What the Fudge?

June 17, 2015

We were so busy this week we almost forgot to post our blog and say Happy National Fudge Day!  Since it was National Fudge Day (what a perfect day to celebrate!) and since we have so many new follower’s we’ve decided to repost our popular blog The Origins of Fudge.  

Have you ever wondered where fudge came from? Is it American or French or Canadian? What exactly is it that sets fudge apart from other candies?  And why do we love it so much?

We at Chocology like to know everything there is to know about the products we offer. Since Chocology acquired Fat-Ass Fudge in early November, we thought it might be fitting to do a bit of research about the history of fudge. While we know all about the makings of fudge, since we make it in the Chocology kitchen, we weren’t quite sure about the origins of this sweet delight. So, we set out to do research and of course, when we learn something new, we like to pass it on to you.

Every story about the beginning of fudge differs a bit but it seems that it may have started in the late 1800’s in a women’s dorm room in the United States. Here’s the picture we envision:

Several women hover around a stockpot simmering on a hot plate in a dorm room. One of the women, currently enrolled in a taffy making class, stirs the pot as the others take in the aroma. The taffy student is working diligently to perfect her caramel for class the next day. Another woman stands by the door as a look out, lest they get caught cooking in their room. She whispers, “They’re coming!” The women quickly put out the fire and hide the pot behind the rocking chair.

When the coast is clear again, the taffy student stirs and stirs but realizes the caramel is a flop. They have failed to get the temperature hot enough!

Dismayed that the ingredients were now wasted, they dipped their fingers in to see what the concoction tasted like. To their delight, it was delicious! They called their new discovery “fudge”, to identify it as a mistake. The taffy student takes her fudge to class the next day and a new product is born.

We will probably never know exactly what happen that night in the dorm room. But we do know that the first fudge was sold at a Baltimore grocery store in 1886 for forty cents a pound. In 1888, Emelyn Hartridge obtained the recipe for fudge. After selling it at an auction at a Vassar College, fudge became the newest popular confection. The desire for fudge spread to other women’s colleges where new and improved recipes were developed.

The ladies in the dorm room were only two degrees away from their caramel. Lucky for us, the pot got turned off too quickly resulting in the fudge recipes we enjoy today.

Fudge is generally made by mixing milk, sugar and butter and then heating it to 240 degrees. The mixture is then blended with chocolate and beat while it cools to obtain a creamy, smooth consistency.

Over one hundred years have passed since the invention of fudge. The recipes have developed over the years and now we have access to thousands of interpretations of that first mishap. Experimentation with ingredients has yielded us the many varieties of fudge that we enjoy today.

Our Fat-Ass Fudge is made with goats milk,  goats butter, sugar and the finest Belgian chocolate available. We then mix it with other quality ingredients to bring out the most decadent taste imaginable. A lot of care goes into our recipes; attention to detail, temperatures and fine ingredients are strictly followed. We think this makes our fudge one of the best on the market.

We hope you will give our Fat Ass Fudge a try. With prices starting at $10 you can’t go wrong! Choose from Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate with nuts, Dark & White, Peanut Butter fudge, White chocolate and White chocolate with nuts and our latest creation… Cappuccino. There’s something to please everyone’s palette! And keep checking back. We are in the process of developing new flavors to add to our fudge line in the months to come.

Plus we are proud to announce a collaboration with the following non-profit organizations who pull on our heartstrings:  Back on My Feet, PA, Operation Freedom Paws, Caterina's Club, Pathways to Peace, Maritime Explorium.  To sweeten the pot even further, you can help. . . simply by eating our Fat Ass Fudge!  Chocology will donate $1.00 from every fudge order ($2.00 for orders over $50.00) to one of the above charitable organizations using their code at checkout..

We would love to hear from you when you try our fudge. Be sure to comment here or visit us on Facebook and let us know if you think this is the best fudge ever!

Here’s some of the feedback we’ve received so far about Fat Ass Fudge:

Linda, My fudge arrived today.  I am more excited than a dog with two tails.  I have eaten a lot of fudge in my day, but nothing like yours; it’s DIVINE!

I hoarded it for Thanksgiving but will buy more for Christmas to share with family members.

I can't get over how GOOD your chocolate tastes - every other chocolate maker's chocolate I have tried over the past ten years has been just awful - lots of sugar, no chocolate. 

So glad you have taken over this company and are experimenting with additional varieties, also.  However, your dark chocolate with nuts is TOPS with us.

The white fudge was incredible. Appearance and fragrance much better quality than other companies and it melted so deliciously "white" on my tongue.

Hi Linda - Owner and Maker of Fat Ass Fudge that I could easily become addicted to ...Your fantabulous fudge arrived on Thanksgiving morning by carrier messenger ... And it has totally changed my desire for chocolate!  I had almost forgotten how delicious - truly fresh and rich chocolate can be - I LOVE IT!!!  I LOVE YOUR CHOCOLATE!!!

Wishing you our loyal followers a happy belated National Fudge Day.  Enjoy!

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