This year I tried Earl Grey Fudge, the overwhelming consensus was that it tasted “soapy”, however I have 2 nephews who were fans…….hmmmmm, they probably enjoy Thrills gum too (no judging)! I actually did not mind the hint of bergamot in the fudge, but alas, I guess it really is a coffee drinkers world.

As a nod to our West Coast family, I created a Blackberry Fudge this year. It was reminiscent of warm blackberries enjoyed in the sun (complete with scratches galore!), and Grammy’s Blackberry jam. I have a very limited amount of this flavor.

I also made a champagne fudge. This was not an overwhelming winner, but was enjoyed never-the-less by celebrating teetotalers and pregnant women! Fudgy goodness with a grape aftertaste!

Eve’s Hot Chili fudge has become a popular favorite, and this year along with the original I’ve added a twist. You can now sample and purchase Eves Hot Chili and Lime Fudge, and let me tell you, that hint of pure lime transforms it!

The unanimous winner in the search for 2012′s  new flavor is EVE’S CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE FUDGE. Even my traditionalist  husband declared it the new all-time favourite…..ASTOUNDING (if you know him!).

October 27th, 2012 from 10am-4pm, all these flavors will be unveiled, alongside the tried and true. Hope to see you at the Didsbury Christmas Market put on by the Didsbury Ag Society and being held at Didsbury’s Zion Evangelical Missionary Church. As usual I find myself in a quandary…..do I wear my Halloween Costume or my Santa’s hat??

Ask, and ye shall receive. Each year I spend time both eliminating fudge flavours from my stock and developing new, improved, inspired flavours! I listen to what people want, review suggestions and follow trends with fellow chocolatiers.  Just in time for the 2011 Christmas season, I am pleased to announce Eve’s Bacon Fudge! Yes, you heard me right…..all the pleasure of Eve’s Fudge with a little salty, bacony goodness added in.

My husband is often quoted as saying “Chocolate and bacon make any food better” he just never envisioned them in the same recipe!

If ever you’ve had a man in your life that is hard to buy gifts for, please consider this the ultimate stocking stuffer! Truly macho fudge! And really, who wouldn’t want to at least say they tried it??

The  fudge recipe I use, is a secret, third-generation,  family recipe passed on to me by my husband’s mom. She had decided that her decades of fudge making were coming to an end, and I thought it might be a nice way to make some Christmas spending cash. I was invited over for a fudge-making lesson, and the education truly began. We  often laughed about that afternoon, as it became the “how-NOT-to-make-fudge” session. At almost every stage of the process, she’d say “Now this is what you should do…… but we don’t have time, I don’t have that ingredient, or it’s good enough like that”.  The ensuing pan of fudge was almost inedible – notice I said almost, because somehow the family was still able to force down the offending fudge concoction ! So that evening, I poured over my hand written notes, remembering how it was supposed to be done, as opposed to what we actually did, and my first solo batch passed the “fudge purist test” as designed by my husband! The first 2 years, I took “Mama Deen’s Fudge” to local markets and, as I began to create more flavours and expand my market, “Eve’s Fudge” was born.

My dear mother-in-law passed away last December, and  her fantastic fudge was mentioned by various people at her memorial. What a delicious legacy!

Despite the “crisp” weather,I saw -26 degrees Celsius, the Water Valley Holiday Sale was a great success. Santa even made an appearance to stock up on Eve’s Fudge; what an endorsement that was!! The frigid temperatures had everyone looking for ways to warm up, and Eve’s Hot Chili Fudge did the trick, at least temporarily! It was the top sampler and second best seller, Water Valley I salute your brave consumers!

Anticipating my first trip out to the Water Valley Holiday Sale, 9am-4:30pm on Saturday, November 20th. I will be selling Eve’s Fudge in the Community Hall, and am looking forward to a whole new crowd of fudge lovers! There will also be vendors set up in the Chinook Creative Arts Building. Families will enjoy the FREE photos with Santa and a kids craft table!

Eve’s Fudge’s #1 taste tester, he’s small but very discerning!

Opening the fudge season at the Didsbury Christmas Craft Sale was such a great way to start. Surrounded by friendly, familiar faces both in vendors and customers was a terrific way to ease back into the market scene.

Saturday, October 30th saw the Didsbury Memorial Complex full of people dressed for Halloween buying Christmas Crafts! It was great to see people buying Eve’s Fudge and then marching straight to the kitchen for a plastic spoon, and digging in immediately! Hopefully they’ll be back at Didsbury’s Country Christmas for replacements!

Eve’s Fudge had the typical bestsellers - Eve’s Maple Walnut Fudge, Eve’s Black Forest Fudge, Eve’s Chocolate Fudge…….and surprisingly Eve’s Hot Chili Fudge.

Eve’s Hot Chili Fudge is a novelty for  most people,  so I go through mountains of samples. However, most of those samplers, sweat a little and then buy some! This particular fudge is too spicy for me, but the people who like it…love it! I had numerous repeat Hot Chili  customers from last Christmas, some even asked if I could swap the labels on it for a practical joke on certain family members……I didn’t, so no need to panic if offered Eve’s Fudge!

And in doing so, I have let one of the members of Eve’s Fudge family go….Eve’s Pumpkin Pie Fudge will not make an appearance in the 2010 season. Over the last few years I have been experimenting and developing new flavours and unfortunately not all of them are readily received. This also happened last year with Eve’s Pineapple Fudge.

And year after year, we have similar top sellers. In the top 5 consistently are Eve’s Chocolate Fudge, Eve’s Maple Walnut Fudge and Eve’s Chocolate – Peanut Butter Fudge.

Have no fear though, I continue to explore and create, so you never know what you will find at my sales!! Come and sample them all!

October 30th, 2010 Didsbury Christmas Market 10-5

November 6th, 2010 Olds Christmas Market  11-3

November 20th, 2010 Water Valley Holiday Sale 9-4

November 27th, 2010 4th Annual Airdrie Artisan’s Market 10-4

December 4th, 2010 Cremona Winterfest 10-4

Hope to see you soon!

“EVE”