza; banana peanut butter; and gluten-free carob cinnamon.
“I use all natural ingredients,” Merrill explained. “I use a mixer, and they are rolled, cut by hand and double baked, similar to a biscotti. This gives the cookies a crunch, which is good for the dog’s teeth.”
This summer, she decided to start making and selling the gourmet dog treats again as a tribute to her two dogs, both of whom have passed away. A drawing of Bubba and Rupert graces the cover of each 8-oz. bag. The dog treats can be found at several Chester County facilities where dogs hang out.
Amy from Camp K-9 in West Chester told me, “We have a dozen or so steady customers that buy them. The peanut butter flavor are the most popular ones. We’ve sold them for the last few months and we have some regulars who continue to pick them up. They are delicious and the dogs love them.”
In addition to Camp K-9, Daily Bone-Us Dog Treats are also available at Spring Run Natural Foods in Kennett Square, Braxton’s Animal Works in Wayne, Lucie’s Barkingham Palace in Malvern, and at the Artisan’s Gallery & Cafe in Phoenixville.
Merrill also recently started offering he gourmet dog treats directly through the Delightful Desserts and Culinary Creations website. Orders will be shipped directly from her catering kitchen.
“I feed people high-quality food, I wanted my pets to have the same,” Merrill told me. “Dogs are like part of your family,” Merrill said, recalling a conversation she had years ago with her mother after one of Merrill’s dogs died. Her mother suggested she should go out and get a new dog. Merrill remembered her heartfelt response. “I said to my mom, if I died, would you go out and get a new me?” She smiled. “I do it to honor the dogs.”
You can place an order through Daily Bone-Us Dog Treats Page or like Daily Bone-Us Dog Treats on Facebook.
Dog treats image credited to Jim Breslin; remaining images credited to Nina Lea Photography.
