Do you love Vosges Chocolate? Do you like free stuff? Well, we just got a tip via twitter from Vosges. They were teasing the twitterverse about a free chocolate event tomorrow, and we poked them until they gave in. In what they are calling a "random act of chocolate," Vosges will be giving away free mini exotics bars tomorrow from 7:30-9 AM at Union Station. They have over 3000 bars to give away. Go get yours! more ›

We're suckers (no pun intended) for a good candy shop. Which is why when we saw the sidewalk sandwich board for Amy's Candy Bar when wandering around Ravenswood (text: Keep Calm and Have More Candy) we pestered our companion until we got to stop. What can we say? Something about candy stores make us act like children. more ›

"I want to demystify the art of making truffles. It's not that complicated!" On that reassuring note, I began a truffle-making class with Katherine Anne Duncan, founder of Katherine Anne Confections. I'd visited Katherine before, and been impressed by her truffles, dipped caramels and other goodies - but things have moved forward for her company. No longer working out of a shared kitchen, Katherine now has her own, dedicated space in Logan Square where she can produce truffles and hold classes and events. I joined other truffle novices, rolled up our sleeves and got busy. more ›

Check out our favorite new products from Sweets and Snacks Expo. "Removable" gum! Baby Bottles filled with Xylitol! Caffeinated Sunflower Seeds! more ›

Serious Eats certainly has some creative writers. This year, to celebrate Easter, they have started what they call "Peeps Week" - interesting culinary and artistic monstrosities made out of peeps. There is Peeps Yoga, a Peeps Bouquet, and then the entry that warms our nerdy gamer heart - The Peeps of Catan. All you need to play our favorite boardgame is about 10 boxes of peeps... and, well, all the cards. It may not be practical, but it's fun to look at. Plus, if you were unhappy that the blank tile you turned over happened to contain ore, you could just eat it. The entry has instructions and more pictures - now we're just thinking about ways to convert this into a birthday cake. more ›

Valentine's Day is a contentious holiday. Some love it while others detest it, and these feelings are usually contingent on who accompanies us on any particular February 14th. I asked the Chicagoist foodies to tell me their favorite things about Valentine's Day, defined however they liked. Single, coupled, fine dining or home on the couch - these are our favorite. Caitlin prefers wine to chocolate, Minna is annoyed by American V-Day, John likes trashy heart-shaped candy. If you have a great story, add it in the comments. more ›

Want something a bit more interactive for your Valentine's Day celebration? Oh, get your head out of the gutter - we meant food! Logan Square Kitchen is hosting a special Valentine's Day pastry market on February 12th and 13th. Rather than surprising your loved one with chocolates and cakes, why not shop for them together and support local business at the same time? Some great vendors will be there, including: more ›

Almost everyone loves to get candy for Valentine's Day. Some people may object, complaining that your gift will ruin their diet. They are lying. Buy them candy anyway. This year, buy candy from two of Chicago's best local candy makers - truffle truffle and Katherine Anne Confections. We're well acquainted with the decadent products from both companies, and their offerings are sure to get you a Valentine's kiss. more ›

When we last saw our jelly beans, they were just sugar-coated gel centers. After another rest period, the trays head out to the next stage of the process - coating. If you were to cut a Jelly Belly in half, you'd note that it formed in layers, with an inside gel layer and a hard candy coating. The hard candy coating is added by hand, in giant rotating drums. more ›

It's every kid's dream to get loose in a candy factory. We've toured lots of candy makers, pastry kitchens and storefronts, but we'd never been inside an actual, full-scale candy factory before! Even better, it was a Chicago factory for a product we really love, Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. We've been enamored of these many-flavored lovelies since our childhood, when we used to buy them at movie theaters to get the best bang for our buck. We were thrilled when Bill Kelley, Vice President (and 4th generation candy maker) agreed to show us around the plant. The plant is not open to the public (unlike Jelly Belly's other plants), so it was a special experience. more ›

