Yes, you heard it here first, folks. Spangler Candies will be releasing two new flavors for their line of Dum-Dums. After their Pop Vote ‘08, the two newly elected flavors are Strawberry Shortcake and Banana Split. I look forward to trying those. This got me curious about the many flavors that have come before, and sure enough there is a history page on their web site outlining the progression of flavors, all the way from 1924, when Dum-Dums were invented.
I had not had these little pops in many years, probably not since I was a tyke, until I had occasion to sit and visit with Mr. Spangler a few months ago. His father bought the business when he was young and he openly admitted to me that he was pretty sure he has had a Dum-Dum every day of his life for the last 60 years. Talking to him was fun and his passion for his business and the products he makes really showed. It also helped me recall a taste I enjoyed as a youth, as he thrust a pop into my hand shortly after shaking it. It was great fun!
Many thanks to the Sweet Services blog, which is where I first read of this.
Dum-Dums by Kodamakitty.
The Wall Street Journal just published an article saying that even in tough economic times, gourmet and high-end chocolate makers still do all right. Chocolate retail sales grew 2.2% in the year ending Nov. 2 while the average unit sale dropped 3.8% and the average price per unit rose nine cents. So even though prices increased and number of units sold decreased, the overall effect was still a decent growth.
The WSJ goes on to say that high-end gourmet brands are doing well among both large companies, like Mars and Hershey and other strong names in the industry, as well as smaller boutique specialty chocolate companies. Each type of company has its own unique advantages. The big companies have established household names and are an obvious choice for many consumers who want a gourmet experience when they see it in a retail store, such as a supermarket or pharmacy. The small and medium boutique shops do well because their clientele typically seek out the gourmet experience by going to specialty stores, or else simply want to support local or small businesses. Although there is obvious competition, the market for premium chocolates grows overall as a result of more players in the field.
Read the article. It’s rather fascinating, how this business works!
Gourmet Chocolates by abbyladybug.
Recently, a consumer in the U.K. wrote to The Times to find out if chocolate is good for your health. The newspaper did a very good job researching all the angles and the exceptions and published this response.
Most of the article focused on the antioxidant super-nutrients called flavonoids which are believed to help widen and relax the blood vessels (thereby helping to lower blood pressure) and stop bad cholesterol from oxidizing (making it less likely that arteries will clog).
Among the various other points made in the article are these interesting tidbits:
- [Chocolate ...] is less likely to cause tooth decay than other sweets because it increases acid production only mildly in our mouths and contains chemicals that inhibit mouth bacteria
- [Chocolate ...] does not cause a big sugar rush after being eaten because the fat that it contains slows down the sugar absorption
- The idea that chocolate triggers headaches and acne does not stand up to careful scientific scrutiny.
Here’s the take-away, straight from the newspaper’s response:
Rather than thinking of chocolate as a superfood, you should think of it as a delicious, luxurious treat which, if you can fit it into your day without piling on the pounds (and if you stick with a 35g bar this may well be possible), will certainly not do you any harm, because flavonoids aside, although most of the fat in chocolate is saturated, more than half is an unusual type of saturated fat that does not raise bad cholesterol and may even increase levels of the protective good cholesterol.
I think I’ll have a square of chocolate to celebrate the news.
