West Virginia Department of Commerce SweeteeZ treats

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Recent Pages: Publications»Reports &...»Wonderful West...» SweeteeZ treats
 

SweeteeZ treats



Living the Sweet Life
SweeteeZ Treats

By Catherine Zacchi

Officially opened in 2002, SweeteeZ really began with Sharon Gravely’s childhood spent baking with her mother and grandmother in the kitchen of her Beckley home.

SweeteeZ’s snapping turtles with “heat” and peppermint coal cookies“Mom encouraged us to go into the kitchen and make whatever we wanted, as long as we cleaned up afterward,” she said.
During her 29 years as a pharmacy technician, Gravely continued to make goodies alongside her mother, especially as gifts during the holidays. Then the owner of Little Brick House in Beckley approached her about selling her sweet treats in the gift shop. Gravely installed a commercial kitchen and got to work.

The business grew, allowing her to bake full time. Today her treats can be special ordered or purchased in West Virginia shops where SweeteeZ are sold.

Her selections include such treats as coal cookies, fudge on a stick, bonbons, peanut butter delights, miniature cookies and snapping turtles – a delicious concoction of chocolate, caramel and subtle heat from cayenne pepper.

The coal cookies are in part a tribute to her grandfather, who worked as a coal miner.

“People look at the hard, shiny surface and assume it’s licorice hard candy. Actually it’s a peppermint cookie,” she said. “I worked on the recipe for three or four weeks, experimenting with different sugars, temperatures and other variations to get just the right look and taste.”

Catherine Zacchi lives in Mineral Wells and works for Commerce Communications. She enjoys biking on the North Bend Rail Trail in Cairo. Contact: catherine.m.zacchi@wv.gov