An Irish immigrant, Earl F. Rebman Sr. faced many obstacles finding work once in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As my mother’s grandfather, the exact time he immigrated is a mystery, but thought to be around the late 1890’s. After finding work in candy factories, Earl decided to strike out on his own, and began making something very popular in the Pennsylvania Dutch community: Candy Easter Eggs. While seldom seen anywhere outside of Central PA, the Easter Egg is a popular peanut butter-based candy egg, much like its Reese’s counterpart, but on a much larger scale, and with many more flavors. Aptly named, the candy is a limited time offering, with sales of the confection beginning around Ash Wednesday and continuing through Easter. The sweet staple is found in many churches over the Lenten season, as well.   Originating in 1909, with a store front on Queen Street in Lancaster, the Rebmans handmade large quantities of the eggs, in dark chocolate peanut butter, milk chocolate peanut butter, and the best seller, coconut crème with milk chocolate. While the original store has since closed its doors, the family name still lives on at its new address on Columbia Street with our cousins. With a much smaller selection and fewer flavors, Rebman’s Easter Eggs are still just as popular today, with shipments going nationwide (including my house in Connecticut!) The recipe is still as secret as it was back then, as only those family members privy to its location. 

-ESA

– EA

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more