Sugar Savvy

The school year is starting up, which means many people are getting ready to hit the books again. I’m particularly nervous and excited for this year, not because I’m returning to school, but my youngest sister is. She’ll be starting her junior year of college… in Japan. Yes, Japan, land of the magical KitKats!
It seems […]

If you’ve ever been near the German town of Lübeck, you definitely know about Niederegger stores and cafés. If you haven’t been there, or have not heard or tasted their products, grab some the next time you run into them.
Niederegger is the most important marzipan producer in Lübeck, and according to some locals, it’s the […]

An Englishman wants to transform a Cadbury’s plant near Bristol, England, that is scheduled to close in the next three years, into a chocolate museum. It would contain chocolate memorabilia and who knows what else. Here’s a snippet from the BBC article:
The plant, at Keynsham, is scheduled to close by 2010.
Cosmo Fry’s grandfather, Cecil, […]

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 […]

I recently had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks in Brazil and experienced more than just a taste of the local cuisine. I was surprised to find that condensed milk was so ubiquitous there. The continental breakfasts at my hotels all featured a bowl of sweetened condensed milk in the buffet spread, and […]

While mentally cataloging my favorite sweet treats I realized that many of them come from small stores that survive on local business. Here are three of my favorite chocolate places in Sydney. They are all specialty shops, selling chocolate by weight. The busiest times for chocolate stores are from Christmas up until Mother’s Day. […]

I found a new candy a few weeks ago at one of my favorite Vietnamese grocery stores. It’s brown candy. That’s what it’s called: “Brown Candy”. So simply stated, so classy. It’s candy. And it’s brown. It’s Brown Candy.
Needless to say, I bought it. But […]

Have you functioned the entire day with an almost continuous sugar buzz?  It’s safe to say I have.  I’m not sure what has contributed the most to this feeling of euphoria.  I’m pretty sure it wasn’t my requisite morning/noon coffees or my never empty glass of iced tea, no it must be have something to […]

I think I might be officially old. To begin with, I turned 36 on Monday. Then, while I was standing in the sold-out venue of a Shins concert 2 days later, the following thoughts ran through my head: “Man, it’s after 10pm and they just started playing; it’s way past my bedtime,” and “What could […]

Chocolate is growing up. In its youth, it presented itself to cooks and candymakers in three simple notes: milk, dark, and white. But now, with the advent of epicurean refinement (or snobbery) and the growing foodie obsession with variety (or perfection), chocolate has matured into a veritable Crayola box of choices.
For a baker, the choices […]