peanut butter eggs, a success of the strausses

There are not enough words to describe the love that the Strausses have for their glue that stuck them ever-so-willingly together, Naomi Strauss. 

 My grandmother & I, circa October 2006.

If you've read any of my posts where I trance back to my days with my beloved grandmother, it's obvious that you know that I possess an undying love for her. This month, it has only been three years that she has passed,  and as the days dwindle by, I always think of her more and more.

My Mammy had a keen eye for crafting the tastiest treats anyone's sweet teeth could ever experience, and I must modestly admit, this is not a biased statement. My family members and I hold these dear recipes as a triumphant trophy and as holidays approach, with appropriate traditional Strauss treats in tune for each, we are sure to gather together to reenact what our dear grandma did best in her comforting kitchen space.

Most recently, my cousins and I, as we like to think we're blessed with the gift that our grandmother possessed so gracefully, gathered to sculpt her chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs — a tradition we've began since her passing.

This year was the first festive occasion for the Strauss family's newest member, Cheyanne Naomi Willman, and as you see below, she too now loves these candies as much as we ever could (and, that is a hell of a lot!).

Here's a photographic step-by-step of our family-sacred, sugary Easter concoctions:

the oh-so-prettiness of philly cupcake

It is a fact that I never possessed the girlishness of the typical young female. Raised amongst two older brothers, I would beg for a male-themed toy box pumped with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, GI Joes and most definitely, Star Wars statues. 

Of course, my mom purged my pleas by humoring me with  female-friendly, hand-held presents that captured my requests, sort of.  This meant that I was the proud owner of action figures and dolls of Princess Leia and TMNT's April, but that didn't mean I hadn't stopped enviously eyeing my siblings' stash.

However, this all being said, my complete tomboy upbringing is utterly disregarded once I cross the entrance way to a cupcake boutique. Honestly, I have never been this gushy and girlie at any point in the 24 years of my youthful life.

The pink presence surrounded by a baker's pinched perfection is hard to not smile upon, and the whiffs of your soon-to-embrace sugary coma could create a naysayer to even giggle a dozen optimistic breathes.


Among the city's handful of new baking boutiques lays the lovely lady, Philly Cupcake, situated in a neatly arranged nook flooded with vibrant cupcake prints and vintage Victoria Secret cabinets. 

Pleasant in pinks and pastels, the cupcakery crafts dozens of darling mini-cakes, both equally delicious in taste and display. Although it is obvious to attend a baking establishment at its early opening hours, I did the opposite, with a visit in the evening among a selection of sweets that were quite slim.

However, being Ms. Indecisive, popping in at a time that neared closing enabled me to make a decision just a few minutes sooner, which was a Green Tea Cupcake with Honey Buttercream Frosting (above).

Fluffy and light, intoxicating and flavorful, my cupcake choice was not only intensely interesting, but it also an exciting experiment for my flavor palate. As the tantalizing tastes journeyed through my degrees of dazed 'buds, I couldn't refuse to think I was like a little kid cutely adoring life's sweetest things.

And, I most definitely will not forget to mention other necessary notables of the cupcakery, which include: The Coma, a flourless chocolate mini-cake with cocoa buttercream and ganache; The Twix Dream, chocolate cupcake with Twix chunks and caramel buttercream; and The Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cupcake with a crunch icing drizzle.

sugary sensations of sweet ashley's chocolate

In the 1940s, Miller's Candy and Ice Cream sashayed into the hearts of Royersford's sweet teeth by offering an assortment of sweet treats that would offer anyone an ultimate sugar rush.

50 years later, at the exact same store front, Connie and Rob Lawson maintain their shop for all things sweet on Main Street, singing praise to the area's very best, taste-test approved, chocolate assortments.

Beginning the official journey of a chocolatier in the fall of 2005, Connie Lawson always dreamt of opening her own chocolate factory. An unofficial milk and dark chocolate maker since the young age of nine, Lawson began her sales of sweets when living in State College with her husband while managing a coffee shop.

Wooing college students with her homemade sweets, she adored the construction of chocolates because it was something she always excelled at, it was her gift that has never been a frustrating challenge, but has always been an example of a hobby (now career) that was pure enjoyment to her.
Her husband Rob, the son of William Lawson who is a wonderful help to the business, being a business partner and shop assistant, was raised in the Spring City area, where the couple now lives with their 11 year old daughter Ashley -- the business' namesake.

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