Truffles Newsletter
Behind the Counter: Rob Wilcox Kitchen Manager, Sweet Designs
Truffles: What’s it like managing the kitchen? Rob: It’s a daily adventure. No matter how much we plan, there are always surprises, particularly this year. We do everything we can to make great chocolate and keep customers happy, but this year is unlike any other. We’re definitely in uncharted territory. No matter how hectic it gets, I always try to stay calm and keep my sense of humor. And we have a really great team that makes it all happen. Truffles: How’s your supply chain holding up? Rob: We’ve been working with many of our suppliers for a long-time, so we have pretty strong personal relationships that help us when we run into a jam. Of course, they’ve also been affected by the pandemic and face some of the same challenges we have. I’m lucky that our suppliers work...
Bet you didn't know - This bud's for you!
Known as “man’s best friend” for so many reasons, dogs have long held a special place in the hearts of millions of Americans. Their presence has helped many of us (along with generous amounts of chocolate) to remain sane and get through this extraordinarily challenging time. But there’s one interesting fact about our four-footed pals, you might not know. We recently learned that dogs have far fewer taste buds than humans do (about 1,700 compared to our 9,000). This means that dogs really can’t taste a lot of the food we give them. It’s the smell of food that attracts them. That...
Behind the Counter With: Pamela Schiavone, Queen of Customer Service, Sweet Designs
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Truffles: In addition to your fabulous title, what's the best part of your job? Pamela: I love working with customers - whether I'm helping them with personal gift selections, corporate gifts or favors for events. Being part of making an occasion special with Sweet Designs chocolate makes me smile every day! And smelling chocolate all day doesn’t hurt either! Truffles: What's surprised you the most since you’ve come to Sweet Designs? Pamela: It’s been just how much chocolate we make each day. It’s also the care and pride that goes into the process from all the staff who have a hand in it, from the chocolatiers who make it to the associates who pack it to...
Chocolate Can Be… Temperamental
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![Chocolate Can Be… Temperamental](http://sweetdesigns.com/cdn/shop/articles/Chocolate_Can_Be_Temperamental_{width}x.png?v=1602656416)
In my eight years at Sweet Designs, I have heard many stories from frustrated home cooks wondering why their repeated attempts to make chocolates at home have failed. Their homemade confections would not release from the candy mold - or they would be gritty and chalky in texture - or they would turn an unappetizing greyish-white hue, unlike the rich, chestnut brown chocolates with a beautiful sheen that they are used to seeing at Sweet Designs. It comes as a surprise to many people that making chocolate is actually scientific - and it takes training and a lot of practice...
Behind the Counter with Carly Moran, General Manager, Sweet Designs
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![Behind the Counter with Carly Moran, General Manager, Sweet Designs](http://sweetdesigns.com/cdn/shop/articles/Behind_the_Counter_with_Carly_Moran_General_Manager_Sweet_Designs_{width}x.jpg?v=1602655418)