Confection Affection

On this week’s show, we indulge our sweet tooth with the help of some influential dessert makers. We visit the Swiss Confectionery, a family-run bakeshop that’s been in business in New Orleans for almost a century. Their custom-made delicacies are fixtures at New Orleans weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations.

Then we learn the rich history of Goetze Caramel Creams, which originated in 1895 as the Baltimore Chewing Gum Company. 123 years later, and CEO Mitchell Goetze has plenty to talk about. 

Next, Elna and Suzie Stokes invite us into their Vieux Carré candy shop, Leah’s Pralines, where the sweet aroma of candy wafts through the shop from copper kettles.

We also visit the Elmer Chocolate factory in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. With a heritage that reaches back to 1855, Elmer Candy is not only the oldest candy maker in Louisiana, but one of the oldest in the nation. Their state-of-the-art machinery and innovative ingredients, however, are far from dated.