President Obama chose Ghana as his first trip to Africa due to the determination of the Ghanaian people to support a democratic form of government. He mentioned “cocoa” in his speech, stating that “oil simply cannot become the new cocoa.” Obama was suggesting that African nations should provide a supportive atmosphere for a variety of businesses, in particular export businesses, to flourish for the economic benefit of its citizens.

I visited Ghana a couple of years ago as part of a “Cocoa Tour to Ghana” organized by the World Cocoa Foundation. The tour was unforgettable. When we landed at the international airport outside of Ghana’s capital, Accra, the importance of cocoa to the country was immediately visible in the artwork on the airport walls.

Traveling in a cocoa producing country can seem like living inside a sauna. Cocoa trees thrive in hot, very humid weather. It doesn’t take long for a westerner to wilt like a stalk of celery.

What many of us consider basic necessities can be hard to come by. We were there in June when electricity, powered by water in Ghana, was scarce prior to the rainy season. Sometimes the lights and the air conditioning would be out for hours. Once, while we waited several hours for an audience with a regional king, several in our party became faint as there was little air, despite open walls on 3 sides.

Despite more than their share of adversity Ghanaians are a very proud people with enthusiasm for the democratic process. In 50 years as an independent state they have held free elections, engineered successful and peaceful transitions of power and relentlessly pursued good governance. They also politely but firmly regularly inform westerners that Ghanaians will decide their own future and what’s best for their people.

Ghana is the second largest cocoa producer in the world and the chocolate and cocoa companies who are our members purchase Ghana’s largest agricultural export crop. They do their best to listen to Ghanaians while working in partnership with governments officials, civil society and cocoa farm communities to secure a better future for those farm families who grow the most essential ingredient in chocolate.

Nighthawk, go on down to the Quick Sack and load up on these. Tell your boss that Uncle Carl said it was all right to take the afternoon off.

Do you want your candy photos featured here? Submit them to the Candy Dish Blog Flickr group. We want to see your candy photos and so does the rest of the world!

Kristin was also good enough to share her recipe. When she came on board with NCA nobody knew we were getting yet another culinary deity but we sure won’t complain. Thanks, Kristin, for helping us celebrate this very important holiday, and thanks for making the office a sweeter place!

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 oz.) cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 (3 oz.) instant vanilla pudding
• 3 c. milk
• 1 (16 oz.) Cool Whip (thawed)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 lg. pkg. Oreo cookies
• Gummy worms

Preparation:

• Cream sugar and cream cheese. Beat milk, pudding and vanilla until thick, and then add to cream cheese mixture. Fold in Cool Whip. Grind Oreo cookies in blender or food processor.
• Layer Oreo mixture and creamy mixture, hiding gummy worms in flower pot (or bucket), ending with cookie mixture and gummy worms on top. Chill overnight in refrigerator or until ready to serve.
• Enjoy!

So, how does one celebrate this auspicious occasion?  The easiest way, of course, is to get yourself down to your favorite store and buy a bag to savor.  BUT, readers of the Candy Dish Blog are way more creative than that, right?

My suggestion?  Gummi worm cupcakes.  You know I love a cupcake (from this post, or this one), so this probably comes as no surprise.

Here are the easy steps necessary to make the cupcakes:

• Make a batch of your favorite flavor of cupcake. 
• While they bake, pulverize some chocolate cookies (a food processor will work, so will a plastic bag and a rubber mallet).  
• Frost the cupcakes with chocolate icing (save yourself some time and buy it already made). 
• Sprinkle the cookie “dirt” on top of the frosting. 
• Poke a worm into the top of cupcake (you can use a straw to make a hole for him if necessary). 
• Admire your handiwork and dig in! 

Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms by Bright Star

Hilary actually visited me a couple weeks ago. It was a real treat to get to know her better. She loved our office and was almost overwhelmed by the candy room. And she brought me taffy. I know Tori just talked about taffy from her visit to the Outer Banks but the stuff Hilary brought me was from Maine, so really it’s like a different topic altogether.

All the best to you crazy kids, doing the marriage thing and the Fiesta Movement thing at the same time. Oh yeah – the kicker for this big wedding day is that after the nuptials, Hilary and Rick are going skydiving. To quote Dave Barry, “I am not making this up.” I can’t wait for the photos!

Here is a similar ad, for Axe Body Spray, which makes the wearer as desirable as chocolate to the women he encounters. Two questions – first, what is your reaction to this kind of advertising, and second, is Axe Body Spray really that powerful?

Here at Candy Dish Blog we love all the candy companies, whether big or small, but applaud NewsPlink for stepping in this direction and doing something creative with this contest. In the end, I agree with their findings. What are their findings? I guess you will have to go and read the article. What do you think? Agree or disagree?

Duel by uwdigitalcollections.

Although the taffy is not actually made with saltwater, it is gluten-free and they guarantee that every piece is “Chock Full of Sea Breeze and Sunshine!”  Forbes has lots of flavors ranging from cherry to key lime and even eggnog.  Not sure how I feel about eggnog taffy, but it might be a good Christmas gift idea that would remind people of the warm summer months to come.  Unless you live in Florida, or Texas, or anywhere else in the deep south, in which case you don’t ever have cold weather.  Lucky ducks.

You can read about the history of salt water taffy or you can tell me where you have found YOUR favorite kind of salt water taffy!

Oops.

Anyway, I found a great photo today.  I’m hosting a special lunch in the office next week and I’m thinking about how to decorate, package the favors and otherwise make it a really nice event.  I love the little favors featured in this photo by suchprettythings.

Wouldn’t you love to attend a party with such lovely little tokens?  I sure would … so send an invitation my way, please!

One of the joys of traveling is getting to taste different foods, especially candies, that are unique to the geographical location you are visiting. In this case, Toronto has approximately 180 different nationalities represented in the city, so you can really take your pick when it comes to the local flavour. When visiting Chinese and other Asian-style markets, I tend toward the fruit candies because they hold a lot of flavor and sweetness not readily available in my own cultural confectionery cabinet. Among my favorites are rambutan, durian, lychee, jackfruit and banana. Anyway, I was ecstatic when I finally got to the hotel and ripped the candy bag open. Such delightfulness!

What’s your favorite exotic fruit candy?