The Vegan Treats Experience
Before I get started, I'd like to take say thanks to everyone who left birthday wishes in the comments. THANK YOU!!! Seriously, you guys are so awesome. My birthday is notoriously forgotten by my family and friends (this one was no exception), so to have so to get so many happy birthdays from people I've never actually met is really wonderful. And now, on to the goodies...
This is the storefront at Vegan Treats, an entirely vegan bakery located in Bethlehem, PA. It's a 75-miles drive from Lancaster, and I am here to tell you that it's worth every single mile. We stopped in on our way back from Bushkill Falls (pictures to come once I get them all sorted and processed), which is an additional 50 miles north. We got there around 2:30 in the afternoon, and the place was fairly full but emptied out a bit shortly after we arrived. It's a really cute place - lots of pink and black, with a checkerboard floor, polka dotted plates and adorable retro tables that I will covet in my dreams from now on, and a mural of pastries on the wall behind the display case. The girl working behind the counter noticed our shock and awe and came around to tell us what every item in the case was. That was awesome, because I honestly wouldn't have known where to start.
This is the display case. Cases of cinnamon buns, pecan rolls, and donuts; jars of huge cookies; and row upon row of cheesecakes, cakes, and brownies. You can see why we had a little trouble deciding.
This was my poison - a peanut butter bomb brownie. A big scoop of creamy peanut butter mousse plopped on top of a rich brownie, then covered in chocolate and drizzled with more peanut butter. It was seriously amazing. And huge! I'm kind of surprised that I managed to finish it. Okay, no I'm not.
Adam (aka The Boy) got a mini oreo cheesecake, which was good but not spectacular. We both found it a bit bland. I was never a huge fan of the New York-style cheesecakes pre-vegan, though, so I may be a bit biased. The texture of this was pretty spot-on, not at all runny or mushy like some vegan cheesecakes can be. The frosting on top was delicious, and the cheesecake really benefited from it. I think maybe the cake itself wasn't sweet enough for my taste.
I brought three more things home with me, which I'll post about as I eat them over the next few days. Overall I'd give Vegan Treats two thumbs up, but that's only because I don't have more thumbs to give. One a scale of one to awesome, this place rates right up there with unicorns and a vegan cheese that stretches like the real thing. Definitely plan a trip if you're anywhere close by.
This is the storefront at Vegan Treats, an entirely vegan bakery located in Bethlehem, PA. It's a 75-miles drive from Lancaster, and I am here to tell you that it's worth every single mile. We stopped in on our way back from Bushkill Falls (pictures to come once I get them all sorted and processed), which is an additional 50 miles north. We got there around 2:30 in the afternoon, and the place was fairly full but emptied out a bit shortly after we arrived. It's a really cute place - lots of pink and black, with a checkerboard floor, polka dotted plates and adorable retro tables that I will covet in my dreams from now on, and a mural of pastries on the wall behind the display case. The girl working behind the counter noticed our shock and awe and came around to tell us what every item in the case was. That was awesome, because I honestly wouldn't have known where to start.This is the display case. Cases of cinnamon buns, pecan rolls, and donuts; jars of huge cookies; and row upon row of cheesecakes, cakes, and brownies. You can see why we had a little trouble deciding.
This was my poison - a peanut butter bomb brownie. A big scoop of creamy peanut butter mousse plopped on top of a rich brownie, then covered in chocolate and drizzled with more peanut butter. It was seriously amazing. And huge! I'm kind of surprised that I managed to finish it. Okay, no I'm not.
Adam (aka The Boy) got a mini oreo cheesecake, which was good but not spectacular. We both found it a bit bland. I was never a huge fan of the New York-style cheesecakes pre-vegan, though, so I may be a bit biased. The texture of this was pretty spot-on, not at all runny or mushy like some vegan cheesecakes can be. The frosting on top was delicious, and the cheesecake really benefited from it. I think maybe the cake itself wasn't sweet enough for my taste.
I brought three more things home with me, which I'll post about as I eat them over the next few days. Overall I'd give Vegan Treats two thumbs up, but that's only because I don't have more thumbs to give. One a scale of one to awesome, this place rates right up there with unicorns and a vegan cheese that stretches like the real thing. Definitely plan a trip if you're anywhere close by.
