Candy Dish Blog

Who’s on the guest list to my party? I have been asked who I would invite to my party if I were eligible to win the candy cane giveaway we are sponsoring. Well, my wife would be a hostess, so she does not count as a guest, but I think I would invite these four people:

• Kurt Vonnegut. He was like a grandfather or dear friend to me during my youth and although I never met him, I miss him dearly. (Thanks for the idea, Carrie!)
• Audrey Hepburn. I think I fell in love with her when I saw her as Eliza Doolittle or perhaps Mary Poppins. She had an interesting life and at one point adopted a fawn she acted with in a movie. That’s about as cool as it gets. Incredible actor and philanthropist.
• Peter O’Toole. I once heard an interview with O’Toole on NPR, in which he said that Shakespeare’s plays were mixed – some great, some horrible and a lot in between. Shakespeare’s sonnets, however, he said, were universally beautiful. He said that he had memorized all of them and even recited a couple when tested by the interviewer. He said the sonnets were the greatest friends he could hope to have – imbued with beauty and ever present. The only downside to O’Toole is that he has a reputation of drinking like a fish, so I might have to buy extra party supplies.
• Thor Heyerdahl. Kon Tiki was one of the most exciting, informational and fun-to-read books I have ever had the pleasure to devour. Like any adventure book, it reflects more than just the external journey but also the internal quest for knowledge. It is beautifully written and would be an inspiration to anyone who is passionate about the human spirit. And I bet Thor likes chocolate. I think Norwegians like their chocolate, as do anthropologists, so Thor would be a double winner.

Who didn’t make the cut?

• Randy Travis. My old friend Jamey said that country music star Randy Travis would probably be a fun guy to go fishing with. Maybe so, and I considered him, but I think this isn’t quite the right venue. Maybe when I get the boat gassed up after the weather warms up. And after I buy a boat. So never, probably.
• Thich Nhat Hanh. A man of peace and love. The serenity he embodies is obvious when you see him or hear him speak. He has a lot of wisdom to share with the world. The downside is that he does not drink and would not feel comfortable with all of us. The extra bonus is that he does not drink, so more martinis for us!
• Andy Griffith. Cool when he was younger but not nearly as cool since he started playing Ben Matlock. Although I do like Matlock’s suits. I am a sucker for seersucker.
• Dick Van Dyke. See Andy Griffith for explanation, except make that Dr, Mark Sloan in “Diagnosis Murder.” That’s like Matlock as a doctor. It’s just not cool and he doesn’t even have nice suits or southern sensibilities and homespun wisdom.

Who would you want at your party? Go to our contest page and let us know. Heck – you might even win some candy!

Chocolate Martini by Unhindered by Talent.

In the wonderful Ferry Plaza Building in San Francisco is a chocolatier I have made a personal pledge to visit every time I am in town.

Recchiuti.  It’s pronounced, the sales clerk informed me, “like cutie with a ‘re’”.  So re-CUTE-ee.

When I visited two years ago, I tried a few of the filled chocolates – Star Anise & Pink Peppercorn and the Lemon Verbena, if memory serves. 

Somehow two years ago I didn’t know how much I would grow to love salt and chocolate so I didn’t try the Fleur de Sel Caramels.  This year, I bought a whole box.  For $23.  Without as much as sample to whet my appetite.

This is a big deal for me because I have a lot off access to candy and chocolate so I very, very rarely buy any.  And $23 is a lot more than than a single serve bar at the front of the grocery store, you know?

I carefully wrapped them up, put them in my carry on bag and transported them back home.  I really wanted to open the box and just try one … but I was afraid that once I opened them, they would be gone too soon (and I really wanted to share them with my fellow Candy Dish bloggers and my fiance). 

When we finally opened the box, last Friday, our first impression was that they were beautiful, and big.  Maybe too big.  But then we figured out that each paper sleeve is double stacked – two caramels on top of one another. There are actually 16 caramels per box which I point out because it really helps put that $23 I mentioned into perspective.

Each caramel is actually the perfect size.  And delicious.  The salt is mixed with the caramel (or actually flecked on the caramels) and not sprinkled on top so the texture and flavor are a lot different than others we’ve tried.

The ingredient list pretty much says it all - sugar, cream, extra bitter chocolate, fleur de sel (sea salt) and vanilla bean. 

Have you tried them?  Are you ordering online right now?

We also tried their homemade marshmallows (the Chief of the Candy Dish, Larry Graham (our boss), is a huge fan of gourmet marshmallows) and the S’mores.  Yum!

One other thing, I am happy to report that five days after I opened the box of caramels there are still eight caramels left (and I shared with Susan S, Carl, Tori AND the fiance).  Yay. 

I’m thinking my mid-morning coffee may see the end to another one of them, though.

This Valentine’s Day, use up those leftover Christmas candy canes by hosting a peppermint and chocolate martini party using this recipe from the Candy Dish blog. Did you eat or distribute all your candy canes? Don’t worry – you can win some more. Candy Dish Blog and CandyBlog have teamed up to create the Candy Cane Contest. Sure it’s January, but we told you how you can use them up.

