‘Choc O’Booty’? Chalk it up to Pirattitude
Meet the most heavily-armed
pastry chef on the Oregon Coast
Story & photos by Gretchen Ammerman • For the TODAY
Have you ever sat in a pastry shop and heard one owner say to the other, “We sold all the skull and cross bones?” If the answer is yes, you were probably sitting in Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry shop, on the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101, in the historic Taft district of Lincoln City.
Kathy and Dan Draper are celebrating their fifth year selling turnovers, cookies, cinnamon rolls, muffin tops, pies and cakes, all within a shop festooned in a pirate theme, down to the tri-cornered hat on Dan’s head and sword belted to his waist.
For the last three years, they’ve been chosen the “Best of the Best” Bakery by the listeners of BOSS radio. Dan has also been perfecting his pirating skills over the years. “I’ve finally learned how not to make a small child cry,” he said.
One of the newest creations at the shop is the Choc O’ Booty turnover. According to Kathy, the evolution of the Choc O’ Booty came after two different people on different weekends asked for chocolate turnovers.
“I thought I might as well investigate it a bit further. I went to Hershey’s website, and their idea of a chocolate turnover is some chocolate chips with some cinnamon sprinkled on it. I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t think so.’”
Since her favorite candy is the Snickers bar, she decided to use that as the base for her new creation. Added to the chopped Snickers bar is cream cheese and soft caramel sauce. The final step, after the ingredients have been baked into Kathy’s fabulously flaky crust, is a drizzle of chocolate ganache.
For those not afraid of pastries with a little fire, Kathy also came up with the 3-Alarm Choc O’ Booty, to which she adds chipotle sauce, cayenne pepper, and chili pepper. On the top, she’s mixed the chocolate ganache with sea-salt and cayenne pepper, “Mainly so we can tell the difference between the two, so we don’t sell someone a 3-Alarm that only wanted the regular.”
Kathy is proud of both creations, but also admits to having a bit of fun with the name. “We like hearing people order it, ‘cause it’s fun to say,” she said.
We dare you to try it without smiling.
pastry chef on the Oregon Coast
Story & photos by Gretchen Ammerman • For the TODAY
Have you ever sat in a pastry shop and heard one owner say to the other, “We sold all the skull and cross bones?” If the answer is yes, you were probably sitting in Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry shop, on the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101, in the historic Taft district of Lincoln City.
Kathy and Dan Draper are celebrating their fifth year selling turnovers, cookies, cinnamon rolls, muffin tops, pies and cakes, all within a shop festooned in a pirate theme, down to the tri-cornered hat on Dan’s head and sword belted to his waist.
For the last three years, they’ve been chosen the “Best of the Best” Bakery by the listeners of BOSS radio. Dan has also been perfecting his pirating skills over the years. “I’ve finally learned how not to make a small child cry,” he said.
One of the newest creations at the shop is the Choc O’ Booty turnover. According to Kathy, the evolution of the Choc O’ Booty came after two different people on different weekends asked for chocolate turnovers.
“I thought I might as well investigate it a bit further. I went to Hershey’s website, and their idea of a chocolate turnover is some chocolate chips with some cinnamon sprinkled on it. I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t think so.’”
Since her favorite candy is the Snickers bar, she decided to use that as the base for her new creation. Added to the chopped Snickers bar is cream cheese and soft caramel sauce. The final step, after the ingredients have been baked into Kathy’s fabulously flaky crust, is a drizzle of chocolate ganache.
For those not afraid of pastries with a little fire, Kathy also came up with the 3-Alarm Choc O’ Booty, to which she adds chipotle sauce, cayenne pepper, and chili pepper. On the top, she’s mixed the chocolate ganache with sea-salt and cayenne pepper, “Mainly so we can tell the difference between the two, so we don’t sell someone a 3-Alarm that only wanted the regular.”
Kathy is proud of both creations, but also admits to having a bit of fun with the name. “We like hearing people order it, ‘cause it’s fun to say,” she said.
We dare you to try it without smiling.
There are bars, and there are dates.
But, none are as satisfying as
Dan and Kathy Draper’s date bars.
“One of our newest cookies was also inspired by customers,” said Kathy, “Some ladies from Portland brought us an octopus cookie cutter. Those cookies are really popular.” Since the Captain does all the icing for the shop, the suction cups on all eight legs keeps him pretty busy, “I have become the king of suction cups,” he said.
