Do yourself a favor this Valentine’s Day and buy good chocolate. Chocolatiers are popping up all over the country and we’re so lucky in Indiana to be surrounded by many creative confections. In this Local Love feature, we’re giving props to some of our favorite candy artisans in The Other Midwest.

Bloomington: Blu Boy Chocolate Cafe and Cakery

 

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Located in downtown Bloomington, Blu Boy has been whipping up incredibly unique chocolates and other confections for years. They specialize in unique flavor combinations that lean towards the darker side of chocolate. Blu Boy owner, David Fletcher says, ” I often compare the creation of our chocolates to making a mixed music playlist for a friend: You chose all your favorites, combine them in a way that is particularly meaningful to you, and then you present your collection to that someone special hoping they love it as much as you do. The chocolates I make and offer are presented to you in the same way.” 

 

Greenwood: J. Evelyn Confections

Beer and caramels… Yes they go together. Jayne Evelyn has been creating sugary confections, including her famous caramels created with our Upland Wheat Ale. We recently asked her how she came up with her beer infused caramels idea…

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“In 2011 my Sea Salt Pecan Chews juried into Indiana Artisan and at the “boot camp” for new artisans I met a representative of Upland Brewery. For a few years I had wanted to use a beer/ale in a caramel, and I was very excited that I might be able to partner with another Indiana Artisan for this. The next week I went out and purchased an Upland sampler and asked my husband to help me sample each beer. When I tasted the Wheat Ale I knew it would be the perfect pairing with caramel. My very favorite beer is indeed Upland Wheat….whether drinking it or cooking with it. It is rich and well balanced.”

Currently Upland Wheat is used in her Brew-n-Chew caramels and she’s currently working on two new beer candies.  One will be out for this year’s Indiana Artisan Marketplace on March 28-29 at the Indiana State Fair grounds. Come and see it there!

 

Fort Wayne: DeBrand Chocolate

 

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Since the 1987 DeBrand has been crafting one of a kind chocolates for all. Known for using the purest, most natural ingredients, DeBrand uses both fresh local ingredients and ingredients from around the world to craft their unique chocolates. They also create all of their centers from scratch including fresh crèmes, rich caramels, decadent ganaches, truffles, brittles, smooth creams and much more.

We are in obsessed with their gigantic truffles.

 

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Treat Yo Self.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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