Page 38 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2022

DINING O’PINK’S SWEET TREATS
Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing.
ADDRESS
4341 Gautier-Vancleave Rd., Ste. 4, Gautier
CONTACT
228.471.5056 opinkssweetstreats@gmail.com
SOCIAL
Facebook @ O’Pink’s Sweets Treats & More LLC
HOURS
Fri & Sat, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sun, 1-4 p.m.; Mon-Thurs, closed
story and photos by Kimberly C. Rasmussen
38 | December 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Let me begin by saying that I’ve never been a huge fan of cheesecake. I mean, I like cheese. And I really like cake. Like, a lot. But the combination of the two has never truly been my forté.
As a southerner, I think I’ve always considered myself more of a pie kind of gal. But in life, we must be open to all
sorts of new things, new experiences, and definitely new foods. Thanks to my recent trip to O’Pink’s Sweet Treats and More, cheesecake has suddenly relinquished its backseat status in my world of desserts and earned itself a front and center spot.
Latanya Lett, founder, CEO, and chef
at O’Pink’s, has created something truly magical in a quaint kitchen in Gautier. She started the business in 2016, but O’Pink’s received brick and mortar status in August of 2021. Named after her late mother, Ollie Pink Fountain-Dubose, O’Pink’s is a tribute to all things culinary, for which Mrs. Ollie was known. Her signature recipes
are present in everything that Lett bakes, with her cheesecake pies being at the forefront. Since day one, O’Pink’s amassed a following of devout fans who don’t mind
waiting in line for a coveted piece of Lett’s signature confections. It only takes one visit to learn why.
The O’Pink’s menu changes weekly,
with each week consisting of extensive planning and prep followed by a weekend of customers and sellouts. O’Pink’s features a regular rotation of cookies, cupcakes, pralines, and handcrafted cheesecakes. After the first bite, I realized that I was in the presence of something truly special.
A fan favorite and big seller is the signature Strawberry Cheesecake. A graham cracker crust lays the foundation for a delicate mixture of soft cheese, eggs, and sugar that is perfectly blended into the most delicate of fillings. Fresh strawberries serve as the top garnish, and everything about this cheesecake is impeccable. Another new feature is the Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake. The crust for this creation is, duh, ground Oreo cookies and it is everything you love about both Oreos and red velvet. The red hue of the cake is vivid and shiny and almost unreal. A cream cheese drizzle is hidden slightly underneath piped buttercream, then topped with whole