Ah, S'mores. The evocative treat of childhood. Memories of mosquito bites, fire pits, burning marshmallows and late-night firefly hunts swirl through our heads at the very mention of the word. We've experienced lots of S'more-based concoctions over the years - restaurant desserts, microwave s'more kits, chocolate-covered marshmallows - but none has come even close to the wonder that is Truffle Truffle's hand-made S'mores. You've never had anything like these flavors - how about a root beer float S'more? Or mocha? Or, for the foodie adventurers, a black truffle S'more, using marshmallows with truffle honey and black truffle shortbread? more ›

Every year, Chicagoist visits the Sweets and Snacks Expo at McCormick Place. Every year, our friends whine and cry about how they have always wanted to go, how it reminds them of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and how they can't understand how we don't have to be carried out on a stretcher. And every year we try to explain that while lots of candy expo is tasty and wonderful, there is also a dark underbelly of horror. Friends, read and beware - these are the worst candy products of 2010. more ›

• More on the Scott Cohen fiasco as his divorce papers have surfaced.
• The Chicago Reporter examines if residents who live near rail yards face an increased risk of cancer. [via]
• Officials discovered and recovered a vehicle from the Chicago River earlier today.

British candy maker Cadbury agreed in principle to a $19.5 billion offer from Kraft Foods. The news comes two weeks after Kraft sold its frozen pizza business to Nestle and proposed the authorizing of up to 370 million shares of stock to sweeten an offer Cadbury previously called "derisory." more ›

The key to being a writer is simple: you just do it. more ›

Booze-flavored lollipops, of course! Lollyphile, an online independent candy boutique, offers amazing hand-made suckers in some amazing flavors. Feeling like The Dude? Try a White Russian. Wanna explore your tough side while eating candy? Try the dark, smoky/sweet Bourbon lolly. more ›

Every Halloween we’re treated to warnings from media, police and elected officials about “suspicious” candy handed out by nefarious adults. If you’re not afraid to ask strangers for candy yet, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to more than 30 years of perpetuated myths about poisoning. The Tribune reports the DuPage County Police department will assuage public fears this year by using its high tech crime lab facilities to test suspicious candy local residents drop off. [Ed's Note: No word if this extends to religious literature, like that a neighbor used to hand out to us instead of candy. Jerkstore... - M.G.] more ›

Classes are back in session, which gives us the perfect reason to tell you about Lamar Holley's newest album. Confessions of a College Student is an "autobiographical one-man pop-musical" according to its album cover. If Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman had ever reteamed for a followup to their 1970 masterpiece, and made a concept album about higher education, it might have sounded something like Holley's record. It has Newman's love of ragtime and bittersweet melody, and intertwined vocal arrangements like Nilsson. more ›

We saw a lot of familiar faces at this year’s All-Candy Expo, which took place at McCormick place last Tuesday-Thursday. While we saw lots of cool products that made our mouths water, the most striking thing about Candy Expo always seems to be the sheer number of unspeakable horrors that make it onto the market. For each and every one of these products, whole teams of people had to agree that it was a good idea - an image that makes us scratch our heads in wonder. We’ll be profiling some of the better candies (especially local ones) over the coming weeks and months. At the opposite end of the spectrum, unmediated by PR gloss and returning for a second year , come the WORST products of 2009. more ›

Our friends at the Tribune and the University of Chicago Magazine know what Easter is really all about: the candy. The two publications recently held contests revolving around a particular Easter sweet that is near and dear to our hearts: PEEPS®. more ›

On our recent visit to Provenance Food and Wine, we mentioned that we picked up a box of Das Carmelini salted caramels. We liked them so much that we contacted the owner to find out more about this local candy company. Das Foods, created by Katie Das in 2006, started with a line of gourmet cooking and finishing salts. While we’re sure the salts are amazing and delicious, we’re much more excited about CANDY. more ›