People have been asking me lately,
"Where did your passion for baking come from?"
"Where did your passion for baking come from?"
I have been baking most of my life, decorating cakes and treats for almost 10 years and I have been an official business for over 3 years already. I'm so blessed by how Samantha's Sweets has grown!
My Sweet History...
I have so many sweet memories from childhood. I remember being overjoyed when we reached the bakery section of our local grocery store; my favorite place to be! I remember baking mountains of cookies each Christmas with my mother. I remember purchasing a little gumball decorated with royal icing and saving it with out even a lick, for years. My mother's glass cake stand and dome seemed to always have something sweet inside, and a piece of cake with breakfast was occasionally allowed.
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| My mom always decorated my cakes beautifully. Thanks Mom! I don't know why I always held my dress like that. |
My clown gumball ~ My 1st dessert photo shoot ; )
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| My mom's double heart, decorated birthday cake! There I am, holding my dress again. |
I also remember baking with my amazing grandmother Ann---her famous figgy pudding soaking in brandy for days and her moist and chocolaty Texas sheet cake. I remember her sharing a caramel nut candy recipe from her grandfather's candy company, which leads me to the following story of my sweet ancestry...
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| My grandmother and I. ~Ann Reymer Baker~ Just love my brace face, stone washed jeans and the Rubik's Cube in the background, ha! |
My Sweet Ancestry
My great, great grandfather, on my father's side, was Jacob Stotler Reymer.
My parents have this portrait; a lovely old
photograph. It will hang it in my cake boutique someday. ; )
Reymers Antique Candy Tong
Jacob was one of the Reymer brothers of Reymer and Brother's Inc ~ Reymers Bros.
~Pittsburgh, PA~ Since 1846
In 1846 Philip Reymer and R.J. Anderson started a confectionery business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 39 Wood St. For an unknown reason, Mr. Anderson exited the partnership and Philip with his brothers, Jacob and Harmar D. established a successful confectionery business.
They became known as, "That Good Pittsburgh Candy."
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| Philip Reymer |
In 1876 the firm opened a second location at 124-128 Wood Street and a factory. They opened many beautiful store fronts through out the city of Pittsburgh, selling not only delectable candy and treats but cigars as well. Reymer's candy was well-known in Pittsburgh for 109 years.
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| Factory on Wood Street |
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| Still there today ~ Reymer Brothers Candy Factory ~ ~A historical landmark, today houses several Pittsburgh businesses. 1425 Forbes Avenue The factory employed more than 150 people. |
Reymer Brothers Candy Factory: Wikipedia
Reymers Brothers Candy
~Credited with the invention of the fruit and nut Easter egg.~
"To the world, Pittsburgh is the city of steel, coal, iron and many bridges over rivers that come together to form The Point.
Less known is the sweeter fact that Pittsburgh is the place of origin of the fruit and nut Easter egg."
-Taken from an article written by Veronic Volpe in the Pittsburgh Press, 3-30-1975
Credit is given to the Reymer Brothers , although others claim that Dimlings Candy where the inventors and a friendly rivalry ensued. Whoever the first creator was, Pittsburgh can take pride in the fact that the fruit and nut Easter egg is a Pittsburgh thing!
Other delicious candies from Reymers include...
- The Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cordial
- Caramels
- Clusters--Peanuts, Raisins
- Butter creams
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate Bon-Bons
- Fruit and Nut Easter Egg
- Marzipan
- Peach Stones
- Strawberries
- Coconut Pears
- Chocolate Covered Caramels
- Old-Fashioned Chocolate Drops
- Toffy
- Reymer's Candy Tin on WorthPoint
Reymers Brothers Candy Ads
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| Reymers Brothers Candy Box image from WorthPoint |
During the time of the Great Depression, Reymer Brothers struggled. The saving grace was the purchase of the formula for Lemon Blennd created by Edwin Keagy. Then called Reymer's Blennd, the tasty lemon drink was a favorite of the city of Pittsburgh. Then the rights to Blennd were sold to the Heinz Corporation then switched hands again to Byrnes and Keifer Co. in 1981. Byrnes and Keifer still sell Lemon Blennd today and it is still called Reymer's, although we Reymer decendants have NO claim to the profits in any way.
For more information on Blennd, check out www.lemonblennd.com
Call it bragging or a clever marketing ploy; what ever you want...
I'm just proud to know that confectionery passion is in my blood; part of who I am and where I have come from. Sugary sweetness courses through my veins. There is NO fortune to be had; not one penny! I just love the romantic history of my sweet ancestry.
Sweet love to you all ~ my sweet customers and friends!
Sweetly,
Samantha Eyth
Photos and information in this post are from the following...
Link to an article about Reymers Candy: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l1wbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=I04EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5086%2C3205684
My grandmothers archives given to me, Samantha Eyth.
Newpaper articles from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, dating 1939, 1976, 1982
Newpaper articles from the Pittsburgh Press, 1955, 1975
Edward Byrnes Collection 1869-1961, Sen. John Heinz History Center
www.novanumismatics.com/articles/numismatics52.php
100 Years of Candy Making, The Pittsburgh Press, Sunday, October 9, 1955
Reymer & Brothers, Inc. -The Story of Pittsburgh, Vol. 1, 1919
www.lemonblennd.com ---The story of Lemon Blennd
The story will continue someday, with my daughter...
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| Izzy's cupcake--decorated by her--no help from me! ; ) Age 7 |