Local Candy and Chocolate

I guess my favorite 'local' candy has to be GARDNER's Peanut Butter Meltaway. A super yummy treat. It will make you forget those peanutbutter cup things from Hershey. Well, not totally 'cause when you can't get Gardner's and need a fix the commercial stuff is fine. I have noticed the "Gardner's Peanut Butter Meltaway" marked in major stores labled with both Gardner's AND Brach's logos, but, they just ain't the same as out of the candy case.

You can vist Gardner's at www.gardnerscandies.com . I always get a 1# meltaway egg in my Easter basket to this day.

Not local to me (VA) but local to my sis:

Frango Mints from Marshall Fields in Chicago!

Yumm, melt in your mouth

quote:

Originally posted by shaynas_mom

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

There is a wonderful chocolate store in Daytona Beach called Angell & Phelps . The candy is superb; the little factory tour is terrific but best of all is a story about this candy shop.

That was a great story. I had to go to their website, and now I'd probably kill for one of these chocolate covered potato chips...

I know that I have posted this in a previous thread, but there is a place here in Melbourne, FL (just about 1 1/2 hours south of Daytona) that also offers the delicious chocolate covered potato chip. I had never seen of such things until I moved here, and was hesitant to try, as I like my chocolate a little more pure. They are fabulous, and around Christmas, everyone will have some around, as they make great gifts -- so you have either given some, or gotten some, or both.

The place is Grimaldi's Candies in downtown Melbourne. Their website is http://www.grimaldicandies.com/index.html which was recently updated.

A little local background story, too....the Grimaldi family had owned the factory and made the chocolates for years in downtown. They sold their store and recipes in 1999 with a five year non-compete agreement. Well, last November (five years and one month, if you are counting), one of the younger Grimaldi's opened a shop beachside selling chocolate with tweaked recipes. "Tweaked" does not begin to describe how the new owners felt: http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/moneystoryB1205GRIMALDI0.htm

For most folks around here, they think that the chocolate is similar enough, so it just depends on whose store you are closer as to where you buy the chocolate. Of course, beach denizens are widely regarded to be a more affluent bunch, so I am sure the Grimaldi guy is stealing a healthy chunk of business from the new owners of his family's former business. Personally, I just think the new people signed a bad non-compete agreement.

I have not found a web site yet for VinnieLu's.

Steve

Here in Eastern Oklahoma, one of the local Tribes----i THINK its the Cherokee-but im not sure--has a chocolate company called Bedre Chocolates--its REALY good--and they sell a wonderful concoction that at first i thought was crazy, but am noiw addicted to---Chocolate covered potato chips!!!Dark.Milk or White!(i like the dark--janie likes the milk!)They are online somewhere and im sure they can be googled---i KNOW you will like them if you try them!

Regarding Bedre's: It looks as if they did have their own site at one time, but the domain's for sale now. However:http://www.chickasaw.net/business_1203.htm

Looks really good, as does the whole site.

Particular to New Orleans:

1) pralines - creamyish brown sugar pattie laced with pecans - AWESOME!!

2) Elmer's Gold Brick (soft milk chocolate with pecans) and Heavenly Hash (chocolate coated marshmallow with almonds) eggs - Easter treats extraordinaire

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

There is a wonderful chocolate store in Daytona Beach called Angell & Phelps . The candy is superb; the little factory tour is terrific but best of all is a story about this candy shop.

Many years ago, a young lad who delivered newspapers to help earn money for his mom used to love this candy store. Whenever he had a little money that he considered as extra, he would go into the shop and buy a fine piece of chocolate. He decided that he would one day own a candy store so that he could have all the chocolates that he wanted to eat. His mom saved her money and worked hard. As a result, he went to medical school and became one of the best cancer doctors in the southeast. He proceeded to buy the Angell and Phelps candy store. I talked to him one day on an elevator (he was the doctor of one of my dearest friend's). I mentioned the story about him owning this candy store and he said "Yes, but life is cruel.......at one time I could not afford to eat the candy there but now that I can afford it, my waistline and my doctor says "No NO"!

I was in that store not long ago and it smells bad inside .. not sure if from restaurants next door or old carpetting .. but the smell was so bad we didn't buy any chocolates

There's a post from 2004 stating that Fannie May went under - I was in Chicago last weekend and went to a Fannie May store in a mall on Michigan Ave, and a store is opening in November on the corner outside the mall. TRINIDADS ARE SO AWESOME!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog

There is a candy called a modjeska. It is essentially a marshmallow surrounded by caramel. These days, I can only find them up in the KY/IN/OH area. I hunt them down because my Mother just loves them.

John

The Vermont Country Store www.vermontcountrystore.com carries Modjeskas.
They have been made in Louisville since 1883, when a local candymaker created them in honor of a famous European performer, Helena Modjeska.
I have also seen them in some Cracker Barrel Restaurants.

FYI - Wilbur Chocolate can be ordered online as well..

www.wilburbuds.com

Happy shopping!

Darcy

We have a wonderful chocolate store in NYC called Li-Lac. Been in Greenwich Village for years.

