I was just thinking today how awesome all of us are when we share our ideas with each other, when we become the cheering squad for our friends and family, when we stop thinking of how we can beat the other guy and instead think about how we can lift him or her up.
What does this have to do with candy and gifts?
Over the years I have sometimes thought of myself as the iconic bartender, who listens to all her customers, their troubles, their triumphs, their questions about life. And all I had to do was listen...no solutions, just being there when someone wanted to talk.
Believe it....this does happen in a retail store. And it is not what some refer to as Retail Therapy...which is really just running away for the day and having a great time without a care in the world.
In our world, people are often just trying to find the right gift which will cheer up a friend in the hospital or help celebrate the birth of a child or the marriage of a friend. Those gifts represent the special feeling we have for each other and the time involved in picking out just the perfect gift to say "We care".
Retail is so much more than ringing up a customer at the register. You can get that any day anywhere. We just want our store to be the Happy Place for our customers, a place where people know that we care about them and want their day to be the best.
So, is this a little sappy? Yes, it is and yet why not rise above the everyday problems which life throws at us?
I always told my daughter....the little song....you have a smile in your pocket....put it on your face.
So I am smiling at all of you....
And now back to ordering Trollbeads and Minion tic tacs and paying the bills. Right?
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
Blooming Chocolate: What's That All About?
Today I want to talk to you about chocolate blooming. Because of the heat and humidity in the summer, this subject is more relevant now than at other times of the year. I am hoping that knowing what blooming in chocolate is will help you to decide what to buy and when to buy it.
First of all, that sort of grayish look you find occasionally on chocolate is NOT mold. What is happening is one of several possibilities.
Sugar Bloom is caused by surface moisture. Moisture causes the sugar to dissolve and when the moisture evaporates, what is left is sugar crystals. If this situation repeats, the chocolate can become sticky and look discolored.
Fat Bloom is similiar to sugar bloom, however in this instance it is the fat or the cocoa butter which separates from the chocolate and deposits itself on the outside of the candy....thus that grayish color.
Changes in temperature, as well as moisture, are both enemies of chocolate and other candy. At Sweet Tooth we attempt to keep both the temperature of our store (70 degrees year around on the candy side) and the moisture at as much of a minimum as possible. Quick changes in temperature, from cool to warm to cool can be a source of blooming in chocolate.
Chocolate also absorbs flavors from food or from other items like scented candles and perfumes which are stored nearby. This is the reason why Sweet Tooth does not sell scented candles or perfumes and why we do not make gift baskets which have other flavors or scents near the chocolate.
Bloomed chocolate can be eaten. The texture might be a bit grainy, however the chocolate should taste ok.
At our store we also encourage our customers, particularly in summer months, to store their candy in a cool, dark place in their home. If they buy chocolate while they are out shopping or traveling, it would be best to keep that chocolate in a cooler until arriving at home.
The chocolate we sell does not require refrigeration and should, under the correct conditions, last for a number of months. We carefully watch manufacturing dates of our chocolate and attempt to adhere to a fairly strict schedule of when the chocolate is manufactured.
Now you know why we say that chocolate can be a fragile and delicate food...one you want to handle and store with care.
First of all, that sort of grayish look you find occasionally on chocolate is NOT mold. What is happening is one of several possibilities.
Sugar Bloom is caused by surface moisture. Moisture causes the sugar to dissolve and when the moisture evaporates, what is left is sugar crystals. If this situation repeats, the chocolate can become sticky and look discolored.
Fat Bloom is similiar to sugar bloom, however in this instance it is the fat or the cocoa butter which separates from the chocolate and deposits itself on the outside of the candy....thus that grayish color.
Changes in temperature, as well as moisture, are both enemies of chocolate and other candy. At Sweet Tooth we attempt to keep both the temperature of our store (70 degrees year around on the candy side) and the moisture at as much of a minimum as possible. Quick changes in temperature, from cool to warm to cool can be a source of blooming in chocolate.
Chocolate also absorbs flavors from food or from other items like scented candles and perfumes which are stored nearby. This is the reason why Sweet Tooth does not sell scented candles or perfumes and why we do not make gift baskets which have other flavors or scents near the chocolate.
