Born and raised in the 70s and 80s right here in the Mile Square, the Raia sisters used to know Hoboken like the back of their hands. For them, Hoboken was home. They laughed, played, grew up, and baked their way from small town girls to successful bakers (and moms)! They’ve come quite a long way from their humble abode on 9th and Garden Street to their current lives in Hunterdon County. Jennifer and Vanessa have been advocates of Hoboken all their lives, and their Hoboken accent says it all, “We’re the only ones in Hunterdon who have them!” Although they’ve moved up and out, thinking about Old Hoboken reminds them of the way it once was, and they like to make sure “newcomers” don’t take it for granted, “Hoboken was an amazing place to grow up and not many newcomers realize that. There was a real sense of community and we wouldn't have wanted to experience our childhood anywhere else.”

It’s no surprise that the childhood of these honest, dedicated, genuine, and family-oriented Italian-American sisters was rich in culture; there was an abundance of delis, bakeries, and stores to shop in, each representing the heritages of the proud Hoboken citizens.

“As children our favorite time of year was Christmas (and still is today), when our parents would bake with us and show us how to create special holiday confections. The smell of it baking, the fun of decorating, the tradition, and of course, the EATING of it was a wonderful and important part of our childhood,” reflect the sisters, “and we still make our family’s recipe of homemade spinach ravioli from scratch at Christmas, which we only eat once a year.”

Baking was important indeed, the tasty treats were noticed by friends and family who wanted Jennifer and Vanessa to bake year round, “The demand became more intense and we decided it was a perfect business to start up, considering the fact that we are both moms to little ones.” They founded their company, The Sisterly Sweets of Hoboken, in May 2009, but have obviously baked all their lives.

The best part about their job is quite simple really- they love to work together! At just two years apart, Vanessa and Jennifer look alike, sound alike, and are extremely close. They love being directly involved with their clients, “In this line of work, we get to be creative and help in the celebrations of our clients with our desserts. Our holiday sweets can be enjoyed all the time by those that really appreciate flavorful, authentic all-butter ‘old school’ desserts!” As delicious as these treats are, their main goal is to bring the traditional and cultural taste of Hoboken to other counties in NJ, and possibly even open a café someday.

A typical day in the life of a mom/baker? “We’re full time moms so we tend to the kids, research other businesses to assist in marketing our treats, bake for current orders at our kitchen in Bloomsbury, manage our Facebook fan page and website, as well as making sure that we are active participants in the community.”

Although they’re 50 minutes away, they like to reminisce with walks on the pier and down Washington Street, attend St. Ann’s Feast, and go to the local bakeries and delis, such as Vito’s Deli and Snackies (when it was still there). Hobbies include being outdoors, with animals, participating in bookclubs, exercising, holistic medicine research, and hanging out with family- no surprise there!

To get more info or to place an order, visit The Sisterly Sweets of Hoboken’s website, http://www.sisterlysweetsofhoboken.vpweb.com/
or facebook.