Say Uncle

Let’s see if this works. Maybe if I create a mantra at the beginning of this post, I’ll successfully achieve a modest goal. Okay. Here it goes.

I’m going to keep this short.
I’m going to keep this short.
I’m going to keep this short.

Last night I organized an Official Yelp Event at Uncle Sam’s Chocolates in Latham. It’s a Schenectady institution, famous for butter crunch, that has opened an Albany County outpost. We had Albany Distilling Company there, Barkeater Coffee Roasters, and Hudson-Chatham Winery too.

For two hours, anyone who had a Yelp profile (complete with profile picture) and who submitted an RSVP request for the event, had free rein over all of the delicacies on display in Uncle Sam’s cases.

There’s only one thing that could go wrong.

It turns out that I was having such a good time catching up with old friends and meeting new people, that I didn’t have a chance to sample half the things I wanted to try. Seriously, I watched on social media as Stephen roasted his beans the day before the event. And I didn’t get to try a cup of his pour over? And Dominique brought her Paperbirch dessert wines, and I only got to try one!

Harumpf.

On the plus side, I did get to eat my fill of butter crunch, which is freaking fantastic. And I got to try the one thing that might possibly be better than butter crunch. That’s salted black licorice butter crunch.

Holy cow.

If black licorice isn’t your thing, you might hate this. But, for all the adults (and Europeans) out there who know the awesome glory of salted licorice, you’ve got to get yourself down to Uncle Sam’s pronto.

I wasn’t as crazy about the chocolate covered salted licorice caramels. I thought they could use more licorice flavor. But the licorice butter crunch was incredible.

Whoa.

I’m really not much of a candy person. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. But this product is going to send me back to Uncle Sam’s during those periods of time when my diet allows.

You know the best part about being a black licorice lover? Usually, people don’t eat your candy.

Okay. Now you’ve been told. And I think all in all I kept that pretty short. Maybe I’ll see you tonight at The Food Pantries for the Capital District Harvest Evening event? Tickets are available at the door. Yelp has a silent auction item that’s delicious. Since it’s harvest season, I put together an apple basket with apples, apple brandy from Harvest Spirits, a Yelp flask, and a couple of shot glasses.

Before I go, just one more note of thanks to everyone who came out and made last night’s Official Yelp Event such a rousing success. Cheers.