Bloomed chocolate can be eaten. The texture might be a bit grainy, however the chocolate should taste ok.
At our store we also encourage our customers, particularly in summer months, to store their candy in a cool, dark place in their home. If they buy chocolate while they are out shopping or traveling, it would be best to keep that chocolate in a cooler until arriving at home.
The chocolate we sell does not require refrigeration and should, under the correct conditions, last for a number of months. We carefully watch manufacturing dates of our chocolate and attempt to adhere to a fairly strict schedule of when the chocolate is manufactured.
Now you know why we say that chocolate can be a fragile and delicate food...one you want to handle and store with care.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Holiday Candy Ordering: It's a Marathon.
Here's what Jeff and I did last Friday. For the 23rd time we ordered Halloween and Christmas/Chanukah candy from the first sales rep we ever knew: Gary O.
The first time I met with Gary to order holiday candy it was in the back room of our first store....in The Farm Shopping Center. I knew absolutely nothing about candy, Of course I had eaten candy but never stopped to think about what candies were popular and what candies would do well for the various holidays in the fall. I liked Mars bars (frozen, of course) and Bit O Honey . A real gourmet, huh?
Gary was very patient...so patient that it took 8 hours for us to complete that order. At this point I don't even remember anything in particular about that day. I do remember that the back of my desk chair was always up against the bathroom door. And I learned that some people make pigs out of marzipan. So you can imagine how crowded Gary and I were when we were paging through his sales book.
This year we were down to about 5 hours for the ordering process. Of course we had to stop for a BarBQue lunch...Gary's favorite meal. And occasionally there was a little gossiping, a little reminiscing, a few jokes, looking out the window at the torrential rain and of course, bathroom breaks.
I vowed that 2015 would not be a PEEPS year. PEEPS are supposed to be Easter candy, right?. I wanted the NEW STUFF. After 22 years, you can imagine that some repeat candy simply has to go go go.
One observation: folks are not buying chocolate Santas like they did in the "old days". Don't know why but I do know when you have a lot of left over Santas one year, you steer clear of that problem the next year.
"Coal" candy for the naughty ones is still popular. Peppermint triumphs over cherry and raspberry every holiday season. And since last year the concept of the Mensch (ok...look it up) has gained popularity for Chanukah candy.
23 years!!! Wow...Jeff gets a kick out of the conversations Gary and I have every time we get together for this marathon candy ordering. Like an old married couple...as people used to say...we have know each other that long. He can't retire until I do!!
Stay tuned for more about holiday candy. Let's get past July 4th first!
The first time I met with Gary to order holiday candy it was in the back room of our first store....in The Farm Shopping Center. I knew absolutely nothing about candy, Of course I had eaten candy but never stopped to think about what candies were popular and what candies would do well for the various holidays in the fall. I liked Mars bars (frozen, of course) and Bit O Honey . A real gourmet, huh?
Gary was very patient...so patient that it took 8 hours for us to complete that order. At this point I don't even remember anything in particular about that day. I do remember that the back of my desk chair was always up against the bathroom door. And I learned that some people make pigs out of marzipan. So you can imagine how crowded Gary and I were when we were paging through his sales book.
This year we were down to about 5 hours for the ordering process. Of course we had to stop for a BarBQue lunch...Gary's favorite meal. And occasionally there was a little gossiping, a little reminiscing, a few jokes, looking out the window at the torrential rain and of course, bathroom breaks.
I vowed that 2015 would not be a PEEPS year. PEEPS are supposed to be Easter candy, right?. I wanted the NEW STUFF. After 22 years, you can imagine that some repeat candy simply has to go go go.
One observation: folks are not buying chocolate Santas like they did in the "old days". Don't know why but I do know when you have a lot of left over Santas one year, you steer clear of that problem the next year.
"Coal" candy for the naughty ones is still popular. Peppermint triumphs over cherry and raspberry every holiday season. And since last year the concept of the Mensch (ok...look it up) has gained popularity for Chanukah candy.
