Corporate Gifting

Several years ago, I wrote a blog about my job responsibility of employee recognition. Along with this task, I was also responsible for finding the perfect holiday gift to recognize our customers and thank them for our business partnership.

I really enjoyed this part of my job but was surprised each year by the difficulty of the task. I am a highly skilled shopper with YEARS of training – just ask my husband. So finding something that expressed appreciation AND would be valued by the recipient should have been a piece of cake piece of chocolate.

The difficulty was finding a gift that contained a quality product, looked festive, and could be enjoyed by many staff members, rather than a single business contact.

Van Otis offers several corporate gift options in their gift guide that will relay your company’s sincere appreciation. Each option contains handcrafted confections and/or Van Otis’ cashews and popcorn, wrapped in elegant and festive packaging. You can check out your options at www.vanotis.com or stop by the retail shop in Manchester to place an order.

End of the World

December 2012 marks the conclusion of a b'ak'tun - a time period in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar which was used in Central America prior to the arrival of Europeans. Some interpretations suggest that the 2012 date marks the end of the world or a similar catastrophe.

Are you preparing for major devastation on December 21, 2012? If so, you may want to inventory the supplies in your Y2K bunker.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the jokes contrived from this concept. I especially like the irony that Dick Clark passed away during the year without need for a Rockin’ New Year's Celebration.

I know it’s not nice to make fun of people’s beliefs, but I figure this is a safe one. If I’m wrong, there won’t be anyone left to point a finger and say they told me so.

You still have time to sample all the great handmade confections at Van Otis Chocolates before December. Start with their famous Swiss Fudge and then head straight for the truffles. Don’t forget the wine and liquor-filled chocolates, the chocolate-covered popcorn, or the Van Oreos. And be sure to devote an entire day to their amazingly creamy fudge.

Actually, with all that Van Otis has to offer and only seven months left, you’d better hurry!

Don't Sugar Coat It

According to the American Diabetes Association, a total of 23.6 million Americans had diabetes in 2007. That’s 8.0% of our total population. Even more concerning is the statistic that 57 million people were diagnosed at that time with “pre-diabetes”. It’s pretty clear that without health improvements gained by diet, exercise, and/or medicinal intervention, this population is going to give that 8.0% a big bump - and not for the better.

What a chocolate buzz kill.

Thankfully abstinence from the pleasure of sweets isn’t the only option for those who are combating or hovering near diabetic conditions. Sugar-free options exist and even better news, REALLY GOOD sugar-free options exist.

Bypass the dust-covered bags of chalky chocolates hanging on the store-chain pegs and head to Van Otis Chocolates in Manchester, NH or http://www.vanotis.com/ for some sugar-free treats. They offer many of their hand-made confections in sugar-free form.

You can enjoy novelties such as their award-winning Swiss Fudge, Cashew Clusters, Coconut Clusters, Almond Butter Crunch, Macadamia Caramel Patties, Cashew Caramel Patties, Almond Bark, Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Almond Butter Toffee, Milk Chocolate Raisin Clusters, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties, Orange Sherbet Creams, Vanilla Butter Creams, Black Raspberry Sherbet Creams, Maple Walnut Creams, Raspberry Jellies, Orange Jellies, Milk Espresso Truffles, Mint Truffles, Meltaways, Peanut Butter Truffles, Black Raspberry Truffles, and many more!

Sweeeet. (Sugar-free, of course.)

Merry Easter

Every year businesses try to beat the competition by offering seasonal items earlier and earlier. Any New Englander who has ever tried finding a swimsuit in July can attest to this fact as they maneuvered through the Halloween costumes to the summer clearance rack.

We’ve been eating Easter candy since early January. We’re a marketer’s dream being sucked into the vortex of brightly colored packaging during this gray season. I think subconsciously we believe this ritual will hasten spring, only to discover that Mother Nature isn’t a retailer.

When the Easter holiday finally rolls around, we’re challenged with finding candy that hasn’t been a regular pantry item. Thankfully shops like Van Otis Chocolates offer unique homemade creations that allow us to step outside of the familiar retail landscape and find something special.

Chocolate Fountain of Youth

About two years ago, our family purchased a residential-sized chocolate fountain. It seemed a bit indulgent at the time but has become a big hit at friend and family events. It’s not unusual for invitations to request our attendance, as well as our “fifth family member”, the fountain.

At the fountain’s début, I set it up at the kids’ table and prepared a more “sophisticated” dessert for the adults. The kids were in awe. With their little backs facing the adult crowd, we began an unintended game of “red light/green light”. An adult would inch toward the table. A child (now looking more like a short Charlie Chaplin) would sense movement and turn around. The adult would stop and offer “help”. The child would refuse, and the adult would be frozen in their red light spot.

I no longer prepare a second dessert item when the chocolate fountain makes an appearance.

It only took one experience with cheap, big-box store chocolate to realize that quality chocolate is required. Good chocolate yields a beautiful flow or “curtain” that becomes a buffet table centerpiece. It also produces that warm, creamy coating that you’d expect on your dipping item. Chocolate purchased at a store that also sells car batteries, forces the fountain to gurgle and plop the waxy concoction. Waxy is also an accurate taste description. It’s a big disappointment; one we haven’t repeated.

You are guaranteed to impress a crowd at your next event by replacing that frosted cake with a chocolate fountain. Just be sure to establish dipping rules to avoid confrontations. Adults can be very childish when it comes to chocolate.

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

Quick…What’s the first thing you think of when you smell bread baking?

Extensive scientific research regarding the connectivity between smells and tastes to memories is available at the click of a mouse. You could dissect articles about olfactory neurons, odorant receptors, and neurosciences…snore… The fact is, smells and tastes evoke memories, and generally those memories evoke an emotion.

In this age of virtual reality, are we denying ourselves an opportunity to create sensory memories? I admit this is a heavy topic for a confectionary blog; but, consider the memory created by meeting a friend in a “chat room”. You missed an opportunity to smell a cup of coffee and see a real smile, rather than just a :0)

Van Otis Chocolates originated in 1935 and today, resides at 341 Elm Street in Manchester, New Hampshire. For over 75 years, devoted patrons have held strong memories associated with the shop’s smells, tastes, and sights. These “kid in a candy store” memories occur at age 5 and 65 because an early association was developed.

Do you have a Van Otis memory related to Easter bunnies, Swiss Fudge, or roasted cashews? Do you remember the feeling of being surrounded by display cases filled with sweet, vibrant, textured treats? Share your sensory memories with us and stop in to create more!