Other cookie creations include the “Nemo that we can’t call Nemo,” (a clownfish) and a lighthouse. The lighthouse is one of the cookies that features their “new bling” – glittery sugars, marketed with names such as “Pixie Dust” and “Disco Dust,” that provide an extra shine to the cookies. After icing cookies with Pixie Dust all day Kathy says her mate is “one sparkly captain.”
Love is in the Arrrr….
With another Valentines Day just behind us, we asked Captain Dan, still hung over from serving countless heart shaped cookies, to offer some dating advice. Keep in mind, that the Drapers have been happily married for 17 years, so the dating advice might be a bit, well, dated…
TODAY: Most men think they’ve got the routine down, but really it’s just worn out. Do you have any ideas on how to mix it up?
CAPTAIN DAN: People are usually really romantic on the weekends; they don’t have time for romance during the week. If you want her to feel romanced, start Tuesday. She’ll be amazed.
TODAY: If you had just one piece of advice to offer to make a woman happy, what would it be?
CAPTAIN: Just say I do to everything. I do, I will … not I’m going to, I’ll get to it, or I’ll add it to my list.
TODAY: OK, let’s move on to the fairer sex. What strategies can you offer to get a pirate to invite a wench to board his ship?
CAPTAIN: Oh, that’s easy, all they have to do is be cute and smile.
TODAY: And what would make a pirate tell a woman to walk the plank?
CAPTAIN: I’ve seen this happen many times in the shop; the lady will let a man choose for himself, but when he does choose something, a cinnamon roll for example, she’ll say, “You know you can’t eat that.” The guy looks mortally wounded, like he may never recover from it. So ladies, don’t do that.
Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop, at the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101 in the Taft neighborhood of Lincoln City, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day except Tuesday. For details or to order ahead, call 541-996-4600. Check it out at piratepastry.com or on Facebook.
Other cookie creations include the “Nemo that we can’t call Nemo,” (a clownfish) and a lighthouse. The lighthouse is one of the cookies that features their “new bling” – glittery sugars, marketed with names such as “Pixie Dust” and “Disco Dust,” that provide an extra shine to the cookies. After icing cookies with Pixie Dust all day Kathy says her mate is “one sparkly captain.”
Love is in the Arrrr….
With another Valentines Day just behind us, we asked Captain Dan, still hung over from serving countless heart shaped cookies, to offer some dating advice. Keep in mind, that the Drapers have been happily married for 17 years, so the dating advice might be a bit, well, dated…
TODAY: Most men think they’ve got the routine down, but really it’s just worn out. Do you have any ideas on how to mix it up?
CAPTAIN DAN: People are usually really romantic on the weekends; they don’t have time for romance during the week. If you want her to feel romanced, start Tuesday. She’ll be amazed.
TODAY: If you had just one piece of advice to offer to make a woman happy, what would it be?
CAPTAIN: Just say I do to everything. I do, I will … not I’m going to, I’ll get to it, or I’ll add it to my list.
TODAY: OK, let’s move on to the fairer sex. What strategies can you offer to get a pirate to invite a wench to board his ship?
CAPTAIN: Oh, that’s easy, all they have to do is be cute and smile.
TODAY: And what would make a pirate tell a woman to walk the plank?
CAPTAIN: I’ve seen this happen many times in the shop; the lady will let a man choose for himself, but when he does choose something, a cinnamon roll for example, she’ll say, “You know you can’t eat that.” The guy looks mortally wounded, like he may never recover from it. So ladies, don’t do that.
Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop, at the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101 in the Taft neighborhood of Lincoln City, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day except Tuesday. For details or to order ahead, call 541-996-4600. Check it out at piratepastry.com or on Facebook.
That’s one gruff muffin
But thanks to Kathy Draper, Capt. Dan’s pastries stay sweet
Capt. Dan and Kathy Draper
Story & photos by Niki Price • Oregon Coast TODAY • Posted Sept. 13, 2011
Baking has always been second nature to Kathy Draper. She baked with her mother and grandmother when she was a little girl, and won blue ribbons at the county fair when she was a teenager. Later on, when she entered the working world, Kathy’s pies and cakes were always the office potluck favorites.
“I’ve always loved to bake, and it’s always been a big part of my life,” Kathy said. “People have always said, ‘You should open a bakery.’”
