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Update #24: The candy is shipping (and a few more notes and stuff)
Sorry about being off line for a while. You know when the smoke escapes from the computer chips, the compter stops working. I wonder how they get the smoke in there in the first place.
1. We had some issues with the candies (they are solved so read on). I was using a traditional recipe making invert sugars with acids. I wanted everything to be as period as possible. The candies after a week or two glued themselves together. I was fighting with this making lots of candy that ended up being unsuitable to ship. We moved back to a more modern recipe. It has worked great and they taste great. I found out later the way they made the old recipes work is by adding borax. It's a bit poisonous, so I thought I'd avoid doing that here.
2. Although the rollers cleaned well, some proved to be unusable. Interestedly these often were the ones that were in the best condition. Talking to an expert (see next point) it ends up that some of the roller designs were just hard if not impossible to work with.Those rollers would have been kept, but would not have been used (since they did not work) and as such did not end up with any ware. :)
3. The generosity for this project that has poured out from all sides has been humbling to me. It was not just here on KickStarter. You may remember that I said if I got this equipment I would end up with the 2nd or 3rd largest collection of these rollers in the country. Well I had some luck. Warren and Jill Schimpff the owners of Schimpff's Confectionary, who has the largest collection of these rollers came down for a visit, to help and to trade skills. The Schimpffs do have an advantage. Their family got this equipment when they started making candy back in the 1870's. Warren has spent his whole life working with this equipment. There were never any books on how to use these drop rolelrs properly. Back in the day you would have learned from the traveling sales man or another candy maker. Warren is the caretaker of everything know about these machines, he is a wonderful man and a fount of knowledge. He was a huge help and very generous with his experience and knowledge. He seemed tickled that some young guys were continuing his tradition. I think he was a bit worried about the skills getting lost, and our project here has put him at ease. In any event, this happend a few weeks back, and things got much easier for us. Some of the nectar candy we are shipping out was made by Mr. Schimpff with assistance from Wes. Check out the photo of him working with Wes. If you ever get to Jeffersonville Indiana, check out his shop. I hope to get there later this summer
4. The candy is now made, it has been tested and does not stick in sealed bags. For that matter it is also now packaged in the resealable bags and labeled. Boxing will happen tomorrow, and about half the candy will go out tomorrow (Friday, May 4th, Star Wars Day ... you know May the 4th be with you), and we hope the rest will go out by Tuesday. T-shirts will ship separately. I hope to have them out in a few days.
I'm sorry for running late. I figured that the candy making would be the easy part after the restoration. I guess I did not know as much as I thought I knew here, or at worst was trying to be smarter that I should have with old recipes. As I said there is a learning curve, and it was a bit steeper than expected. In any event everything tastes great.
I hope you will all like the candy as much as we enjoyed making it.
The only thing we could not ship was the peanut butter and jelly candy. It's great when freshly made, but storage and shipping issues prove it needs more work. In a mix bag everything gets sticky and tastes like peanut butter. It's still a lot of fun when we eventually master it, but that mastery is not for today. Keep an eye out on pd.net for when we get this problem solved..
You are going to love the nectar candy. The flavor is amazing. I'd love to see posts about your thoughts on this, at least to make sure I'm not deluding myself.
Once the candy gets to everyone I invite all of you to follow Lofty Pursuits on Face Book, and Public Displays of Confection there too. Also look for us in the June issue of Southern Living.
Thanks again for all the support, and the patience. I'm sorry this took longer than I planned.
Update #23: Another piece of History.
Yesterday a box arrived from the person I got the equipment off. It was a bunch of stuff he thought I'd enjoy. Mostly old add clippings for Mullanes. But the heavy bit was this plaque. It was given to Mullane's for their 100th anniversary, in 1948. Yes, that was 64 years ago. I just thought that this was cool.
-GReg
Update #22: Candy Update and Southern Living
We have been making candy, and we are getting close to shipping. Sorry it is taking longer than we thought. We've had some distractions. Good ones mind you.
Among them is Southern Living. They are doing an article on us for the June issue, and they spent most of a week ago monday shooting for the article.
They shot our candy making and our soda fountain.
We've also had some issues with a few of the rollers. Some wear was not obvious, and this means a few rollers are not doing what we wanted.
We made the Nectar candy. And we've made a bunch more. All we are waiting on now is for more bags to come in so we can seal and ship them. I still think we can get them out by the end of the month. I'm sorry it is taking a few weeks longer than planned.
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Perfectance on March 22
Shhhh, I don't want to know. I want it to be a surprise when we get the candy.
