One of my favorite gifts to give … and receive … is a delicious treat made by hand.
We are so lucky to have a number of artisans in town whipping up specialty foods that are winning awards and getting national attention.
One of my favorite local sweet treats come from Shotwell Candy. I asked founder and owner Jerrod Smith to tell us about his one-of-a-kind caramels.
“Shotwell Candy is a Memphis-based company that I started out of my house five years ago and we specialize in making caramels and toffee all by hand in very small batches.”
What makes his caramels unique?
“It’s flavor and texture. We do that by making very small batches by hand to use the freshest ingredients, pure ingredients, and so that we can control the process and the method so that every batch turns out perfect every time.”
As for the texture, his caramels are soft with just the perfect amount of chewiness.
“I try to have a little sweet and salty, or crunchy and soft, in every caramel we do.”
One of my favorites is the Craft Beer & Pretzel Caramels. It is the perfect mix of salty and sweet and crunchy and soft in every bite.
“My favorite flavor, if I had to pick one, is our Holiday Mint Caramel. It’s our soft caramel and we blend in some dark chocolate, there’s a touch of molasses in there for a little depth of flavor, and then we actually sprinkle crushed-up candy canes on top to give the sort of minty, chocolaty flavor. I absolutely love it!”
Also special for the Holidays is Shotwell Candy’s Signature Holiday Collection - it has 4 individual boxes of 4 different flavors. I’ll take that one please!
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Happy Holidays!
For more information about Shotwell Candy Company and where to buy their yummy caramels and toffee, visit. www.shotwellcandy.com.
