Wow, we are 4!

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We’ve been making caramels for fun for generations, but we’ve been making caramels for you for four years!  Time flies when you’re stirring stirring stirring!

To celebrate we’re giving our logo, packaging and website a little update. You may experience delays during this time and for that we apologize.  The Christmas season drained all of our supplies so it’s time to reorder, and we thought  if we were going to do that we might as well step things up a notch!

Please use promo code WEAREFOUR up until May 30, 2017 and help us celebrate our anniversary!

Thank you for loving our caramels as much as we do!

 

 

 

Keep It local and Shop for Christmas at the Holly Jolly Food Boutique – Dec 5 2015

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Please join us for an afternoon of shopping, sipping and sampling at this annual event featuring artisanal food producers from all over New England. Get unique holiday gifts or prepare for your feast! Enjoy a wide variety of locally made baked goods, cheese, jams, relish, oils and vinegars, caramel, fresh produce, dog treats and much much more. Admission is FREE.

Can’t wait to see you there at the beautiful SAGE INN P-town!

Caramels de Bouchard in Danvers Herald

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Thank you to our friend Myrna Fearer for putting in a little blurb and great picture of us at the North Shore Food and Gift Emporium, run by the incomparable Jessica Alves of Salem.  We had a fantastic time making new friends and creating new Caramel Addicts!

Thank you to all of our friends who stopped by our booth too, it was great to see you!

Caramels de Bouchard featured in NORTHSHORE MAGAZINE

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Screenshot 2014-10-22 09.32.40

“La Pointe”, Salem, Mass – birthplace of Caramels de Bouchard

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This morning on social media I found a great article about the Franco-American history of Salem, Mass that I thought’d I’d share.

It was in the very neighborhood, “La Pointe”, that is featured in this article, that “Caramels de Bouchard” took its roots (we actually lived on Perkins St, if you can find it on the map, and my grandmother lived on and around Lafayette St).  Many residents will remember our grandfather’s pharmacies, “Poussards Pharmacy”.  One was the corner of Lafayette and Harbor St, the other  the corner of Lafayette and West.)  In fact, many locals who try the caramels for the first time, are instantaneously reminded of the caramels their grandmothers made. When I ask them where they lived, they all will say “The Point!”.  I often think of these ladies as I stir and wonder if they might have made them all together, as they are such a time-consuming enterprise.  I can imagine the scene, it’s Christmas, and aside from knitting items for the St Josephs Christmas Fair, they would be making caramels to give friends or, frankly, just leave in candy jars around their own houses.  Somebody would be cutting the wax paper to wrap, somebody cutting, somebody wrapping, somebody stirring… everybody speaking French. 🙂 It would be a very familiar scene…except in recent years we were definitely (and sadly) speaking less French.

The caramels only came out at Christmas though, and all the Franco-American families seemed to make them, at least from what I have heard from others who also lived in La Pointe.  As a family, we’ve been continuing this tradition for decades up until now, and I have to admit – it is a but odd smelling the buttery rich smell of caramel in July!

It is in fact my favorite moment, when somebody tries them for the first time, and they close their eyes and exclaim “This reminds me of my youth!!!”

Here’s the article:  http://salem.wickedlocal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Start=1  I look forward to finding the stories these ladies are documenting!

Enjoy!

Caramels de Bouchard an Event Sponsor for the Styled.Home Design Event at Glen Magna

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We were delighted to be an event sponsor for Coastal Window and Exteriors Styled. Home Design event at Glen Magna in Danvers on March 12.  Stephanie at Coastal had designed a stunning event at the recently redesigned Glen Magna Farm, one of the area’s classiest venues for weddings.  Featured experts included Designer Bath, Landry & Arcari, Farrow & Ball, lucia lighting & design, yvonne blacker interiors, Tile by Design and L.M. White Architectural Designer.  Event sponsors included Karla Cassidy Designs, Lasting Impression Catering & Events, PSP Imports and Bonne Bouche Caterers.  We were certainly in good company!

Read this fantastic blog posting by Jen Migonis, who gives us a create account of the evening!

