Content provided by our partner Sweet!, written by Sharon Merkel Prudhomme ~
SWEET! 702 10th Avenue, Belmar, NJ is right off 71, the main drag. Beneath the quaint green & white awning sits a little shop boasting an incredible plethora of delectables! Mother/daughter team, Lena & Cali have made the mark of excellence together creating an incredible edible array of delights beginning in 2010. (I must mention Dad, Jay, who is often seen behind the scenes.) Early on, the women had begun their passion pursuing a desire to create excellent cakes and cupcakes. Their Cupcakes won awards two years running. AND….holy cow….Sweet was recently voted #1st Place in Best of Monmouth Health & Life Magazine! Serving up the best of bakery, cookies, cupcakes, cannolis, chocolate & cakes is bringing in great recognition! Hard, dedicated family work pays off Cali mentions that among the many customer favs’ at the shop is the chocolate dipped bacon in light or dark chocolate. These are great for any day, gift or really cool as a Sunday brunch buffet extra yum! Just walking into this fun shop brings back childhood memories as the many mouth-watering aromas waft their sweet sugary chocolate through the air. Reminiscent of a good old-fashioned bakery on a Sunday morning.
Summertime has come to an end but the fun continues this weekend in Belmar! Sweet! of Belmar, will be the sponsor for the Official Cannoli Eating Contest held Saturday 15th. Cannoli’s fit right into the annual Feast of San Gennaro celebration in Belmar. (Google for full details) There’s still time to sign up! Even the morning of you will be sliding in under the wire. Don’t eat breakfast! What a tasty way to help out the Bulldogs!
Cannoli Eating Contest– Sat. 15th 1:00pm$10 entry fee
Location: between 10th & 13th Street-find Sweet! next to the stage*
All proceeds benefit The Mid Atlantic Bull Dog Rescue
Winner receives: Trophy
Name on plaque mounted in the Sweet! shop
$25 Gift Certificate
1 # fudge / 1# mixed taffy T-Shirt: *wear T-shirt into store for “life of the shirt” and receive a 10% discount on future purchases! Wow! The shirt that keeps on giving!
Cali & Lena are dedicated to giving back to their community. Worthy causes are nothing new to this shining Belmar business! Sweet has exhibited their dedication to local causes via a multitude of charities & causes throughout the Belmar and surrounding areas. The latest included helping out the annual Pt. Pleasant VFW Family Flukin’ Frenzy with a generous door prize. Between a mix of donations, gift certificates, cash, fundraising, time, materials and treats, Sweet has contributed well over $10,000 for our area! For a list a mile long of recipients check out the “In The Community” section on the web. Kudos to Cali & Lena!
There are seasonal treats to mention which are worthy of your forks as well. Fall brings a seasonal flare with pies Cherry, Blueberry, Apple, Cherry and good old Pumpkin (my personal favorite). New on deck are Sweet’s special Pumpkin, Spice & Butter Pecan Cupcakes. Something my late grand-pop went nuts over are Snickerdoodle Sand Dollar Cookies. Yep, Sweet has ‘em! A must have in the display case.
Sweets array of amazing premise made chocolates, unique cupcakes, cake balls and assorted baked goods will get the saliva glands pumping and have you back time and again! Their fantastic custom cakes have become a hot item, popular for all occasions. With the holidays approaching, what better way to celebrate than with a beautifully hand crafted personal cake made just for your family or event. Looking at the wide variety made me think of how much fun it would to have one heck of a dessert party featuring a buffet of fantastic delights from Sweet, with gourmet teas and coffees! Picture the sweet and savory combos of creamy rich chocolate dipped bacon, Oreos, marshmallows or taffy sitting among an array of “Chuckie’s”, Chocolate Sea Salt Carmels, Dark Chocolate Squirrels, Old Fashioned English Toffy, Chocolate Covered Expresso Beans and more! Sweet memories for all who attend for sure! Perhaps little tiny gift bags for guests to carry a treat home in.
Mixed boxes can be fun too. Kids have a great 1st week of school? Why not stop into Sweet with the kids? Let them each pick 1-2 for the “Family Box” of homemade old-fashioned goodness. Maybe you are invited to dinner? Bring a Hostess Gift box of chocolates. This customary practice is almost non-existent….bring it back and watch the smiles. Need a card for your spur of the moment gift? Sweet has occasion cards, Teddy Bears and a wide variety of non edibles too.
Check out the assortment of fine homemade chocolates packing the glass display case along with homemade fudge and salt water taffy and baked goods. Next time you visit out of area friends, bring them a box of assorted of Salt Water taffy “shore” to please any age. (A little extra Fix-A-Dent?) So many choices and combinations! Mix it up and put together favorites or try something new. A Sweet! gift box filled with homemade goodness or to make points and share in the office. Boxes are available in ¼ #, ½ # as well as 1 #. So have a ball and hit up the treats….as long as you share! Almond Bark and even large Chocolate Dipped 3” Gummy Bears are ready just for you! How about a Heavenly little ball of Chocolate Mousse or good old-fashioned English Toffee to get the ol’ taste buds perky? Another big seller & local favorite are the Haystacks-little mounds of toasted coconut and milk or dark chocolate. Simple, yet oh so delicious!
Another major factor in visiting and patronizing the many small shops and businesses here along our beloved shore is family and traditions. Bringing in the love and family feel is something never found in a mall or big chain store. Sweetness comes in many forms and here the “Chuckies” found in the glass display case warms my heart. In honoring Cali’s Grandfather, Charles “Chuck” Lowe, Cali and Lena have improved upon the classic “Turtle”, one of his favorites. “Chuck” apparently loved Turtles but felt they had not enough caramel nor looked like turtles! Sadly, Grandpa Chuck passed away several years back and in his honor the gals cooked up a new Sweet! version named “Chuckies”. With a lot more soft & yummy caramel the “Chuckies” even look like turtles with pecan legs! They are hefty with usually about 12 pieces per pound. You can bet Chuck Lowe is smiling!
Keep Sweet! in mind for baby showers, corp. events, anniversaries, weddings, bridal showers, retirements…..divorces (yes, the big “D” celebration is something new)…..and so much more! In warm weather pop in for their ice cream and milk shakes. Not far from the beach makes it a good stop after a fun filled day! Outdoor seating is available.
If ordering online use the code “sweet20” at checkout for a 20% discount! (732) 280-8889 sweetbelmar702@yahoo.com
www.Facebook.com/sweetbelmar Twitter: @sweetbelmar www.instagram.com/sweetbelmar
Hours : Open 7 Days! Sun. – Thurs. 12pm – 6pm
Fri. & Sat. 12pm – 8pm