Candy Class with Ryan and Eric Berley of Franklin Fountain

Tuesday September 25,  7-8:30pm

Come to this FREE hands-on demonstration with the owners of Shane Confectionery (America's Oldest Candy Store) and The Franklin Fountain - Ryan and Eric Berley. Employing some of their vast collection of confectionery tools, curiosities, and candies, Ryan and Eric will begin with an illustrated lecture on the historic and industrial arts of Philadelphia's confectionery past.  After that it's straight to the sugar! We'll be pulling taffy, learning about lozenges, and casting candy from their antique metal molds. Each participant will take home a "clear toy" of rock hard candy cast from molten sugar.

Candy Class has been coordinated to address questions of the continuation of Philadelphia’s industrial heritage raised by Temple Contemporary’s Advisory Council.

Always sporting his iconic mustache, Eric Berley has always been the “Ice Cream Brother” while Ryan has conquered candy. Eric’s passions include historic architecture and business leadership. This year, he recently added beehives to the Shane Confectionery roof and hopes to be involved with the creative side of sweets menu planning for Franklin Fountain.

Ryan Berley was born and raised in Media, in suburban Philadelphia.  After a number of years in the antiques business, he started The Franklin Fountain, an early 1900s soda fountain & ice cream saloon, with his brother Eric in 2004.  Six years later, they purchased Shane Candies and embarked on a full-scale restoration spanning over 18 months, re-opening as the Shane Confectionery in December 2011, celebrating the history of America’s Oldest Candy Store since 1863. 

A display of the Berley Brothers confectionery collection will be on view at Temple Contemporary through October 12, 2012.