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Ok, this looks like the best thing ever. I know I always say that, but that whole case looks amazing! I would have saved up to buy everything.
That's great that you had a good birthday today. It sounded like a nice way to spend the day.
Can you please identify the vegan cheese that stretches like the real thing?
Posted by
Eat Peace Please |
1:26 AM
Happy birthday (now a day late) to you. So nice to have blogging friends along with your "regular" pals...
I hope you have a wonderful year! I love your blog and am so glad to get to see you enjoy your day - you deserve it!
All those treats look so so so so so so awesome!!! I can see why you want to give it as many thumbs up as possible (only two, yes, but if you count all the blogging pals you have, there would be so many thumbs, we'd all get picked up for hitch hiking!). Good for you to go and enjoy some tasty treats. It looks like a wonderful place and i'm sure i would want to try most everything there!
Posted by
KleoPatra |
3:33 AM
Wow, I can't believe all the choices they have in their case. Everything looks fab :) The peanut butter bomb brownie looks so yummy.
Also, thanks for your kind words about my sick betta fish.
Posted by
Anonymous |
6:14 AM
leslie - I know, in my fantasy world I would've gotten one of everything. :) Unfortunately the stretchy vegan cheese only exists in my fantasy world as well.
kleo - Thanks! I'm actually pretty glad this place is too far away for regular visitation. Being any closer to that many delicious things would be really dangerous. :)
vegan diva - Isn't it nuts? I couldn't believe it. And they have different things all the time, too. And sometimes they have soft serve ice cream! I'm sorry I missed that one.
You're welcome - I hope the little guy gets better.
Posted by
Amanda |
8:18 AM
My sweet tooth is calling!
I would love to indulge in some vegan goodies that I didn't actually have to make myself!!!
Happy birthday a little late... enjoy the rest of your treats. :)
Posted by
Dreena |
8:50 AM
Thanks! It was very nice to have a treat on my birthday that I didn't have to make myself. :)
Posted by
Amanda |
10:19 AM
oh. my. good. holy. heavens. that peanut butter brownie. that is my IDEAL dream dessert. yum!
happy (somewhat belated) birthday!!
Posted by
holiday at sea |
12:15 PM
I'm glad you liked Vegan Treats! I can't wait to see what else you got!! Bummer that there wasn't any ice cream, Saturday's flavor was peanut-butter, Mmmmm! I'm glad you had a fun birthday!
Posted by
jenny |
12:38 PM
Yeah! I'm glad you got the bomb!
I look forward to having something ala vegantreats when I'm back east again.
You deserve the treats - happy birthday!
Posted by
jess (of Get Sconed!) |
2:52 PM
Hapy Belated B'day.
Man, those Vegan Treats goodies look fab. We are going to HAVE to make a road trip.
Posted by
urban vegan |
4:14 PM
Wow.. looks amazing.. I'm sorry that your family/friends forget your bday...
Posted by
MeloMeals |
6:12 PM
hope you had a great birthday and those treats look totally yum!
Posted by
kickpleat |
6:53 PM
p.s. I think you are going to appreciate my most recent post/ppk testing ; ) aka the new recipe.
Posted by
jess (of Get Sconed!) |
7:15 PM
holiday at sea - Thanks! And yes, that brownie bomb is pretty much a fantasy on a plate. I'll definitely have it again in the future.
jenny - How could I not love Vegan Treats?! Seriously, it was like walking into a magical vegan wonderland. The other things I got have been awesome so far - I'll be posting about one of them tonight.
jess - Thanks! The bomb is definitely everything I've heard about it and more. They had the cake as well, but I don't think I could've handled that much bomb.