But one question remains. Did anyone ever tell Kathy’s husband, Dan Draper, that he should be a pirate? Probably not. Still, in 2007, this couple started a business that made them both happy: Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop.
You’ll find them there, Kathy wielding her rolling pin and Dan cursing over a bag of frosting, six days a week. Together, they make turnovers, cookies, cinnamon rolls, muffin tops, pies and cakes, using Kathy’s family recipes and a bit of pirate style. Their deli case displays sugar cookies decorated with a skull and cross bones, for example. And the man who decorates them is always wearing a leather tri-corner hat.
Their shop sits on the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101, in the historic Taft district of Lincoln City. It’s filled with nautical décor, wiseacre signs, driftwood art, automated parrots and general pirate miscellany. Kids get free eye patches and temporary pirate tattoos, and are welcome to sit at the window counter and color in the pirate-themed coloring books. If he has a minute, Capt. Dan will get out his cutlass and pretend to portion your pie for you.
If you’re expecting hard-tack on a plate, however, think again. Kathy makes everything from scratch, using Crisco for her pie crusts and real butter for everything else.
“People always compliment us on our flaky crusts, in the pies and pastries and turnovers. I think the crust is what has made our turnovers so popular,” Kathy said. “We started out with just three kinds: apple, peach and marionberry. We’ve added lots more, including some with cream cheese, like blueberry-cream cheese and strawberry cream cheese, and a savory turnover, with Bonepile BBQ ham and Tillamook cheddar cheese.”
“We have a high turnover rate,” added Capt. Dan. “I thought we would be best known for our cinnamon rolls. As it turns out, its turnovers.”
They’ve also been surprised, and pleasantly, by the popularity of their custom cakes. Kathy has her own favorites, including a German chocolate cake from one side of her family, and a raisin-nut spice cake from the other. She’ll happily make you a red velvet, an Italian cream or a carrot cake, but she always recommends a nice moist yellow cake with a homemade filling, like lemon or marionberry.
The Captain is in charge of the fancy decorating, and he’s become the master of fondant and edible seashells. At a pastry shop within sight of the ocean, it’s no surprise that beach-themed cakes are by far the most popular (to see more of Dan’s cake art, become a friend of the shop on Facebook).
In the past year, Kathy has developed a line of baked goods that are gluten-free (or, as Capt. Dan says, “Free the Gluten!”). She started with a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie, then moved on to a chocolate cake made with ground garbanzo beans, rather than flour. She covers it in a rich chocolate ganache and toasted almonds. Now, she’s made a marionberry muffin, a carrot cake and lemon bars -- all safe for people with a gluten intolerance.
While building their business, the Drapers have worked to forge neighborhood ties, too. Kathy is the secretary of BAMA, the Bay Area Merchants Association, and they donate cakes each year to the Haunted Hotel at the Historic Anchor Inn. You’ll find their pastries during intermission at Theatre West, and on the dessert table at the Oyster Cloyster benefit in Newport. They also donate unsold pastries to the Backpack Program, which serves hungry students in Lincoln City schools.
Last month, Capt. Dan and Kathy found out that their bakery had been named Best of the Best (Pastry Shop) by the listeners of BOSS 100.7 FM, for the third year in a row. They’re also justifiably proud to have been featured in the September issue of Sunset magazine, as part of the Taft neighborhood profile.
“People have been coming in, looking at the magazine, then looking at me. One of them said, ‘Yeah, you look like your picture.’ Well of course I do!” quips Capt. Dan. “Who is it supposed to look like? I thought they would say, ‘You look much older in person.’”
Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop, 5070 SE Hwy. 101, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Tuesday. You can learn more about it at www.piratepastry.com, or by calling 541-996-4600. To see photos of the Captain’s cake decorations and miscellaneous people with eye patches on, find their page on Facebook.
Baking has always been second nature to Kathy Draper. She baked with her mother and grandmother when she was a little girl, and won blue ribbons at the county fair when she was a teenager. Later on, when she entered the working world, Kathy’s pies and cakes were always the office potluck favorites.
“I’ve always loved to bake, and it’s always been a big part of my life,” Kathy said. “People have always said, ‘You should open a bakery.’”
But one question remains. Did anyone ever tell Kathy’s husband, Dan Draper, that he should be a pirate? Probably not. Still, in 2007, this couple started a business that made them both happy: Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop.