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Update #21: Photo of rollers
One of our sponsors here named Erik (thanks Erik, sorry I missed you at the shop) posted this great photo of the rollers on display in the store. We should have the candy finished and start shipping them next week (fingers crossed). It's raining hard today and tomorrow, and the humidity makes the candy stick to the rollers, so we like to use that equipment on dryer days. All polished, oiled and restored.
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Jennifer Bailey on March 21
Have you sent off the candy yet for Backers? Haven't heard a thing lately.
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Update #20: Candy is in production!
Sorry I've not been updating lately. I've been traveling doing trade shows and talks. The talk in NYC was actually in a bit of the South Street Seaport museum. I did not realize that until I was there. I actually was in that building a while back for an exhibit on the port of NYC during 9-11.
I even had a KickStarter backer of ours show up. Thanks (wave). I hope the talk was ok :)
So far we've made Berry Mix (Blue Berry, Raspberry and Blackberry) in the shapes of the berries. Clovers in lime, Hearts in Cherry, an abstract pattern in Nectar, and (wait for it) we did the Peanut shape as a filled candy. The candy is grape flavor, the inside is filled with a thin stream of peanut butter. WOW! it worked great. I'm going to make sure there is some of this going out the reward packs.
Here are some photos of us using the equipment we just got making the peanut shaped filled candy.
Wes is feeding the blob of hot filled candy into the machine. Uri is in charge of cranking the machine and cutting the candy. I (Greg) am guiding the candy and moving it to cool in a way that helps prevent distortion. One little machine and three operators.
Once they cool down, they get "dropped" and they break into pieces. Very cool, very fun, very tasty!
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This project successfully raised its funding goal on February 4.
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A Lofty Pursuits pin-back button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $1, International add $2 to pledge amount)
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CANDY: I hear you humming "I want Candy" under your breath. Well we have it. A 1/4 pound bag of assorted flavors of candy made on our Victorian equipment and a button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $3, International add $5 to pledge amount)
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MORE CANDY: A 1/4 pound bag of assorted flavors of candy made on our Victorian equipment and a 1/4 pound bag of our assorted image candy and a button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $4, International add $6 to pledge amount.) We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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CANDY AND GOODIES: A 1/4 pound bag of assorted flavors of candy made on our Victorian equipment and a 1/4 pound bag of our assorted image candy, as well as a Lofty Pursuits Soda Fountain "Don't be a Jerk, leave it to the professionals" T-shirt & a button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $8, International add $11 to pledge amount.) We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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A CANDY CANE CHRISTMAS: An assortment of 20 of our hand made candy canes delivered during the first half of December, as well as a 1/4 lb bag of assorted candies made on these Victorian Rollers, a 1/4 lb bag of our assorted image candies, and a button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $20, International add $30 to pledge amount). The Victorian Candies and Image Candies will ship in March, the Candy Canes in December. We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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SEASONAL CANDY: Two 1/4 pound bags of assorted flavors of candy made on our Victorian equipment, two 1/4 pound bags of seasonal image candy (Your choice of assortments, St. Patricks Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years), two 1/4 pound bags of our variety pack of our image candy, 6 of our amazing Candy Canes (to be shipped in December), as well as our T-Shirt & a button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount) The seasonal candy will ship about two weeks before the holiday in question. We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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IMMORTALIZED ON A PIECE OF VICTORIAN CANDY EQUIPMENT: You will have a thank you plaque attached permanently to our Cullums Candy Cooler, which is one ton candy table made in Hartford CT way back in 1881. Considering that this equipment has been around for 130 years and is going nowhere fast, your name should be visible for quite a long time to come. Your help will be visible to all who come in and watch candy being made. You will of course also get two 1/4 pound bags of assorted fruit drops from the rollers we get and two 1/4 pound bags of assorted image candy, a button, as well as a photo of the staff here bowing down to your plaque. