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Have A Merry “Local Chocolate” Christmas

Last modified on 2008-12-17 00:55:59 GMT. 4 comments. Top.

Are you looking for a little something extra to put in a Christmas stocking?  Maybe a unique hostess gift for a holiday party or something sweet and unique to serve yourself?

While most of our local food producers are taking a well-deserved winter break, this is the busiest season for two of our local farmers’ market vendors.  Peter Crabtree of Kingston, who sold his candy at the Bainbridge and Poulsbo farmers markets, and Bobbie Davis of Belfair, who sold hers at the Port Orchard and Silverdale farmers markets, are hard at work crafting their delectable, sweet treats as fast as they can.

Both also have on-line sales and Peter has a small outlet in Poulsbo where he sells his CBC Chocolates. Bobbie’s candy can be found at the Airport Diner, where she uses their commercial kitchen to whip up her goodies.  Even in this down economy, both report brisk holiday sales. It’s been reported that a little something sweet can lift sagging spirits or be a quick pick-me-up when fatigue starts to set in from all the holiday festivities.

Bobbie Davis began her candy business eight years ago when she and her husband retired from their own business and needed a little extra income. Husband Raymond helps with much of the cooking and sales.

“We’ve built the business by applying the same values and work ethic we did with our family business,” says Bobbie.

The candy business was named in honor of Bobbie’s deceased sister, Billie Jean Walker, and Bobbie says most of the candy recipes are old family recipes.  Their tasty English toffee recipe came from Bobbie’s great-grandmother and the divinity recipe came from her mother.

Their first product, a chocolate sucker, was suggested by a friend, and it’s still a very popular item today.  It’s available in both sugar and sugar-free varieties – a popular gift item is a festive, seasonal mug or vase containing a variety of these suckers.

“I started out with just a few molds and now I have more than 2000 different chocolate molds,” says Bobbie. “And my husband, Ray, is a big part of this – he makes all the toffee and a lot of our 16 varieties of fudge.”

This time of year, Aunt Billie gift baskets are very popular and Bobbie will work with customers to make decisions on what items (including stuffed animals) to put into it.

“Because I’m diabetic myself, I carry a big line of sugar-free candies – I think we deserve to have good sweet things too,” says Bobbie with a chuckle.

Aunt Billie’s candies can be found at the Airport Diner at the Bremerton International Airport or by contacting her at:  360-275-3893,  Aunt Billies Chocolates or www.auntbillies.com Aunt Billie’s will also be available this weekend at one final holiday fair – find them at Chimacum High School’s Arts and Crafts Fair, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Peter Crabtree started his chocolate business four years ago at age 15 as a result of taking a culinary arts class at his West Sound Academy school and needing some extra spending money.

“Part of the course was in candy making and I really got interested in making chocolates,” says Peter, who is now a freshman at Seattle University.

Crabtree’s hard work and successful chocolate-making business paid off and he says it was instrumental in helping him to land three college scholarships – with Visa, the McKelvey Foundation, and the National Federation of Individual Businesses.

Originally, he says he started looking in books and going on-line to find recipes, then began modifying them to his own taste and specifications.  His first sales were at the Poulsbo Farmers Market but he’s now also expanded to wholesale at the Town and Country Markets (including Central Market) as well as his own small retail shop.

He became particularly interested in the development of his own brand of unique flavors in artisan, hand-crafted truffles – he offers 16 different kinds. .   One of his most popular is part of a Brew Series – it’s a rich dark chocolate containing Fat Scotch Ale from Silver City Brewery.  A Wine Series of truffles, such as one containing Syrah has also been added.

CBC Chocolates also offers two barks that are especially popular this time of year – a white chocolate cranberry and a dark chocolate blueberry.  Crabtree has also expanded his line to include a to-die-for Signature Drinking Chocolate and, in his retail shop, various coffee and milk drinks are available to enjoy with your chocolate selections.

Does Crabtree plan to continue his candy business upon college graduation?  Of course, says the young entrepreneur – he’s getting a business degree so he can better manage his existing business and likely expand his lines and locations.

CBC Chocolates can be found at:  19880 7th Avenue NE, Suite 102 in Poulsbo (next to the liquor store) or the Town and Country and Central Markets; ordered on-line at www.cbcchocolates.com or through CBC Chocolates or at (360) 536-5352.