Your Golden Ticket
By Katie Barreira
April 2005 -
SWEET BOUTIQUE
371 Worcester Road, Framingham
(508) 875-3388
Sweet Boutique’s modest domain is brimming with an eclectic mix
of candy sure to satisfy sweet teeth of all ages. A wall of kid-friendly
confections was the first stop on my tour of this bountiful candy salon.
Jawbreakers, Charleston Chews, Nerds, Pop Rocks and Pixie Sticks were
just a sampling of Sweet Boutique’s scandalously sweet candy collection.
These are the kinds of candies of which I was allowed to pick “just
one” when my mother took me to Bob’s General Store every sweaty
summer afternoon.
Sweet Boutique carries all of the familiar favorites found at any classic
Cape Cod penny candy store — candy cigarettes, Dots (the candy choice
that has you consume significantly more paper than sugar), saltwater taffy,
and the oddest candy sensation yet, the Flying Saucer — a Styrofoam-like
disk that melts in your mouth to reveal multicolored, crunchy balls. All
of these sentimental treats can be found on the shelves of Sweet Boutique.
Along with all your candy favorites — from Swedish Fish to a luscious
selection of truffles and fudge — there is also a whole section
for making your own candy. Bags of melting-chocolate disks in milk, dark,
white and even red (by Merckens, a renowned chocolate company) are stacked
next to molds for chocolate Easter bunnies, ballet slippers and my personal
selection, lollipop cowboy boots. Lollipop sticks, plastic and organza
gift bags and candy cups are also available, making this chocolate activity
corner the perfect place to shop when you’re looking for a creative
gift idea or for a fun project to do with kids.
Quite popular with the older clientele are the Golightly hard candies.
They come in every flavor from Lemon Drop to Pralines and Cream, so just
grab a bag and take one of each… OK, maybe two of each… Alright,
three of the ones you really, really like. Warm, friendly, informative
service from the owners themselves is like the chocolate icing atop Sweet
Boutiques’ chocolate- dipped Oreo cookies.
THE HEBERT CANDY MANSION
575 Hartford Turnpike (Route
20), Shrewsbury
(508) 845-8051
www.hebertcandies.com
First time guests of the Hebert Candy Mansion might feel more like they
are visiting a Napa Valley winery than a candy store. The Hebert’s
factory, which peeks out from the right of the Stone Tudor mansion, is
the only hint to what lies beyond the brick pillars, manicured grounds
and wide circular driveway.
However, there is no doubt about Hebert’s product of choice once
inside the estate. I visited just before Easter and entire rooms were
dedicated to baskets of all shapes and sizes brimming with chocolate bunnies
and other sweet treats.
Although Hebert’s chocolates, even the dark variety, are too sweet
for my taste, I love the Peppermint Patties, with their creamy mint center
surrounded by a dense layer of dark chocolate. York has nothing on these
puppies. Hebert’s is a lovely place tovisit not only for the confections,
but also for the ambiance. Candy is displayed on decorative wrought iron
shelves and wooden chests, some of which were part of the original 1946
estate. Decorative wood molding, ornate light fixtures and faded period
wallpaper give this candy store a distinctive atmosphere worth experiencing.
Patrons often work up quite an appetite shopping for all that candy, so
for those who require a little sustenance before hitting the road, Hebert’s
provides a make-yourown sundae bar. Choose from a generous spread of hot
sauces and every candy imaginable, from traditional sprinkles to chocolate
covered gummy bears.
Lounge at one of the tables on the indoor patio and get a first hand look
at candy creation through the glass panels that look in on the Hebert’s
factory – a wonderful ending to a perfectly sweet afternoon.
PRIFTI’S HOMEMADE CANDIES
106 Green Street, Worcester
(508) 754-5143
Walking down Green Street, you can’t avoid the aroma of melting
chocolate as generations of Priftis craft candies from tried and true
recipes. Owner Nick Prifti learned his trade from his father, William,
who opened Prifti’s Homemade Candies in 1965. This quaint mom-and-pop
store gets to the heart of every true chocolate lovers cravings, dark
chocolate.
Crisp and salty Dark Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels are a perfect
treat, as is the Almond Buttercrunch, petite mellow and buttery squares
with just a light dusting of almonds.
Prifti’s Wintergreen Patties are also a must-try, with their nice
variation of flavor that make them a perfectly refreshing end to any meal.
For those with a hankering for some serious chocolate, try Prifti’s
Peanut Butter Patty. This weighty mound of peanut butter is swirled with
chocolate and then coated with crushed peanuts, a major upgrade from your
everyday Reese’s. Centrally located in the upand- coming Canal District,
this Worcester tradition is sure to live on.
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