Julie’s Corner Store in Lacon, Illinois isn’t your typical candy shop. In fact, it’s not a candy shop at all. In addition to fudge, the store sells everything from antiques to reproduction tin toys to tools (I saw sandpaper for sale!). You can bet the fudge is just as interesting as the store.
Julie’s uses fresh ingredients and real butter and cream. I got a nice review pack from them with a variety of flavors: chocolate peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla praline, orange creme, and chocolate mint. The box reminded me of something you’d get at a beachfront candy store, the kind of place that has hand-pulled taffy and seafoam candy.
Here’s a breakdown of the flavors:
Chocolate peanut butter: I started with this one because I thought it would be my favorite. I love peanut butter, and I love chocolate, and so of course I love the combination of the two! Sadly, this fudge was next to the chocolate mint, and it took on the minty flavor, so I couldn’t really taste the peanut butter or chocolate with any intensity. The flavors are quite mild, and the peanut butter lacked the strong nutty flavor that I like. The peanut butter tasted a little waxy, in fact. The overall texture was nice, though – soft and creamy like a really thick, thick frosting.
Chocolate: I basically tasted in a clockwise pattern, which meant chocolate was next! I expected this to be the base flavor upon which I would judge other chocolate-oriented fudge, but I was wrong. The chocolate flavor wasn’t particularly strong. The texture, again, was nice, like a velvety brick of chocolate, but in order to even taste chocolate I had to really concentrate. Since the chocolate was also touching the chocolate mint, the chocolate carried an undertone of mint.
Vanilla Praline: When I was a kid my best friend always ordered Pralines ‘n Cream ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I could never understand why, and I don’t think I even really knew what a praline was. This vanilla praline fudge boasted a firmer texture than the chocolate fudge. It was basically vanilla fudge with a center layer of a caramel-y praline fudge. The top was drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with chopped pralines. My first bite was reminiscent of caramel corn. The vanilla flavor is on the mild side, with the caramel and pralines in the forefront. This fudge was tastier than I had anticipated, but it’s quite sweet, and a little goes a long way.
Orange Creme: So while my friend ordered Pralines ‘n Cream, I got orange sherbet. Every single time. So, yes, I also loved those little cups with half vanilla ice cream and half orange sherbet and yup, Creamsicles (or Dreamsicles, depending on where you live). This fudge replicates the Creamsicle flavor quite well. It is much sweeter than a Creamsicle, but the vanilla and orange flavors are pretty distinct and make a winning combination.
Chocolate Mint: I like chocolate and mint together, but it is usually my last choice. Because the mint essence of the chocolate mint fudge seeped into neighboring fudge, I figured the mint flavor in the chocolate mint fudge would be very strong and completely overpower the chocolate flavor. I was wrong! The mint, oddly enough, seems to enhance the chocolate flavor, and I believe the chocolate flavor was strongest in this combination (even stronger than in the regular chocolate fudge!).
If you’re a fudge lover, it would definitely be worth your while to try the fudge from Julie’s Corner Store. Just remember to keep an open mind, because you may find yourself liking some unlikely fudge flavors best!
Fudge – I’m not a fan. Although I will say that when we lived in Chattanooga, J and I giggled maniacally at the “Fresh Fudge” sign at the little store down the street from our house. Yes, we are ten year old boys.
Love this place, btw.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:49 pmTry the Snickers Fudge! – To die for!
July 9th, 2009 at 12:37 pm