One sweet potato,
two sweet potato

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

As a savvy businesswoman, perhaps Jodi Boylan shouldn’t spill the beans about the beloved Irish potato.
In particular, the Somerton candy and gift shop owner may be better off not mentioning the fact that the locally beloved coconut and cinnamon treats have absolutely no real connection to Ireland whatsoever, beyond perhaps that they generally look like the Ping-Pong-ball-sized tubers cultivated on the Emerald Isle.
After all, consumers of all nationalities seem to be attracted to Irishness in many varying forms. The culture — at least a contemporary interpretation of it — can be found in the clothes folks wear, the beer they drink, the holidays they celebrate, the art they appreciate and the prose they ponder.
On the other hand, Boylan has learned rather quickly that fresh, homemade Irish potatoes, the kind that melt in your mouth, appeal for reasons irrespective of their origin. In short, they taste good.
"They’re a real regional candy. You won’t find them in different cities. You won’t even find them in Ireland," said Boylan, whose Emerald Confections shop at 15004 Endicott St., just north of Southampton Road, will celebrate its second anniversary this month.
"They’re really a Philadelphia thing," she said.
For that reason, it seems only fitting that Boylan’s transition from stay-at-home mom to entrepreneur is a Philadelphia story, the kind where a relative unknown uses her long-hidden talents to rise from relative obscurity to the cusp of success.
The longtime Mayfair resident began baking and decorating cakes about a decade ago as an alternative to the store-bought ones. With a husband, Denny, and five children around the house, it was an economic decision as much as a matter of taste.
With so many birthdays, special events and holidays to celebrate, the savings added up. She refined her skills with the help of a friend and some books, but never took a formal course in the craft.
Around the same time, she and other local women started a new Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians chapter, Division 61, and were looking for a way to raise money for their philanthropic activities.
Boylan proposed making and selling Irish potatoes.
"It was right before St. Paddy’s Day. I took a recipe I found and we made one-hundred boxes (20 per box). It was me and ten other ladies," Boylan said.
"We sold the first hundred boxes in a matter of days. Everybody said how good they tasted because the ones you get in the stores don’t taste that good anymore."
They brought a personal touch to the time-tested combination of butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and coconut, rolled in cinnamon.
"The next year, we made five-hundred and they went as well," Boylan said. "The third year, we made a thousand boxes."
Boylan realized that the candies didn’t have to be merely a pre-St. Patrick’s Day offering.
"I just kept selling to people who didn’t get any (for the holiday)," she said.
The next big step occurred about five years ago around Easter when a friend suggested that the coconut concoctions would taste good dipped in chocolate, without the cinnamon, of course. So Boylan tried that and carried out some unscientific test marketing.
"I would give them to anybody who would eat them. They said they liked them and I trusted them," she said.
Boylan found a merchant in the Reading Terminal Market who offered her some counter space. That led to a lengthy feature on her in a local food critic’s column, followed by a lot of phone calls from interested buyers.
She knew she’d have to expand beyond the constraints of her own kitchen. That’s when she found the vacant storefront in a small strip mall alongside a beauty salon, pizza shop and delicatessen.
Since opening to the public in September 2005, the shop has evolved with consumer demand. Boylan offered the original Irish potatoes and those covered in a variety of chocolates — dark, milk, white and mint — along with chocolate-covered pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers and Oreo cookies.
But she hedged her investment by stocking a variety of thematic gifts, ranging from T-shirts and knick-knacks to imported porcelain valued at hundreds of dollars.
"The gifts, the Irish stuff kept going. There’s really no other Irish store in the city except for on South Street," Boylan said.
The store owner, who has no formal business training, has been a quick study at the art of marketing as well. On Sept. 15, she’ll be running her own version of the common tavern promotion, "Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day." Visitors to the store will be greeted by a festive atmosphere, with free samples, child face-painting and harp music performed by her daughter, Mary Kate.
Boylan is hoping the event will kick-start the shop’s busy season as she looks ahead to the end-of-year holidays, followed by Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.
"(Last) Valentine’s Day was a good season. And for Easter, we made our own butter creams and eggs," she said. "Every year, we do better." ••
Boylan also is available to fill specialty orders for weddings, showers, theme parties and other special events. For more information about Emerald Confections, visit www.emeraldconfections.com or call 215-676-7180.
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com