Thank you again to our friends at Coastal Windows and Exteriors for this fantastic opportunity!

http://www.migonishome.com/2014/03/styled.html

“My Cherry Amour” featured in DINNER DEALERS for Valentines Day

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Yet ANOTHER stroke of creative genius by the amazing JESSICA ALVES!  Be sure to watch her AMAZING video!  You go Jess! xx

Get your caramel on at Ladies Night Out – North of Boston

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You don’t have to be a lady to get your caramel on this Thursday night at the Marvin Design Gallery on 114 in Middleton.

From Wellness to Jewelry, Gifts, Lighting, and more – there’s something for everyone at the largest Marvin Showcase on the North Shore.

We will be there along with

  • Atlantis Wellness Center
  • Lucia Lighting
  • Flowers by Konstantina
  • Ocean House Surf Shop and Cafe
  • Mason & Madison Gifts
  • Bowen Work
  • Silpada Jewelry
  • Woody’s Cyclery
  • Mannersmith
  • Cakes for Occasions
  • Dancing Sand Bottle Etching
  • Circle Furniture
  • Marybeth’s Day Spa
  • Mary Kay Products
  • Tesoro Jewelers
  • Boston Fitness North
  • Pam McKee Keller Williams Real Estate

There will be keynote speakers – silent auction items – wine and light hors d’oeuvres and all evening’s proceeds to benefit the American Heart Association Go Red For Women.

Thursday February 6, 2014 from 5-8

Marvin is located at 239 S. Main Street, Middleton, MA 01949 (rte 114)

See you there!

CARAMELS DE BOUCHARD FEATURED IN EDIBLE BOSTON!

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It’s hard to believe that this “thing” that I set out to do just to “see” if anyone might be interested has taken off  so fast.  In business for just 10 short (and very FAST) months, we were featured today in one of the area’s leading foodie magazines, Edible Boston.

And I have northshore magazine to thank really.  During 2013, I have had many photography assignments for my favorite magazine, northshore.  One day, I was photographing a woman who had a fabulous home-based cookie business “Batterup Bakery” who’s cookies were going to be featured in an upcoming issue.  We started talking about food, and home-based kitchens, my caramels, cookies… and I remembered I had some caramels in the car, so I brought some in to share with her.   I brought her cookies to a chamber of commerce meeting I was heading to and we exchanged messages here and there afterwards.

Well a month or so later Deb messages me asking how I would I like it if the caramels were to be featured in Edible Boston?  An accomplished lawyer and baker, Deb has always wanted to be a writer, and she had just started to work for Edible Boston.  They asked her to pitch five ideas, and she remembered my story and pitched it as one of the five.  They loved the story, and here we are.

It was quite bizarre to be on the other side of the lens when their photographer came to take my picture.  She was at least ten years younger and half my size, but we were nearly mirror images of each other: brunettes, jeans, black t and cardi, black danskos, and – nikon girls.  So we had a great photoshoot, I’m sure it took longer than it should have – we had fun!

Many people have asked why on earth did I hide behind that frame! But it was important to me that my grandmother be featured. This wouldn’t have happened without her recipe.  If my mother had been able to take the day off work, I would have had her in it too, as the idea for selling them was always hers – it couldn’t have been further from my mind!  I just came to the conclusion one day that I had all the elements and gave it a whirl.

The link to the article is here  :  http://edibleboston.com/caramels-de-bouchard/

Enjoy!

Focusing on LOCAL in 2014

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We are so lucky to live in a community wear supporting local business is important.  Jessica Alves is one local businesswoman who is on a mission to perpetuate the shop local mentality.  If you have not heard of DINNER DEALER you are in for a treat.  Her Dinner Dealer decks are not only gorgeous to look at, but feature coupons to wonderful  locally owned restaurants and businesses.  People are Loving these decks of cards.  They keep them in their purse or car and make use of them all year round.  Couples are using the cards for date night – pick a card honey, let’s go somewhere new!  It’s a fun way to try all the new local eateries.

Read about how our Caramels were featured in the 2013 Holiday Gift Pack and what 2014 is going to bring for Dinner Dealer and our local community here https://www.dinnerdealer.com/dinnerdealer/focusing-local/.

And be sure to LIKE Dinner Dealer on Facebook to keep up with all of Jessica’s awesome offers and featured videos.  She’s one talented mom-to-be!

Thank you Jess for including Caramels de Bouchard in your Dinner Dealer gift boxes!  You rock!