If you’re not quite ready for all the pumpkin spice hubbub, can we at least embrace caramel season? Also associated with fall, its stickiness and texture really lends itself to success as a cooler weather treat. Spring and summer fruits may be gone, but caramel is here, patiently waiting for our devotion.
And we’re not talking about those cheap-o caramels that sit in candy bowls or get tossed out at Halloween. We’re talking about premium caramel, the stuff made with real cream and butter. We’re talking about Carson’s Caramels.
Carson’s Caramels is a mother-and-son operation based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. It makes caramels in a jaw-dropping variety of flavors. Some of its flavors are intuitive, such as Sea Salt, Coffee, Bourbon and 18 Year Single Malt Scotch. Others are less intuitive. Those options would include Pineapple, Licorice or Peppermint.
The Sea Salt version seemed like an obvious starting point for exploration, but we inexplicably grabbed Banana (blame careless shopping). And while Banana is surely absolutely the grossest taffy flavor ever made…
It makes a dang good caramel.
No lie. Disappointment turned to delight, turned to evangelism. Everyone should have banana caramels! Each one is wrapped in a thick, waxy paper that untwists with a single pull to reveal a pale golden treasure of rich, buttery cream and sweetness. And there’s a pleasant little hint of banana. As for the sticky element commonly associated with caramel, Carson’s version is really more smooth than sticky. That’s a mark of quality, to which the ingredient label testifies: heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and butter make up the base for the treat.
Pricing starts around $15 for an 8oz bag, but can go up to $25 for the liquor-infused versions. You can score your own Carson’s Caramels (try. banana.) through local gourmet grocers or its online store at carsonscaramels.com.