P.S. I just looked at the samosa-stuffed potatoes and there are no words for that awesomeness. No words. I seriously can't wait for the new book.
raising_kahne - Thank you for saying it at all! :) Chocolate and peanut butter is definitely a do no wrong combo. There's nowhere in Lancaster that's even all-vegetarian, let alone vegan, and there are no desserts to be had at all. So I know where you're coming from on that one. I almost had a heart attack when I found out that there was even a vegan bakery in the whole state of Pennsylvania.
urban vegan - Thanks! Definitely make the trip. Next time I'm going to go on a Saturday, 'cause they have soft serve on Saturdays. Can you imagine? A soft serve brownie sundae. It's like going to vegan heaven. :)
melody - It was! And don't be sorry, they're kind of douchebags that way. I'm used to it. At least I got a call from both of my parents this year, so it's automatically better than the last one.
kickpleat - Thanks! They really were. :)
Posted by
Amanda |
7:48 PM
wow - what else to say? Those desserts look amazing. I hope you had a wonderful wonderful day!
Posted by
Anonymous |
8:11 PM
Super big Happy Birthday to you! (((((Squeezy web hug)))))!! I hope you had a fantastic day...well, it sounds like you did! I can't believe there is a whole vegan bakery! My only question is, DID THEY HAVE MUFFINS!!?? :-)
Posted by
Freedom |
8:29 PM
HOLY. SHIT.
Bet that was one happy birthday!
Posted by
Catherine Weber |
8:54 PM
megan - They were! And I did! :)
freedom - They did not have muffins, actually. I guess their offerings change from day to day, but yesterday it was all about the cakes, cheesecakes, and brownies. I think in general they're more about the super decadent sweet stuff than pastries and muffins. Which is a bit of a shame. I would kill for a vegan cinnamon chip muffin.
catherine - It was! :) The bakery was totally awe-inspiring.
Posted by
Amanda |
9:40 PM
My wife and I went there last weekend.. she was working in Bethlehem for 3 weeks. We got about $35.00 worth of stuff. A lot of it was also way too sweet for me... and I used to have a MAJOR sweet tooth. (I think it's calmed down a lot since I went vegan). My favorites were the peanut butter mousse bombe, the Boston Cream donut (which wasn't overly sweet), and the raspberry crumb bar. We live in "South Central".. NJ, that is.. Also, while in Bethlehem, we went to find a place called "Green Cafe" which was supposed to be a vegan restaurant.. when we got there.. it was "Blue Sky Cafe", had a few vegetarian options, but was closed. We ended up eating at Nawab, an Indian restaurant. We ordered our entrees as vegan and were both immensely satisfied. Now we can't wait to try "Kaya's Kitchen" in Belmar, NJ... an all vegan restaurant whose menu looks REALLY yummy.
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:51 AM
I'm glad to know that the boston creme donut was good - those used to be my absolute favorite, so I'm definitely getting one next time. That sucks about the restaurant, but at least there was someplace else to go. Indian food solves so many problems. :) I've never been to an all-veg restaurant... it'd be wonderful to have a whole menu to choose from.
Posted by
Amanda |
8:35 AM
Thanks! I definitely spent too much, and brought too many things home. Next time it's one at the shop and one for later. Less dangerous that way.
You guys with your vegan restaurants. I'm so jealous. I guess I could make the trek to Philly and find a bunch, but still. I live in a city! Granted it's a pretty small and disappointingly conservative (at times) city, but it's a city nonetheless and we deserve a vegan restaurant. Hell, there are 5 colleges in or around the place. The lack of places to eat is really ridiculous.
Posted by
Amanda |
4:54 PM
oh. my. awesome.
and happy belated birthday! i was out of town or i would have been more timely about it. :)
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:28 PM
Thank you! :) And I'm pretty sure your reaction to this post was my reaction to the case full of goodies. It was just... awesome.
Posted by
Amanda |
11:55 PM
okay, so check it out. i went to AR2006 last weekend in DC, and guess what satya did on one of the days? they organized a HUGE giveaway of yummy vegan treats stuff!! good lord, i about died. i had the chocolate peanut butter bomb. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. i really wish i lived closer!
Posted by
Anonymous |
9:57 PM
OMG peanut butter bomb! It's so delicious. This reminds me that I really need to get back up there soon. I only live like an hour and a half away and I still wish I lived closer.
Posted by
Amanda |
11:07 PM
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:43 AM