Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A Toffee Field Trip

The boys and I were invited to a skating rink for a Valentines party - and you can NOT say no to Valentines parties!! While we were there, a friend of mine, who I may have to disown, told me that Vern's Toffee was just around the corner.  Oh boy... you ALL KNOW where this is going right?


So we went, and we arrived just in time - they were making the final batch of toffee for the day, and I want to live there. We walked in, and just the smell would make you swoon... in a good, kind of George Clooney ish ( or maybe Tim Tebow ish)  way....


Stephanie - one of the owners, invited us back to see what she was up to.......want to see?



They have just made the toffee, and now they pour it out on a steel table that is cooled by internal water hoses... it smells SO GOOD!!

They spread the toffee out to a specific height....


This amount will turn out to be about 42 pounds... 
And the Patrick pours the chocolate on.... just so you know - they have both milk and dark chocolate and I don't have a favorite... I sampled them both equally and fairly and may JUST have to go back to try them again.. side by side... in a blind taste test... just in case....

They spread the yummy chocolate

Then put the yummy almonds on....


Patrick cuts it, they flip it, they put MORE chocolate on, and more almonds on... I think I might have zoned out and forgotten pictures during that process...  because the smell.... the heavenly smell of chocolate was wafting through my senses.....



And then they stack it up, and put it on the cooling racks ... and push crazy visitors away - because if the crazy visitor eats it ALL - they will have none to sell, and they may have to roll her out the door....but you know that wasn't me right ?  It was the other crazy visitor!
And here is the yummy toffee that Stephanie's dad cut up and is under lock and key, and ready to package!!  It is YUMMY stuff I tell you!!

We really enjoyed ourselves, and I know this is NOT quilt related in any way. But it was such fun. This is a family owned company and has been in business since 75 or 76 . I so enjoyed myself - and so did the boys... and so did Wrangler Man ... I did bring home a pound to share with him.

Although - it may not have been a true pound by the time the box got to him....

Anyone want to try some?  I tell you what - leave me a comment and tell me if you like Dark or Milk Chocolate the best.... and I will choose a winner on Friday, at 5pm, and then send you some of your favorite kind.... 

but you can't be allergic to nuts - there is almonds in it.
 ( fair warning - we have allergies in our house so I have to ask!!)



33 comments:

Missy Shay said...

I love milk chocolate, these sound wonderful! My husband likes dark chocolate so it works out when we get a box of chocolates we don't fight over it since he gets the dark and I get the milk!
I don't mind non-quilt posts sometimes, I really enjoyed this one!
missysaprons@yahoo.com

Needles, Fabric, Chisels, and Wood…Life is GOOD! said...

You are so BAD! What a wonderful tour. I am drooling! Dark or milk chocolate does not matter as much as the toffee that goes with it. The toffeee is what was pulling me to my knees. Thanks for sharing.

Gypsy Quilter said...

Did someone say CHOCOLATE? As in giving some away??? Count me in! I love chocolate more than I love fabric, and that's saying something.

Sherri said...

Toffee, and chocolate and almonds...oh my!!! Sounds divine, milk chocolat is my all time favorite!! Thanks for sharing your pictures of your adventure! Oh, and just so you know, chocolate is most definitely related to quilting according to my quilt guild!!!! ;)

Anonymous said...

Just don't get chocolate or sticky toffee on your quilt!!!!! Denise in Canada.

Sue in Scottsdale, AZ said...

Oh my, you are so bad! I like milk chocolate, my husband likes dark chocolate. But, don't enter my name in the drawing because I'm on Weight Watchers and this would be very bad. You want to know what went in next to where my Weight Watchers meeting is? A "Goody Twos" toffy store and kitchen. The aroma drifting into our meeting is a real killer!

Anonymous said...

Oh I can almost taste it now from all your pictures and descriptions! Dark chocolate lover here! nkadenver@yahoo.com

swooze said...

I like both but LOVE Toffee. I think my pants button just popped off....

Gretchen said...

Thank you for this field trip!!! Wow i am really craving some chocolate now. Too bad the Valentine's candy is all gone. I just love toffee and dark chocolate would be just heavenly.