Also City Bakery (a high end "cafeteria" in Flatiron Area) has a "Chocolate Room" which is a small closet-sized room with shelves and shelves of their homemeade chocolate. Even better is their hot chocolate which is made in vats on the counter. There is a machine that melts, folds, and heats these chocolates with a bit of milk that is then sold by the cup. Basically rich melted chocolate, served with a homemade huge marshmallow on top. (They also sell the marshmallows, which used to come in small lunchbox sized tins with map of NYC).

I seem to remember some local chain candy shops now deceased. I think Lofts was one.

In Lebanon, OH, the Golden Turtle Chocolate Factory has good dark chocolate:

http://www.goldenturtlechocolatefactory.com/

In Cincinnati, Esther Price is local. A customer of mine always buys these for birthdays, Easter, etc, for gifts:

http://www.estherprice.com/

I just noticed the they are making chocolate covered potato chips!! I will have to try them!!

And then, Rebecca Ruth in Frankfort, KY, for bourbon balls, YUM:

http://www.rebeccaruth.com/

Kron Chocolatier in Great Neck Long Island

http://www.kronchocolatier.com/?=http%3A//waoline.com

WONDERFUL chocolate covered popcorn!

In the nashville area we have GOO GOO bars.... Great melted marshmellow covered chocolate with nutblend

quote:

Originally posted by The Travelin' Man

quote:

Originally posted by shaynas_mom

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

There is a wonderful chocolate store in Daytona Beach called Angell & Phelps . The candy is superb; the little factory tour is terrific but best of all is a story about this candy shop.

That was a great story. I had to go to their website, and now I'd probably kill for one of these chocolate covered potato chips...

I know that I have posted this in a previous thread, but there is a place here in Melbourne, FL (just about 1 1/2 hours south of Daytona) that also offers the delicious chocolate covered potato chip. I had never seen of such things until I moved here, and was hesitant to try, as I like my chocolate a little more pure. They are fabulous, and around Christmas, everyone will have some around, as they make great gifts -- so you have either given some, or gotten some, or both.

The place is Grimaldi's Candies in downtown Melbourne. Their website is http://www.grimaldicandies.com/index.html which was recently updated.

A little local background story, too....the Grimaldi family had owned the factory and made the chocolates for years in downtown. They sold their store and recipes in 1999 with a five year non-compete agreement. Well, last November (five years and one month, if you are counting), one of the younger Grimaldi's opened a shop beachside selling chocolate with tweaked recipes. "Tweaked" does not begin to describe how the new owners felt: http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/moneystoryB1205GRIMALDI0.htm

For most folks around here, they think that the chocolate is similar enough, so it just depends on whose store you are closer as to where you buy the chocolate. Of course, beach denizens are widely regarded to be a more affluent bunch, so I am sure the Grimaldi guy is stealing a healthy chunk of business from the new owners of his family's former business. Personally, I just think the new people signed a bad non-compete agreement.

I have not found a web site yet for VinnieLu's.

Steve

Posted - 12/02/2006 : 23:15:36
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, This is Vinnie Grimaldi from Vinnielu's Beachside Chocolates. I noticed we are mentioned on this site. We have a web address it's www.vinnieluchocolates.com
I'd like to set the record straight. First of all What does tweaked recipes suppose to mean?
I hope the pizza place that I just ate at didn't use any tweaked recipes.The URL he listed doesn't exist!!! We have nothing to do with my parents' old place by the way.

I'm an 11th generation candy maker. I've been making candy since I was a kid in the 1970's. My wife and I started Vinnielu Chocolates in 2004. I think we make the best chocolate covered potato chips anywhere.I've only been making them for 36 years!!! I make our confections using my own original recipes! What sets us apart from some other candy companies is the fact that our candies contain
NO TRANS FAT!!

I'd be glad to answer any questions.
Thanks

a good local chocolate is Buckeye Chocolate in Ohio, the chocolate bar is excellent and their crunch bar is too.

their chocolate bars are 1.99 each and are available at some Giant Eagle stores or I believe that you could order from them and even visit them,

Another good place to visit a chocolate factory is Harry London in ohio, they charge for the tour but last time I went you got about 2 pieces of chocolate free.

wow, what a revival - fun to read the old posts. It's like finding an old friend.

Anyway, I went up to Pennsylvania and found this chocolate town. This town is so crazy about chocolate, even the asphalt streets have cocoa in it, so the town smells like chocolate. The company is called Hershey and they make these little dollops of chocolate candies called "Kisses," - which is so cute. Anyone heard of this place?

rpc717 - You're in luck, normally just sold around Easter, Elmer's has just released  heavenly hash and goldbricks in NFL licensed black and gold foil wrappings commemorating the Saints. I've seen them in Walgreen's and WalMart.  While they may not extend to Columbus, you may be able to order them direct from Elmer's.  I'm a big fan of their heavenly hash as well.

In central Jersey we have the "Old Monmouth" candy compant...great peanut brittle and great Easter candy
http://www.oldmonmouthcandies.com/Pages/Main.html

Great stuff!!!

another good place in Akron, OH is the Peanut Shoppe on Main st.  they do not make their own candie, but they roast fresh peanuts, almonds, cashews,
 
They have tons of Candy, great chocolate carmel and cashews
 
they are fairly priced.. the chocolate is under $10 a pound

also in Akron, OH is Temo Chocolates, on Exchange St., they have been around for ages,  I believe that they use Nestle chocolate but don't qoute me on that one