INSTAGLIMPSE
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
TRICK OR TREAT: ADULT EDITION
A sweet-tooth Halloween calls for an elevated assortment of confections. The sad candy bowl at work – a graveyard of stale Krackels and fossilized candy-corn pumpkins – simply won’t do. To whom it may entice, there’s a better way to satisfy your affection for confection on the festive weekend ahead. We’ll be dressing things up with Vivienne, a fiery cherry bonbon dosed just to our liking. And Zak, smooth and hazelnut, awaits for when it’s time to snuggle up and get cozy.
Samantha Putman, a Bay Area-based sustainable food aficionado, recognizes that Halloween candy is hardly just a kid’s game. Over the past five years she’s spent in the industry, she’s sampled thousands of treats from vendors near and far, from production scales massive to micro. Putman has not yet had a chance to wrap her mind around To Whom It May’s cannabis chocolates, but as the type to always have a well-stocked candy jar, she’s offered to share a few of her favorite non-infused confections for a sublime (and dare we say sophisticated) All Hallows’ Eve.
Mikakuto Tokuno Japanese Milk Candy
My fiancé and I first tried milk candy when we were doing research about a Japanese sweets line for a gourmet grocery in North Carolina. There are several types of milk candy on the market, and they’re all vaguely ice-creamy, not too sweet; over the years, we’ve tried at least 30 variations. This one is easily the best. Made with milk from Hokkaido—considered the “Wisconsin” of Japan—it lasts the longest, is the richest in flavor, and tastes like real vanilla.
Laugh if you want, but I love these; they’re exactly like what I imagine a cartoon red apple would taste like.
These amazing caramels from Boston are made with single-malt scotch. When you bite into one, you’ll get this awesome, rich, smoky, peaty taste. They’ve got an almost sour characteristic to them, along with a beautiful scotch flavor that never goes too sweet.
Salted licorice is, shall we say, an acquired taste. But living in Denmark, which I did in college, you learn to love it. For the newbies out there, this is a good one to start with: it’s soft, and not overly salty. (Some brands out there are so strong that you’ll need a glass of water afterwards!) Lakrids is smooth without being overly pungent.
Shawn Williams is a great confectioner in the Bay Area. Aside from being a sweet guy, he makes a bunch of nut-covered treats that are all delicious. The chai spiced almonds are the standout. Not too spicy, not too sweet, not too chocolatey, these are perfect for pairing with a stout beer.
This lavender toffee is insanely addictive. It’s made with flowers local to California, which I love. Unlike a lot of toffee, this stuff won’t get stuck in your teeth. The flavor is highly flowery, and stays away from being overly sweet—you can totally taste the lavender.
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And what would Samantha like to try the most from To Whom It May?
Zak.
“I like to think that peanut butter grows up to be almond butter. It’s mature and subtle, but still has that stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth, swap-you-some-goldfish-for-your-sandwich kind of vibe. Yes, I’m an adult and yes, I do like smoky, refined confections. Now give me my candy. Mom said I could have a piece.”
Photo: Feve Chai Spiced Almonds
Photo: Nosh This Lavender Crack
SWAY ON