Judy V. from Thornton CO said...

Mmmm, toffee is the best way to enjoy real chocolate! I am partial to dark chocolate.....

LizA. said...

By George, I think I can almost smell it from here! This is definitely MY kinda field trip! You can pass the dark chocolate this way--pretty please......

Nancy said...

Now, you've made me hungry!

Thanks for the photos and tour - I always wondered how it was made.

This toffee looks like Enstrom's, which I LOVE entirely too much.

Dirt Road Quilter said...

With all of this technology, you would think someone would have invented smellavision! I want to come live with you - you take amazing field trips! :) Milk or dark? Ugh. Decisions, decisions! Milk please. Thank you for your generosity!

QuiltinLibraryLady said...

So funny...toffee's the best...bad girl for tempting us so...I'll take the dark chocolate, please....with plenty of almonds!!! :)

Impera Magna said...

What a cool thing to do... and I'll bet the aroma was swoon-inducing!

I've never met a toffee I didn't like but do admit to being partial to milk chocolate.

:)

Just glad Vern's Toffee Shop is half-way across the country...

Anonymous said...

Oh, that looks like much more fun than our chocolate factory tour! I want to go to Vern's too! It is probably a really good thing it is where you are and NOT where I am as I would probably be a regular there....LOL.

I LOVE toffee of any kind, but really like the milk chocolate!

I agree with the Dirt Road Quilter....how about some smellevision?

Great road trip and thanks for sharing with us!

Bari

Melinda said...

Oh my - the photos made my mouth water. I love dark chocolate and my DH doesn't so if I win, send dark so I will have it all to myself!

Bjwalsh101 said...

CHOCOLATE!!!! Either kind can come live at my house!

Diana said...

I will eat either but dark chocolate is my favorite. Oh my goodness. I hope I win this toffee prize. HEAVEN in a box!

diane said...

Dark chocolate. It looks wonderful!

sosarahsew said...

Dark is always my chocolate of choice! And fortunately I have no allergies to almonds or other nuts. Hey, that makes the candy more nourishing because of the protein - great way to justify the snack. Sooooooo I am all set to camp out by my mailbox!!

Quilting_Chris said...

It sounds like you had a wonderful time and I am super duper jealous of your adventure in Candyland. I love, repeat love dark chocolate, after all it is healthy for you, isn't it?? Thanks for a chance. yum.

Kell said...

Yummy! That must have been so fun to see. I prefer milk chocolate. Thanks for the chance to win some.

thea said...

That looks sooooo good. I would have loved to have seen that. My favorite is dark chocolate.

Stephanie D said...

Oh, HEAVEN on earth! YUM!

I know dark chocolate's supposed to be healthier for you and I do eat it now and then, but my favorite is milk chocolate, by far!

Nice giveaway, Alycia!

Roslyn said...

Oh Alycia I can't pick a fave, like you I love them both & this is my very fave candy, crunchy caramelly & yummy chocolate, swoon!
In Ouray, CO. there is a chocolatier, called "Mause's Chocolates" divine place, & their scrap cookies are TDF, filled with all the imperfect chocs!
Coffee too there to help wash the richness down............

Patti said...

milk chocolate & this looks like what I make at christmas. Oh my I could not have left w/just 1#!

Robin said...

Milk chocolate for me! Though I've never tried dark chocolate toffee.Truthfully I had never really had any toffee until a couple years ago when someone brought in homemade toffee to work- yummy! Liked it so much I turned around and made some!! rnoel57@gmail.com

Ardis Young said...

Dark chocolate I think it has some healing powers!! Thanks for the chance to taste some.

Mame Johnston said...

Dark chocolate is my flavor of choice, but pairing it with almonds makes it especially healthy, right? LOL! I appreciate the opportunity to try it out. Thanks for the peek into the world of toffee making.

Rita E in AZ said...

I like both milk and dark chocolate but if I must pick one, today it would be milk chocolate. Thank you for a chance to try some toffee

Anonymous said...

I am definitely a milk chocolate fan myseld Shari in AZ

Liz T Davis said...

Mmmmmmmm! Milk Chocolate with almonds -- even better than Krispy Kreams