Will 2011 Be the Year of the Artisan Caramel?

Tamara Palmer

​Between our recent discovery of vegan agave nectar caramels from Napa's OCD Sweets and bumping into San Anselmo's CC Made caramels, a new family-run business from cousins Cassandra Chen and Emily Hou, at Bi-Rite Market, we're sensing a surge in the caramel category by local candy makers. We're glad, since a caramel is a wonderful vehicle for so many of the same flavor enhancements now common in truffles and other bonbons. CC Made proves it with bitter sea salt and pink Himalayan sea salt caramels, which have a beautifully rich texture. Chen and Hou make caramel corn, too, and are planning to unveil a line of sauces in the spring.