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South Jersey chocolate shops bring out the sweet side of the holidays
Sugarplums may be the legendary stuff of dreams, but chocolates
are the preferred holiday treat.
After falling early in the economic downturn, candy sales are
bouncing back, led by a 7 percent increase in chocolate sales last
year, the National Confectioners Association reports.
While most candy is sold in supermarkets and convenience stores,
for something special and memorable you have to visit one of the
shops that make chocolates by hand — into tastes and forms that
leave people reaching for words to describe the experience.
South Jersey’s chocolate shops — family-owned and operated — have
classic favorites many customers want each year, and new
concoctions for people starting a tradition.
Rauhauser’s Own Make Candies is nearing a half-century in business
in Ocean City.
Mandy Blomdahl, 32, granddaughter of the founder, said the most
popular Christmas candy at the shop is its homemade buttercream
chocolates in a variety of flavors, including vanilla, raspberry
and orange.
“That’s our No. 1 seller, and we have them in assortment boxes
decorated for Christmas at $17.25 for a pound,” said Blomdahl, of
Somers Point.
Rauhauser’s also makes chocolates decorated with nonpareils in
peppermint and Christmas designs, she said, and double-dipped
sandwich mints in red and green with little tree decorations.
Nonpareils — tiny balls of sugar and starch that are now made in
many colors and flavors — also adorn a favorite at Jagielky’s
Homemade Candies in Margate and Ventnor: candy cane crunch
nonpareils at $9.50 for a half pound.
Annamarie Carr, 56, of Ventnor, whose family owns Jagielky’s, said
the shop takes Oreo cookies, dips them in Jagielky chocolate, and
decorates them with Santas, trees and wreaths.
Animal cookies and pretzels likewise get dipped in chocolate and
covered with red, green and white sprinkles.
But the top seller at Jagielky’s was created by Carr’s
mother-in-law.
“When my husband took over the business, she came in and put
together this gift box more than 20 years ago,” Carr said.
“Phoebe’s Holiday Gift Box is our most popular item, decorated for
the holidays, with our signature candies and a holiday Oreo in
every box, wrapped and ready for giving.” Those are $16 for a
1-pound box.
At Barbera’s Chocolate on Occasion in Vineland, the Christmas
spirit takes over the whole shop.
“The store is decorated to the hilt, and even in the foyer we have
different handmade samples,” said owner Amy Barbera, 39, of
Vineland. “We make what we call Chocolate Nuggin, a hot sipping
chocolate, really rich and made with our dark chocolate. We just
have that out for tasting while you’re shopping.”
The fun of Christmas makes it possible to be more creative, so
Barbera’s takes one of its gourmet apples and turns it into Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer, with a cherry nose and pretzel
antlers.
“One of our most popular things now is chocolate-dipped wine or
spirits bottles,” she said. “You bring us a bottle and we dip it in
chocolate with whatever topping you select, such as peppermint. We
put a wrap under the chocolate so it doesn’t stick to the bottle,
and there’s a little tab you pull and the chocolate comes
off.”
For Hanukkah celebrations, Barbera’s has dreidels made of
chocolate, and chocolate lollipops in the shape of the Star of
David and the menorah.
The shop also makes a holiday version of its best-selling sea salt
caramels — ones with smoked Canadian bacon salt in them, boxed for
$8 and up, Barbera said.
Barbera’s also offers snowmen, Santas and trees in such delectable
versions as peanut butter cups, special eggnog buttercreams,
chocolate-covered cookies and stirring spoons dipped in
chocolate.
All of the shops also make a lot of Christmas trays for businesses
and parties, and sell a lot of teacher gifts.
With such a tempting array of treats from chocolate makers, no
wonder the National Retail Federation reports households spend on
average about $90 on candy and other holiday foods.
“Christmas is one of our biggest holidays, only behind Valentine’s
Day and Easter as our busiest,” Barbera said.
Contact Kevin Post:
609-272-7250
Chocolate with Bill & Sheila
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