23 years!!! Wow...Jeff gets a kick out of the conversations Gary and I have every time we get together for this marathon candy ordering. Like an old married couple...as people used to say...we have know each other that long. He can't retire until I do!!
Stay tuned for more about holiday candy. Let's get past July 4th first!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Marking Those Special Occasions
Last night I went to a 5th grade graduation ceremony. One of the granddads who attended said to me that he never imagined he would be attending a 5th grade graduation. He went on to say that he wants to be around to attend the high school and college graduation of his granddaughter.
I've been thinking about that. These days with some people waiting until their late 30's to begin having children, there is no doubt that some grandparents may not be around to watch those high school and college moments.
This is not an argument for having children earlier in life. It is simply an observation that life cycle events have changed. Now 5th grade and even pre-school graduations are more important than ever. We need to mark every occasion by being present for those times.
I suppose as a retailer I have begun to think of these occasions in terms of gift buying and gift giving. It is quite natural and even critical that retailers think this way...otherwise, turn off the lights and close the door. If we are not ready with special gift items for these life cycle events, we won't be around long enough to see those events next year.
Yet we need to inspire ourselves to think about what is on the mind of the person buying that gift. I think I may have remarked in an earlier post (and if I didn't I will now) that we have seen an upsurge of people pulling out all the stops for baby's 1st birthday. At first it seemed a little odd since baby won't even remember that day.
As you know that day is really for the parents, the grandparents, the friends who are snapping photos, watching in anticipation for baby's first taste of birthday cake. We need those moments in our lives and we need to be celebrating every occasion we can, bringing every ounce of our spirit and joy to even the smallest occasion.
Every time I attend that 5th grade graduation, there is a point in the ceremony where I find tears in my eyes. I know it is going to happen, so I put a piece of tissue in my pocket, ready at any instant to dab away at those tears.
I simply love watching those 10 and 11 year old kids, in their cap and gown, squirming around in their chairs, checking out their fingernails, swinging their legs under the chair. I watch their parents, now days, with their Iphones and their Ipads, taking pictures, videotaping their child's special speech and receiving the diploma. I think back to the 5th graduation of my child. I cried the entire time, not out of unhappiness. However I am still not sure why I cried, even to this day I really don't know. It was special, it was a relief, it was the first and last time that my daughter would be an 11 year old, graduating from her elementary school.
So I am taking off the retailer's hat for a time and reflecting on how important these occasions are. Marking them with a gift is terrific. Marking them by being there is the most important thing in the world.
I've been thinking about that. These days with some people waiting until their late 30's to begin having children, there is no doubt that some grandparents may not be around to watch those high school and college moments.
This is not an argument for having children earlier in life. It is simply an observation that life cycle events have changed. Now 5th grade and even pre-school graduations are more important than ever. We need to mark every occasion by being present for those times.
I suppose as a retailer I have begun to think of these occasions in terms of gift buying and gift giving. It is quite natural and even critical that retailers think this way...otherwise, turn off the lights and close the door. If we are not ready with special gift items for these life cycle events, we won't be around long enough to see those events next year.
Yet we need to inspire ourselves to think about what is on the mind of the person buying that gift. I think I may have remarked in an earlier post (and if I didn't I will now) that we have seen an upsurge of people pulling out all the stops for baby's 1st birthday. At first it seemed a little odd since baby won't even remember that day.
As you know that day is really for the parents, the grandparents, the friends who are snapping photos, watching in anticipation for baby's first taste of birthday cake. We need those moments in our lives and we need to be celebrating every occasion we can, bringing every ounce of our spirit and joy to even the smallest occasion.
Every time I attend that 5th grade graduation, there is a point in the ceremony where I find tears in my eyes. I know it is going to happen, so I put a piece of tissue in my pocket, ready at any instant to dab away at those tears.
I simply love watching those 10 and 11 year old kids, in their cap and gown, squirming around in their chairs, checking out their fingernails, swinging their legs under the chair. I watch their parents, now days, with their Iphones and their Ipads, taking pictures, videotaping their child's special speech and receiving the diploma. I think back to the 5th graduation of my child. I cried the entire time, not out of unhappiness. However I am still not sure why I cried, even to this day I really don't know. It was special, it was a relief, it was the first and last time that my daughter would be an 11 year old, graduating from her elementary school.
