There are a lot of things I love about patronizing our small businesses here in the Village of Webster, especially at this time of year. For starters, they’re so much easier and faster to get in and out of, rather than spending an hour finding parking and getting lost in a big-box store. The owner is RIGHT THERE to help you out and answer your questions. And they always have unique and creative gift ideas.
One good example is M.O. Pasta at 5 East Main. Mike has come up with a great idea there to accommodate everyone’s gift-giving needs: a make-your-own-pasta-basket. Choose your basket, choose your pasta, choose your sauces, choose your oils, and make up a delicious gift, custom-tailored to your friend or family member.
But this next fun and gift idea really caught my eye — and my sweet tooth. They’re freeze-dried candies that kind of puff up into a completely different texture.
They’re called Frost Bites, and they’re being sold at Woodland Silk Screening & Embroidery at 5 West Main St. (lower level). You might recognize this shop as the home of “OHHH LORDEE” sauces marketed by owner Laurie Read. It’s her husband Gary Caufmann who’s come up with this latest treat, a fun new business as he looks forward to retirement.
Basically, freeze dying causes the candy to puff up, creating a texture that Laurie describes as “between a cheese puff and a malt ball.” They’re not sticky, and it can be done to most candies (be sure to ask if you don’t see your favorite). Right now there’s a wide variety on the Woodland shelves, including “Milkey Dudes,” “Snickles,” “Spicy Peach Crunchies,” “Charlie Chews,” “Peppermint Marshmallows,” “Candy Coated Tooties,” “Spicy Peach Crunchies,” and more. And at $5 a bag, they’re a lot less expensive than I’ve seen at craft fairs and farm markets.
But beware … they’re a tad addictive. (I took a bag of the M&M ones home, and they barely made it a day before I’d polished them off.) So if you want to grab some for stocking stuffers, you might want to wait until the week before Christmas or they might not go the distance.
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(posted 12/11/2024)
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