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $10, International add $15 to pledge amount.) We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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FAME FOR YOUR NAME: You will get to help design and add a sundae, soda or float to the Lofty Pursuits menu. You will control the name, but we do require this name to be family friendly. When you come visit Lofty Pursuits in person, we expect you and your party of up to 4 to try your creation as part of this thank you. You will also get two 1/4 pound bags of candy from the new rollers & 4 buttons. We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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CUSTOM IMAGE CANDY PARTY: A candy party for 10 with ice cream for everyone, where we make a custom batch of image candy with your art or text in it, custom designed and made by hand by our candy master Wes Raley. Approximately 8 pounds of custom candy will be packaged in 1/4 pound bags with custom labels. If you can't come to Tallahassee, we will custom make the candy for you and ship it to you. This level also includes a bag of assorted candy from the Victorian Equipment, the t-shirt and button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $20, International add $30 to pledge amount). We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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IMMORTALITY ON ICE: No, not cryogenics. We will help you achieve immortality via ice cream. You get to help us design and name a custom flavor of ice cream that we will produce. Your name and flavor will be sold at Lofty Pursuits, in Tallahassee, FL sometime in the spring. If you are local, you will be invited to a flavor release party where you will get to enjoy your flavor and take home four pints of it. If you are not here (but live in the 48 United States) we will overnight ship in dry ice four pints of this flavor for you to enjoy at your own home. We can not ship this outside the 48 states. We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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A BAG OF EVERYTHING WE MAKE: A candy party as listed above and a bag of every shape of drop roller candies from the first batch of candy produced on each roller set when they are restored. The drop roller candies will be shipped as the restorations are complete over a two to six month period. This should be a total of 25 different designs (19 new ones, 6 we already have). This will amount to about 15 pounds of candy as well as well as our t-shirt and our button. Includes shipping within the US. (Shipping to Canada please add $30, International add $40 to pledge amount.) We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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WE BRING THE FOUNTAIN TO YOU: We have a portable soda fountain, possibly the only one out there. It is a converted 1950's soda fountain and it works great. We will bring our soda fountain with its taps loaded with 10 gallons of seltzer, 10 gallons of root beer, 12 gallons of ice cream, syrups, toppings, cups spoons, all that is needed to make everything from a root beer float to a New York egg cream to a sundae. We have a limit of a 5 hour driving range with this battle ship. (Heck, it weighs 800 lbs fully loaded), and there are some location needs. (We need solid flat surfaces to move the equipment.) And if an over night stay is required, we need a place to crash, but short of that, you will have the best ice cream party on the go, with us at your doorstep. We will even provide a soda jerk in full uniform to serve the ice cream. Not to leave out the candy, we will bring a few bags of the hard candies so you can see and taste them in person. This can, of course, be combined with the "immortality on ice", in which case we'll bring 3 gallons of your flavor of ice cream for your party. (Limit 5 hour drive from Tallahassee, contact us if you need a little more drive time. Range is limited, and the hotter it is, the shorter a drive we can make without the ice cream melting. Look at the specs on the Lofty Pursuits web site for more information. Exact time of event will have to be arranged with us in advance. Should be used by September 2012 unless otherwise arranged. We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
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HAVE US BRING THE CANDY MAKING TO YOU: We have a portable candy making rig that allows us to make some of this candy on the road, at your store, house, trade show booth or at a party or wedding of your choice. If you want it, we can do it. Our portable rig can fit on an airline (Two boxes, one with overweight charges) and we can make some of our image candy, or our Victorian machine candy wherever you want. This thank you only includes the staff, equipment and time. You will have to provide transportation, a place to stay, help in acquiring common ingredients locally (mostly sugar), two 20 amp circuits for us to plug our cooker and heating top into, and a heat proof, preferably stainless, table for us to use. One again, contact us for more information. Exact time of event will have to be arranged with us in advance. Must be used by September 2012 unless something else is worked out in advance. We will also add your name to a public thank you list of sponsors and helpers on our Candy Museum site that will be up this summer.
Project By
Connected as Gregory Cohen (428 friends)
In 1993, Gregory Cohen founded Lofty Pursuits a brick and mortar toy store that is a spin off of his mail order firm. Over the years he has grown the toy store to include Victorian candy making and a proper soda fountain. He has been quoted for expertise in toys, ice cream, soda fountains and candy at various times by The New York Times, The Washington post, The Wall Street Journal, ESPN the Magazine and on Voice Of America. The candy canes we make were featured in Time Out New York this past holiday season. Greg grew up in Brooklyn NY in the 70's when the last of the small soda fountains still thrived in that city. Since 1986 he has lived Tallahassee, Florida. He is married and has a daughter. He strives to preserve the NY egg cream. He likes his life.
Just firmly stuck together, but not sticky. Thank you for giving me the chance to participate in your project!
Thank you for supporting it. The fact it is not sticky tells me it was heat exposure, not an issue with the candy making. Hmmm ... another shipping issue we need to learn to get around.
-GReg
Received our box of goodies yesterday! The flavors are incredible and refreshing compared to modern candy flavorings. Our candies were not sticky, just lightly stuck from shipping. A quick shake of the bag and they were all free, individual pieces again. We shall keep www.pd.net in mind come the Holidays for unique treats. Thanks for the opportunity to help out, amber.