So I am taking off the retailer's hat for a time and reflecting on how important these occasions are. Marking them with a gift is terrific. Marking them by being there is the most important thing in the world.
Monday, April 27, 2015
There's Nothing Better Than Being A Mother!
I can't think of anything better than being a mother. I am sort of an accidental mother, whose baby was a bit late (10 months....I am so sure of that) and my baby was a little bigger than some. Now my baby is in her mid-30's and she is fun, sharp witted, creative, theatrical, mostly kind to others and a smart cookie!
I also think that being a mother never stops. I give my advice, I suggest and sometimes insist that my baby do certain things. I believe I have to be a good example for her my whole life, not just while she is growing up. I believe that I am a mother, not her best friend and yet we can share all sorts of experiences and ideas, just like friends do.
I don't have a Facebook account; however if I did have a Facebook account, I wouldn't want to "friend" her. I think she needs some privacy and giving her that would be a good thing for her and for me.
I miss my mom. There are so many things I didn't ask her and so many experiences I had which I didn't share. I try to imagine what my mom would think about certain things, but I really don't have the answers.
I do remember the special moments my mom gave me and the opportunity I had towards the end of her life to give her as much of my time as I could.
Everyday should be Mother's Day. We designate one day out of the year to honor our Moms and one for our Dads and our Grandparents. And that is a good thing. It reminds us to let our family know how important they are to us.
What about a Daughter Day or a Son Day? I would be in favor of that. Not to idolize our children, not to pamper and pet them, to put them in an Ivy Tower. Rather to remind ourselves that we did something really right with our lives....we raised a child and left a legacy for ourselves and our families.
I also think that being a mother never stops. I give my advice, I suggest and sometimes insist that my baby do certain things. I believe I have to be a good example for her my whole life, not just while she is growing up. I believe that I am a mother, not her best friend and yet we can share all sorts of experiences and ideas, just like friends do.
I don't have a Facebook account; however if I did have a Facebook account, I wouldn't want to "friend" her. I think she needs some privacy and giving her that would be a good thing for her and for me.
I miss my mom. There are so many things I didn't ask her and so many experiences I had which I didn't share. I try to imagine what my mom would think about certain things, but I really don't have the answers.
I do remember the special moments my mom gave me and the opportunity I had towards the end of her life to give her as much of my time as I could.
Everyday should be Mother's Day. We designate one day out of the year to honor our Moms and one for our Dads and our Grandparents. And that is a good thing. It reminds us to let our family know how important they are to us.
What about a Daughter Day or a Son Day? I would be in favor of that. Not to idolize our children, not to pamper and pet them, to put them in an Ivy Tower. Rather to remind ourselves that we did something really right with our lives....we raised a child and left a legacy for ourselves and our families.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Pancakes and Maple Syrup Jelly Bellys
OK.
I am taking a poll.
The latest flavor of Jelly Bellys is reported to be Pancakes and Maple Syrup. I happen to really love Maple donuts, so this doesn't sound too bad to me. However, Draft Beer Jelly Bellys, a recent release from Jelly Belly did not hit the top of the charts. Although a sweet taste, I couldn't find the beer flavor in the bean.
Then out came Champagne...do you sense a pattern here? Champagne has done a little better, but the results are not in. The one great thing about Champagne Jelly Bellys is the wonderful color of the bean.
We are wondering why Jelly Belly didn't come out with Bacon Beans. Having been through a couple of years of bacon flavored candies, it would seem a natural for a jelly bean.
I do want to share a little story about Bean Bozzled. If you haven't heard of that game, it is distributed by Jelly Belly. We carry it and the refills of the Jelly Bellys for the game.
Someone reported that they played the game at work and one player had to eat the Skunk Jelly Belly....do you get the picture? Not only did it taste really awful, but the smell of it permeated the room. Unfortunately that player had a conference meeting shortly after and we aren't sure if he got rid of the Skunk smell.
The Candy Biz has a lot of memorable moments....bet you hadn't thought about that!
So let me know what you think of Jelly Bellys unusual flavors.
