Confessions of a Chocoholic

After my husband proposed marriage all those years ago
I was giddy at the thought of marrying him
AND that I was marrying into a family with a bakery.
(I was like getting married 
and going to heaven all at once.) 

 

After marriage,
a steady stream of sweetness came our way
with Mom-mom (Helen Haegele) always remembering
to tuck in something chocolate for me.

Now, 30 years later,
Mom-mom is no longer with us
but the family bakery
continues serving up sweets to the neighborhood.



We don't visit as much as we used to
when Mom-mom lived above the bake shop,
but we did make a visit yesterday.

For a party we brought home


Butter Cake
A vanilla cake bottom with a creamy buttery top. 


Bee Cake
A vanilla cake filled with cream, topped with honey, and almonds. 


Apple Cake
A vanilla cake with sliced apples on top. 
and, of course,
 a few other chocolate items pictured above.

But the chocolate was not for me.
I've given up chocolate as much as possible...
it really was an addiction.
And if I don't have it
I don't crave it.
Instead, my son enjoyed the chocolate.
When it comes to sweets, he's just like his mom.
❤
Gotta love him.
❤❤
And the marriage?
It has been 30 years of heaven.
❤❤❤



PS Fellow Chocoholics...
Is There Child Slavery in Your Chocolate?
Make sure there isn't by looking for these labels 
from responsible chocolatiers: 
Rainforest Alliance 
Fair Trade 
UTZ Certified (Not the potato chips) 
Certification Capacity Enhancement

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Haegele's Bakery Still Making Washington Cake

Did you grow up in Philadelphia?

If you did, do you remember Washington Cake?

The Making of Washington Cake at Haegele's Bakery 
in Philadelphia PA

Richard Haegele adds molasses to the mixture

Washington Cake is a fond childhood memory 

for many Philadelphians. 

Richard Haegele adds flour to the mixture

Entering into a family owned bakery in Philadelphia, 

you could purchase 

a square of Washington Cake for a nickel. 

Freddy removes the beater from the batter.

Today, many of those small bakeries are gone, 

and along with them, Washington Cake. 

Freddy weighs and fills the pans with batter.

But not Haegele's Bakery! 

Glen Haegele evens up the batter.

Haegele's Bakery has been in business 

since 1930 when 

August and Helen Haegele 

opened shop. 

Today, the bakery is still in the family 

and operated by August and Helen's 

grandson, Glen, and his wife, Cheryl. 

Glen Haegele begins icing the cake.

Glen and Cheryl's children are often called in 

for an extra hand during the busy seasons. 

That makes the Haegele's Bakery

a fourth generation business! 

Glen Haegele prepares to decorate the cake.

When visiting the bakery, 

little has changed since the early days.  

Glen Haegele adds the decorative icing.

The oven, mixer, 

even the apple peeler 

are all vintage items still in use today.  

Adding a little pizzazz! 

When something breaks, 

Haegeles find a way to repair it 

instead of replacing it.

The finished product.

Cheryl Haegele packages an order of Washington Cake.
As soon as the tray was delivered to the bakery storefront, 
1/2 dozen squares were purchased. 

And they have been making 

Washington Cake through all these years. 

Here is the vintage apple peeler in use. 
It has nothing to do with Washington Cake. 
It is just cool!

So you if find yourself with a craving 

from your childhood, 

handmade just the way you remember it...

give Haegele's Bakery a call. 

Haegele's Bakery 

4164 Barnett Street

Philadelphia, PA 19135 

(215) 624-0117 

Open Tuesday thru Saturday.
Extended holiday hours. 
Call for hours.

http://www.haegelesbakery.com/

Fastnacht Day

Or, the Night (Nacht) before the Fast (Fast) 

is celebrated in German cultures.

American Germans celebrate it 

the day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.
That will always be on a Tuesday.

My husband's family 

operates a German bakery in Philadelphia, 

Haegele's Bakery.

And Fastnacht Day is a big deal.
Several news venues cover the event
at Haegele's Bakery each year.

In fact it is so popular, 

that the bakery opens on the Monday before Fastnacht Day 

to help alleviate the lines on Tuesday.

The Fastnachts made at Haegele's 

are diamond shaped and covered in sugar.  

Haegele's Fastnachts are handmade entirely from scratch!
Below, Aaron Haegele coats donuts in sugar.



Then two donuts are tapped together to remove the excess sugar.



He is assisted by his Great-Uncle Erich Haegele.

Erich and his brother, Richard, have been doing this
for over half a century
since they were children.
That's a lot of Fastnachts.



The Bakery was started in 1930
by the brother's German parents,
August and Helen Haegele.
It is still going strong today.




And one thing I love...besides the dirndls the ladies wear,
they still box your items and tie the box up with string...
just like the old days.



Now if you'll excuse me,
 there is a Fastnacht waiting for me.
More bakery photos can be viewed here.

Haegele's Bakery
Glen and Cheryl Haegele
4164 Barnett Street
Philadelphia, PA 19135
215-624-0117

http://www.haegelesbakery.com/


Be sure to read about 
Washington Cake too!