You’ll find them there, Kathy wielding her rolling pin and Dan cursing over a bag of frosting, six days a week. Together, they make turnovers, cookies, cinnamon rolls, muffin tops, pies and cakes, using Kathy’s family recipes and a bit of pirate style. Their deli case displays sugar cookies decorated with a skull and cross bones, for example. And the man who decorates them is always wearing a leather tri-corner hat.
Their shop sits on the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101, in the historic Taft district of Lincoln City. It’s filled with nautical décor, wiseacre signs, driftwood art, automated parrots and general pirate miscellany. Kids get free eye patches and temporary pirate tattoos, and are welcome to sit at the window counter and color in the pirate-themed coloring books. If he has a minute, Capt. Dan will get out his cutlass and pretend to portion your pie for you.
If you’re expecting hard-tack on a plate, however, think again. Kathy makes everything from scratch, using Crisco for her pie crusts and real butter for everything else.
“People always compliment us on our flaky crusts, in the pies and pastries and turnovers. I think the crust is what has made our turnovers so popular,” Kathy said. “We started out with just three kinds: apple, peach and marionberry. We’ve added lots more, including some with cream cheese, like blueberry-cream cheese and strawberry cream cheese, and a savory turnover, with Bonepile BBQ ham and Tillamook cheddar cheese.”
“We have a high turnover rate,” added Capt. Dan. “I thought we would be best known for our cinnamon rolls. As it turns out, its turnovers.”
They’ve also been surprised, and pleasantly, by the popularity of their custom cakes. Kathy has her own favorites, including a German chocolate cake from one side of her family, and a raisin-nut spice cake from the other. She’ll happily make you a red velvet, an Italian cream or a carrot cake, but she always recommends a nice moist yellow cake with a homemade filling, like lemon or marionberry.
The Captain is in charge of the fancy decorating, and he’s become the master of fondant and edible seashells. At a pastry shop within sight of the ocean, it’s no surprise that beach-themed cakes are by far the most popular (to see more of Dan’s cake art, become a friend of the shop on Facebook).
In the past year, Kathy has developed a line of baked goods that are gluten-free (or, as Capt. Dan says, “Free the Gluten!”). She started with a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie, then moved on to a chocolate cake made with ground garbanzo beans, rather than flour. She covers it in a rich chocolate ganache and toasted almonds. Now, she’s made a marionberry muffin, a carrot cake and lemon bars -- all safe for people with a gluten intolerance.
While building their business, the Drapers have worked to forge neighborhood ties, too. Kathy is the secretary of BAMA, the Bay Area Merchants Association, and they donate cakes each year to the Haunted Hotel at the Historic Anchor Inn. You’ll find their pastries during intermission at Theatre West, and on the dessert table at the Oyster Cloyster benefit in Newport. They also donate unsold pastries to the Backpack Program, which serves hungry students in Lincoln City schools.
Last month, Capt. Dan and Kathy found out that their bakery had been named Best of the Best (Pastry Shop) by the listeners of BOSS 100.7 FM, for the third year in a row. They’re also justifiably proud to have been featured in the September issue of Sunset magazine, as part of the Taft neighborhood profile.
“People have been coming in, looking at the magazine, then looking at me. One of them said, ‘Yeah, you look like your picture.’ Well of course I do!” quips Capt. Dan. “Who is it supposed to look like? I thought they would say, ‘You look much older in person.’”
Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop, 5070 SE Hwy. 101, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Tuesday. You can learn more about it at www.piratepastry.com, or by calling 541-996-4600. To see photos of the Captain’s cake decorations and miscellaneous people with eye patches on, find their page on Facebook.