I am taking a poll.
The latest flavor of Jelly Bellys is reported to be Pancakes and Maple Syrup. I happen to really love Maple donuts, so this doesn't sound too bad to me. However, Draft Beer Jelly Bellys, a recent release from Jelly Belly did not hit the top of the charts. Although a sweet taste, I couldn't find the beer flavor in the bean.
Then out came Champagne...do you sense a pattern here? Champagne has done a little better, but the results are not in. The one great thing about Champagne Jelly Bellys is the wonderful color of the bean.
We are wondering why Jelly Belly didn't come out with Bacon Beans. Having been through a couple of years of bacon flavored candies, it would seem a natural for a jelly bean.
I do want to share a little story about Bean Bozzled. If you haven't heard of that game, it is distributed by Jelly Belly. We carry it and the refills of the Jelly Bellys for the game.
Someone reported that they played the game at work and one player had to eat the Skunk Jelly Belly....do you get the picture? Not only did it taste really awful, but the smell of it permeated the room. Unfortunately that player had a conference meeting shortly after and we aren't sure if he got rid of the Skunk smell.
The Candy Biz has a lot of memorable moments....bet you hadn't thought about that!
So let me know what you think of Jelly Bellys unusual flavors.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Tulsa, My Home Town
Today I've been thinking about how much Tulsa has changed over the years I have lived here.
The hospital I was born in (Burne Memorial...I think that's the spelling) has been torn down years ago and in its place at 15th and Peoria is a restaurant and a funeral home!
My best friend, Betty and I used to take the bus downtown on Saturdays to "shop". We really had no money to spend but it was so much fun to wander around in Vandervers and Dorothy's and eat lunch at Nelson's. It was safe, we felt like real adults and even if it was hot and stuffy, we didn't care.
I remember buying my Mom a blue glass ash tray. My Mom didn't even smoke but blue was a favorite color of hers and I thought it would be so pretty sitting on her dresser.
Then Southland Shopping Center was built at 41st and Yale and we could just walk up the hill from our house and go shopping. Brown Dunkin was my favorite store. I could look around in that store forever and if I really, really needed a party dress or a girdle (oh, yeah!), I could ask the sales lady to call my Mom and see if she would agree to let me charge it to her account.
My sister loved TG&Y and spent a lot of time in that store. And sometimes we would eat lunch in Walgreen's...oh yes, Walgreen's and we thought we were really something if we ate there.
Here we are again, talking about all the shopping, the hotels, the PAC, the Brady and Cain's....Pearl District, the Blue Dome....on and on, the blossoming of downtown Tulsa.
Tulsa, you've come back around. You've rediscovered downtown and I for one am really glad that we are no longer digging up Main Street, one year it goes south, next year it goes north.....
The hospital I was born in (Burne Memorial...I think that's the spelling) has been torn down years ago and in its place at 15th and Peoria is a restaurant and a funeral home!
My best friend, Betty and I used to take the bus downtown on Saturdays to "shop". We really had no money to spend but it was so much fun to wander around in Vandervers and Dorothy's and eat lunch at Nelson's. It was safe, we felt like real adults and even if it was hot and stuffy, we didn't care.
I remember buying my Mom a blue glass ash tray. My Mom didn't even smoke but blue was a favorite color of hers and I thought it would be so pretty sitting on her dresser.
Then Southland Shopping Center was built at 41st and Yale and we could just walk up the hill from our house and go shopping. Brown Dunkin was my favorite store. I could look around in that store forever and if I really, really needed a party dress or a girdle (oh, yeah!), I could ask the sales lady to call my Mom and see if she would agree to let me charge it to her account.
My sister loved TG&Y and spent a lot of time in that store. And sometimes we would eat lunch in Walgreen's...oh yes, Walgreen's and we thought we were really something if we ate there.
Here we are again, talking about all the shopping, the hotels, the PAC, the Brady and Cain's....Pearl District, the Blue Dome....on and on, the blossoming of downtown Tulsa.
Tulsa, you've come back around. You've rediscovered downtown and I for one am really glad that we are no longer digging up Main Street, one year it goes south, next year it goes north.....
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