By Kimberly J. Decker, Contributing Editor
Kristen Scott suggests you try her maple-pecan-chipotle brittle with a fine sipping tequila. Her soft caramels she likes to pair with a tawny Port.
Of course, Scott, a third-generation confectioner and owner, Artisan Candies, San Jose, CA, isn’t recommending you serve these pairings at your child’s next birthday party. But if you’re entertaining discriminating guests of legal age, they may appreciate something from the cellar to go with their caramels—especially if those caramels travel what she calls a “flavor arc," from an initial burst of butter, through rich vanilla notes, to a characteristically caramel finish. “When you finish the whole thing," she says, “you’re still tasting really complex flavors. It’s sweet, but not cloying." What more could a sophisticated sweet-tooth ask?
Clearly, candy isn’t just for kids. But when designing adult-oriented sweets, a distinct set of parameters should guide R&D.
The cult of cacao
The cult of connoisseurship pervades the chocolate segment in particular. “There are now more adult options in chocolates," says Erin O’Donnell, marketing manager, David Michael & Co., Philadelphia, “higher cocoa contents, upscale packaging, exotic ingredients. These treats aren’t for kids."
Chuck (Charles) Siegel, founder, Charles Chocolates, San Francisco, conjectures that just as our culinary culture made a fetish of artisan breads, wine and cheeses, it’s made a cult of chocolate, too. He salutes Trader Joe’s, along with artisan producers like John Scharffenberger, for elevating the nation’s tastes. The supermarket chain has sold premium Valrhona chocolate for more than 10 years—and at an approachable price. “One of the things that has really helped the community of high-quality, artisan chocolate makers in America," he says, “is that people found out that you could get a much better product without spending a lot more."
