Arlington’s Solar Crepes cart is rolling out a new breed of eco-friendly fare. Rebecca Dolan/MNS
WASHINGTON–The Solar Crepes cart is the brainchild of culinary school friends Danna Andrews and Camille Dierksheide.
On a trip to Japan, Dierksheide was inspired by the abundance of small crepe stands that dotted the streets. With global warming and the green revolution picking up steam, solar crepes seemed right, she said. After a call to Andrews the crepe cart was born.
Andrews and Dierksheide, along with their sous chef Gervais Achstetter are passionate about using natural, local and sustainable ingredients. “We really believe that more nutrient dense food, food that’s grown closer to you and that’s able to ripen on the vine has much more healthful properties,” Dierksheide said. “You buy local, you support the local economy, and you aren’t paying as much in fossil fuel to transport your vegetables from California to Washington. It’s kind of a win-win situation.”
In addition to harnessing solar energy, the trio embraces a number of eco-friendly practices. The ladies were adamant that their packaging was more than 40 percent recycled, could be recycled or was from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Take away containers, for example, are made from a wheat byproduct and are biodegradable and compostable. Crepe wrappers, utensils and napkins, too can be thoughtfully returned to the earth. Recycling extends to the kitchen, where scraps are composted, and even to the cart, which was bought used and then refurbished.
“If you are going to do something, do it right,” Dierksheide said. “We only have one planet and we need to take care of it.”
Solar crepes can be found outside the Ballston Metro station at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Stuart Street in Arlington.