Here’s how you win: Tell us which four people you’d invite to your peppermint and chocolate martini party. Your guests could be present day friends, historic figures, celebrities – basically anyone you want. Just tell us who you’d pick and why and you might get your hands on some very tasty candy canes.

To enter: Leave your answers in the comments section of this entry. We will have four winners, who will be chosen shortly before Valentine’s Day and will receive a whole bunch of Pure Fun Organic Candy Canes. Update: Deadline to enter is 9 a.m. on Feb. 6th.

Chocolate Peppermint Martini

Ingredients

• 2 oz. vokda
• 1 oz. crème de cacao (light)
• 1 oz. peppermint schnapps
• Candy canes

Directions

• Combine vodka, crème de cacao and schnapps over ice in shaker
• Shake

Presentation

• Dip rim of martini glass in crème de cacao and touch several times to plate of crushed candy canes
• Pour cocktail into a martini glass
• Break the rounded end off one candy cane and insert the straight stick into the glass as a cocktail stirrer

Martini Glass by Carodean Road Designs.

Sometimes I love winter.  Mainly when it snows.  But usually I loathe this cold, dry weather.  In part because it makes my hair and skin crazy dry.

This morning, my hair was literally standing on end and I felt like I was in some bad static cling commercial from the 1970s.  And my hands – ugh.  

What’s crazy is that I’ve let things get so out of control when I happen to know the ultimate moisturizer is very close at hand.  It’s cocoa butter.

Because cocoa butter is a solid at room temperature, when you put it on your skin it forms a thin protective barrier that locks in moisture and blocks out harsh elements.  That’s why it’s used as an important ingredient in so many lotions, lip balms and cosmetics.  It’s even used in some anti-aging and scar reducing treatments.  Lots of doctors and scientists recognize cocoa butter as as skin protectant.

But, cocoa butter is NOT actually butter – a common misperception.  Real butter is made exclusively from milk, cream or both and cocoa butter is the fat that comes from cocoa beans, the seeds inside the fruit of the cacao tree. 

cocoa butter by fiveinchpixie

NCA has issued a press release on the recent and ongoing salmonella-contaminated peanut butter recall. Here is a brief snippet. You can read the full release here.

In response to an investigation into a recent outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to peanut butter and peanut paste, the National Confectioners Association has developed a table for consumers to check the status of their favorite confectionery products.  The contamination has been linked to the Peanut Corporation of America whose products are sold and used within a variety of industries.  While some confectionery manufacturers, especially makers of health and nutrition bars, do purchase from the source, the majority of peanut, peanut butter and peanut paste containing candies are safe for consumption at this time.

The FDA is keeping a comprehensive list of the products recalled that are not safe for consumption on its Web site, while NCA’s table lists products containing peanut butter that are safe to eat.  More than 90 percent of commercially available candy products using peanut butter as an ingredient are free from contamination.

It pays to read things like this so we can all be better-informed consumers. Know the food you buy and be aware of situations like this. As always, we will report any new findings on our site so everyone can stay up-to-date.

Somebody brought a tin of Ethel’s chocolates to work yesterday. Before long it was almost empty. You can see that, right after it came in the office for me to photograph, there were already a few pieces missing. To give a reference point, it’s about 20 paces from the door to my office. In that time three disappeared. That’s how good these are.

Not only are they very pretty chocolates but they are also what I would call gourmet filled chocolates. The fillings were a lot of fun. My favorite was eggnog. Others included orange spice, gingerbread, cranberry, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Unfortunately, in the name of appearing polite, I did not try every flavor, wanting to leave some for my fellow workers to enjoy. However, everyone raved about these, whatever flavor they tried.

Have you tried Ethel’s before? What is your favorite flavor of filled chocolate?

I have just returned from the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco and have lots to share with you over the next week or so.  First, let me say that while the show is filled with olive oils and cheeses and crackers and every gourmet food imaginable, the chocolate and candy booths were huge draws.  No surprise there, right?

On Tuesday, January 20th, I was very excited to sample President Obama’s favorite candy – Fran’s Chocolates Smoked Sea Salt Caramels.  His attachment to this particular treat has been well documented in the New York Times, the Seattle Examiner, the Seattle Times, the USA Today and plenty of other sources.

Fran’s Chocolates is a Seattle based confectionery manufacturer run by Fran Bigelow, her son Dylan and her daughter Adrina.  I saw her products in all kinds of gourmet stores on the West Coast, including at the wonderful shops at the Ferry Plaza Marketplace in San Francisco.

But I held off sampling the goods until the Inauguration Day.  I’m both happy I waited until such an auspicious occasion and sad that I had never tried them before and had wasted so much time.  I’m always a fan of sweet and salty combinations, and sea salt caramels are a favorite. 

Fran’s are especially good.  President Obama prefers the milk chocolate variety which incorporate a delicious and flavorful smoked sea salt.  First Lady Michelle prefers Fran’s dark chocolate variety with grey sea salt.  Both are excellent, but the smokey flavor of the milk chocolate is different enough to set it apart from the rest in my opinion.

Have you tried these presidential treats?  Did you love them as much as I did? 

smoked salt caramels by cafemama