Sugar Savvy

Charles (Chuck) Siegel is probably the sweetest man in the chocolate business.  He seems happiest when he can share his love of the product of the cacao pod with others, encouraging them to literally get their hands dirty with the confection.
Siegel is the creator and owner of Charles Chocolates, an Emeryville CA, manufacturer of quality, “super-premium” […]

I have to admit I already had quite a crush on Charles Chocolates. I first flirted with them at a Fancy Food Show a few years ago. Somehow I kept coming back to Charles’ booth to nibble a little more on this, sample a little more of that. I couldn’t get enough.
My […]

The winter holidays and candy and dessert excesses are over, Valentine’s Day and its assortment of sweets is around the corner.  In between, I’m trying to indulge in my taste for chocolate without adding to my waistline. 
One product I tried is Bubble Yum with Genuine Chocolate Flavor.  This bubble gum, which is made by the […]

‘Tis the season of egg nog truffles, chocolate Santas and, of course, candy canes and gelt.  That makes this the season of See’s Candies to me.
Here is an overview of some of the seasonal treats See’s offers by mail order and in its stores.  For more on See’s Candies and a taste of Sugar Savvy’s […]

Some of the best things I ever put in my mouth were the ice creams and sorbets by Mashti Malone’s Exotic Ice Creams and Sorbets. I first swooned over this product at the 2006 Fancy Food Show. However, I didn’t want to make other people drool when the products weren’t available outside of the […]

While I enjoy eating (and sometimes making) candy, there are some times I want my sweet indulgences without calories. That’s when I turn to virtual treats to fulfill my candy cravings.
Check out these resources and links for when you are looking for a sweet diversion from your usual time on line.
Sweets magazine “fun” page with […]

If X marks the spot, XOX marks some of the best truffles to be found in the San Francisco Bay area. XOX Truffles is a homegrown business run by a husband and wife with locations in San Francisco and Oakland and for sale elsewhere in northern California and on the internet. It offers […]

It was hot, muggy and steamy on the streets of New York during my recent visit. How did I keep my cool and enjoy a treat without suffering a chocolate meltdown? Why, I just indulged in a refreshing chocolate Italian ice. 
Italian ices are well known on the East Coast, especially in the Mid-Atlantic states.  They […]

Here’s a seasonal update on See’s Candies, available in its shops in the U.S. as well as online. For more on See’s Candies, check out my year of tasting See’s on Sugar Savvy here.
First, it’s summertime and See’s Candies wants you to enjoy your chocolates just the way its factories in California made them even […]

One day a few years ago I had the opportunity to taste chocolate candy after chocolate candy to the point that the good ones all kind of blurred together in my palate and my memory. Finally at the end of a long and food laden day, I tasted these two candies from Decadent Tastes, […]