Sweets and Things NY
Treat your sweet tooth to something a little bit different!
If you're a fan of pop-ups and craft markets then you are most likely familiar with the beyond-delicious dessert jars that are the signature creation of baker extraordinaire Yesenia Rodriguez.
Her absolutely addicting Tres Leches cake jars have been creating a ton of buzz all over the city. Convenient and oh-so-tasty, these cake jars can be brought to work as a sweet ending for lunch or a quick pick-me-up snack when you need a boost of energy after hitting the gym or running errands. They are portable and travel well. And, of course, Sweets and Things NY's eight-ounce cake jars will be waiting for you in the fridge at any time of the day, when you are watching your favorite TV show or just chilling out with your significant other.
The enterprising and talented founder of Sweets and Things NY started her brand in October of 2018 and Yesenia has been picking up lifelong fans ever since. When friends and family tasted her early creations and wanted more, Yesenia knew that she was onto something and decided that now was the right time to turn her passion for desserts into a business.
Although she is self-taught for the most part, Yesenia has refined her baking skills by taking classes at ICC and other culinary institutes of higher learning. Baking for most of her adult life as well as loving desserts even longer than that, has enabled Yesenia to continually experiment with different techniques in the kitchen and do a little experimenting. The brand's founder loves to interact with fellow dessert lovers. This enables Yesenia to get a better understanding of what people want in a dessert in terms of flavor combinations and texture. Thus, she can serve Sweets and Things NY's fans even better. The customer always comes first with Yesenia.
Recently, Yesenia and her company received some much-deserved national attention when she was interviewed by Rebecca Anderson on ABC-TV's hit show Good Morning America! Extremely thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime media platform, Yesenia has noticed an uptick in traffic on her social media as well as increased orders for those fabulous Tres Leches Cake dessert jars. "It was an amazing experience being featured on Good Morning America. I got chosen to represent Latina small businesses during Hispanic Heritage Month and It was a real honor. I was able to explain just how I started Sweets and Things NY and talk about the genuine love and passion that goes into my Tres Leches desserts."
During our phone interview, we wondered just what Yesenia's biggest challenges were as a small business owner. And, what did she like best about having her own brand? The Dessert Queen's answers were succinct and to the point. "Managing finances is definitely time-consuming; a real headache, and having to deal with limited space in the kitchen is an ongoing challenge. I would also say that finding ways to market and promote my brand and stay ahead of the competition in a constantly changing market is not easy. These challenges require a lot of hard work, patience and dedication."
On the flip side, Yesenia loves the freedom and creative control of having her own brand. "I can make decisions that align with my vision and values, and I have the opportunity to create something unique and meaningful. I also enjoy the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that comes from building something from scratch and seeing it grow and succeed."
As the brand grows, many important changes are on the horizon, one of which will be earth-friendly packaging. Yesenia deeply cares about our environment and she knows that this passion is also shared by her customers. "My packaging will soon be changing from the jars to cups that look similar to those iconic ice cream cups you're used to when you purchase a scoop or a sundae, but sturdier. These changes will be beneficial, not only for the earth but for me as a business owner. I will be starting to ship my product and want to prevent packaging from breaking."
Yesenia currently offers over thirty different and delicious tres leches flavors. Many are seasonal and are not available all the time, so be sure to Check in at Sweets and Things NY's Instagram and Facebook for updates on Yesenia's menu. Be a little adventurous and try something that you've never had before in a dessert. You'll be so glad that you did. Sweets and Thing's fantastic line-up includes temptations such as banana pudding, an indulgent chocolate tres leches, cookies and cream tres leches as well as pina colada, matcha, guava, ube and an outrageous pumpkin spice selection.
With the Holidays not that far away, our Dessert Queen is now taking orders for her specially blended bottles of Coquito. For the uninitiated, Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican holiday beverage that is enjoyed by friends and family during Christmas celebrations. But, you can enjoy this drink for any reason at all; at house parties, brunch gatherings at your apartment, or just as a treat after a hard day at work. Coquito is often referred to as Puerto Rican eggnog because of its similar creamy texture and sweet taste.
The name coquito translates to "little coconut" in Spanish, which is one of the main ingredients used in the drink. Other ingredients include condensed milk, evaporated milk, rum (yes, please!), cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract. Some variations may also include cloves, ginger, or almond extract to add a unique flavor. Yesenia is the only one in NYC that offers a variation of coquito flavors like Matcha, Ube and pumpkin spice. There's even a VEGAN Matcha version available. Is there no limit to Yesenia's creativity?
Getting back to the pop-ups that we mentioned at the beginning of the article; you can find Sweets and Things NY just about every weekend at various locales in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. The exact location as well as all relevant information including that week's menu is posted on Instagram every Tuesday.
If you have a celebration of some sort coming up Yesenia would be more than delighted to help you to take your party to another level with her tres leches cakes and dessert jars, not to mention a bottle or two of coquito. The process is simple and straightforward. Contact Yesenia on Instagram and you'll be well on your way to getting the party started.
Indulgent and satisfying cakes, delectable dessert jars and cups and who knows what else the Dessert Queen will whip up in her kitchen... sweet dreams are definitely made of this, as the iconic Annie Lennox songs go.
Contact Info:
website: www.sweetsandthingsny.com
Instagram: sweetsandthingsny
Yesenia's email:
Comments