Executive Pastry Chef Susan Philipp and Patty McCormick

Sweet Ruby Jane Confections Talk about a family affair. Las Vegas' own Sweet Ruby Jane Confections is about as homespun as it gets. Founded by two sisters, they named the company after their grandmother, inspired by her baking skills (and whose picture hangs proudly behind the counter), and tribute a different family member on nearly every product they make, from Amber's Anything Bark to Wyaat's Wacky Pretzels.

Thank goodness it's a big family: a visit to their compact shop reveals an impressive variety of sweet treats, from turtles that look like turtles to flavored cotton candy (maple, pink vanilla) to Midwest inspired classics like chocolate covered honeycomb and meltaways. Ten kinds of homestyle cookies, nine brittle and bark recipes, six fudges,  popcorn clusters, all kinds of things on a stick, and much more. Did I mention the chocolate dipped Twinkies? Oh, okay, how about the atomic cinnamon caramels?

"We like to make everything look like a gift," says co-owner Susan Philipp, who explains that the business germinated when both were laid off from their jobs back in 2010. Her sister Patty McCormick had a more culinary background, as a former food microbiologist for FritoLay and PetSmart. But Sweet Ruby Jane takes a different approach, using real butter, premium nuts, European chocolate and never any preservatives.

 Special orders seem to be a particular specialty, with personalized gift baskets and bunches on display everywhere you turn.

For the festival, Susan reveals they were inspired by the fashion them to make dress-shaped cookies, complete with hangar baked in! That gives you an idea of their sense of humor and ingenuity. And virtually everything is made right on the premises. "We're making things all day, every day," says Susan.  Stop in and see for yourself!

Words & Photos: E.C. Gladstone