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Captain Dan's Pirate Pastry Shoppe
Lincoln City Ask a Pirate, v. 3.0 The swordsman is mightier, with a pen Tell Dr. Sears to walk the plank. Sears is just an old-school, milktoast, let-the-child-express-his-feelings sort of child-rearing expert, and it’s time for some fresh opinions. We can’t think of anyone fresher than Cap’n Dan, the co-owner of Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop in Lincoln City. The Cap’n raised three children of his own, and all but two are still speaking to him. Plus, he spends his days playing in frosting and trying not to eat all the cookies – that has to stand for something in the field of child psychology. To learn more about Cap’n Dan’s theories on raising children in the 21st century, we asked our readers to submit their burning questions and toughest problems, for the next installment of our popular series, “Ask a Pirate.” Dear Cap’n Dan, I’m an expectant father, and I’m really worried about my lack of skills. When we bring our brand new baby home, how will I know how to change diapers? Or how to put the baby to sleep? Or when to feed him, or how much? Help! Ready, Able, Scared and Hysterical Dear RASH, Brand new baby? Aren’t all babies new? And they don’t come with a brand, although they should. That way, there might be a guarantee, or a manual, or at least the fine print that says “Not Valid in All 50 States.” A baby is the only important thing you pay a lot of money for, that doesn’t come with a manual of any kind. They really should. Just the basic stuff like “This side up,” “Wipe when wet,” and “Objects may appear a bit larger when they are thrown at you.” I guess it doesn’t really matter. If they are defective, you can’t send them back to the factory. Dear Cap’n Dan, I have trouble getting my children to behave, and to eat well at dinner. Do you have any helpful suggestions? So Worried Everyone Eats Toast Dear SWEET, Children are like little pirates, running around looking for treasure. Doubloons, pastry, pie a la mode, it doesn’t really matter as long as it’s a treat, for an accomplishment. A reward. So if they do what you ask, give them a pastry every day. Pirates love rewards, and if it’s a cookie, you’ll know your little pirate has been eating all the food groups, except vegetables and meat. No alcohol. That’s part of a grown-up pirate’s food pyr-ARR-mid. Dear Cap’n Dan, My children are constantly tugging at my sleeve, saying “Mom,” over and over. Sometimes I answer after the first “Mom,” and they keep going. What is this about? How can I get them to learn the art of conversation? Someone Help Us To Understand Parenting Dear SHUT UP, Here in our pastry shop, I hear that all the time. Mom? What. Mom? What. It’s like a ping pong game! I don’t think you should bother answering at first, because even if you do they will keep going. They’re thinking, “Wait! I have five more Moms to go! I haven’t used up my allotment of Moms!” The volume increases, and the clothes-tugging gets more urgent. What if mothers were naked? How would a kid ever get her attention? Then again, being naked wouldn’t get the kid’s attention. It would get everyone else’s attention. Dear Cap’n Dan, How will I know when my child is ready to be potty trained? Surely, it’s any time now. Papa Overwhelmed with Odor Dear POO, At what age should you potty train them? When you can no longer get into the bathroom. But there’s no strict time table, so long as they are out of their diapers before they get a driver’s license. It’s very embarrassing to get pulled over, and try to find your wallet in that wet diaper. That reminds me of my favorite diaper rash treatment: rum, a healthy dose of rum on each cheek. That’ll teach the little darlins’ not to do it again. Dear Cap’n Dan, Should I be worried if my child doesn’t speak by age 2? Silly, Histrionic Housewife Dear SHH, Consider it a blessing. Then remove the duct tape. Dear Cap’n Dan, We’re getting ready to take a long road trip with our two children, ages 7 and 10. How will we keep the peace in the back seat? Any suggestions? Very Rowdy Offspring Overtaking Mazda Dear VROOM, There’s your first mistake. Never allow more than one child in the back seat at any one time, because they will touch each other. They will breathe each other’s air space. They will pinch each other. And when they get tired of that, they will “accidentally” hit the driver in the head, or kick the back of the chair. So I always said, “Who wants the air bag, and who wants to guard the hood ornament?” You could also make them run alongside the car for a while. Then reward them with a pastry. Dear Cap’n Dan, Should I be worried about my kids and their relationship with technology? When do you think a child should get his or her first cell phone? I’m Terrified Over Texting Dear I-TOT, They should have little iPhones attached to their ears in the delivery room! No, actually I think that kids shouldn’t have anything with an “I” attached to it. No iPhones, no iPads, no eye-patches or IOUs. This is an I-world now, and I can never remember what the I even stands for. Idon’t know? And I don’t think it makes the kids say “aye aye” to whatever their parents ask them to do. Probably the opposite. It all started when they started using “Google” as a verb. And why can’t they say “application”? Why is it always an App? Aye, aye, App’n! Captain Dan’s Pirate Pastry Shop, at the corner of SE 51st St. and Hwy. 101 in the Taft neighborhood of Lincoln City, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day except Tuesday. For details or to order ahead, call 541-996-4600. Check it out at piratepastry.com or on Facebook, /Captain-Dans-Pirate-Pastry-Shop. |
 A pensive pirate, is Captain Dan. TODAY photos.   |
