Season's Sweetings: A Sampler from Willamette Valley Confectionery

A while back, I wrote about some sweet treats I enjoyed from Willamette Valley Confectionery. Well, apparently this was a great idea, because they not only took notice but decided to send me a big ol' sampler of their holiday offerings. Thanks, dudes!

I'm so excited to tell you about the joys that came my way via priority mail. When I opened up the package, here's what I saw: 

First up was the "Basket of Cranberries", pate de fruit cleverly packaged in a berry box. 

I have to say, these candies surprised me. Usually sweet and not much else, pate de fruit has a reputation of underwhelming me. But these ones, with the tartness of the cranberry, were a far more interesting thing to eat. Next up were the barks. Peppermint and Oregon Hazelnut, to be exact. The Peppermint was a very nice version of what has become a holiday classic. Very well executed--I'd call this one a people pleaser and a good gift idea.

But given my personal preference for nutty chocolates, I found the hazelnut bark disappeared far quicker when in my kitchen. Deep dark chocolate with toasty nutty hazelnuts--sign me up as a lifetime fan.

I thought the bark had been bitten, but there was yet more to be had. For cleverly packed in a carton...

Was some very tasty white chocolate hazelnut cranberry bark! Once again, the tartness of the cranberry was very nice against the super-sweet white chocolate, and the hazelnuts are always welcome, in my book. This was a little bit different but quite tasty. There were a few other little gifty items that would be cute for Christmas stockings, such as the "Apple Pie" pate de fruit, which is shaped like a mini pie and has a spicy, pleasant flavor:

and the "naughty and nice" sugar plum and candy coal packs:

I've got to say, this was a HIGHLY delightful parcel to receive, and everyone with whom I shared the spoils of my sweet treasure agreed, they'd be happy to be gifted by Willamette Valley Confectionery again. 

Luckily, even if you're not in Oregon, they'll ship to you--find them online here.