Dave Beer - Chocolatier!

Last Minute Chocolates!

2010-12-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Wingnut Fans,

Boy is December moving at light speed! We've been busy around the clock, handcrafting delicious organic & fair trade confections for your holiday and we'd like to get them to you. If you're planning on ordering through our website - www.wingnutconfections.com, you'll need to place your order by Midnight, December 15th. After that, our web store will be closed for the remainder of 2010.

If you're in Portland and looking to score yourself some Wingnut Confections, you have a few options between now and Christmas! Besides local stores carrying our treats, you can also find us in person at the following events...

Wednesday, 12/15 & 12/22 - People's Farmers Market, 2-7pm (SE 21st & Tibbetts)
We'll have an assortment of all our truffles, including the seasonal Western Red Cedar and Quince Jellies. And on the 22nd, there will also be a Last Chance Holiday Craft Fair upstairs in the community room inside the co-op.

Saturday, 12/18 - Food Front NW, 12-3pm
We'll be sampling our truffles, candied hazelnuts & toffee at Food Front Co-op's NW location. Stop by and say Hi, and pick up a box of chocolates!

And that should nicely round out 2010 for Wingnut Confections. We would like to thank all of you for your love and support and Happy Holidays to all, we wouldn't be here without you!

~ david

Here Comes Summer

2010-06-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

Wingnut Confections is back from vacation!

It only took a week in Minnesota to remind me how much Portland is now my home. Muggy, hot and humid are no friends to a chocolatier. Of course, that didn't mean vacation wasn't a great time! We got to spend time with family, meet my new (grand)niece, see some old friends, make some new ones and almost find some old ones. There were also a few days in Minneapolis, where I haven't really been much since leaving Minnesota so long ago. Amazing thunderstorms were also a bonus!

While in Minneapolis, we discovered a small candy shop just south of Lynn-Lake. Sugar Sugar is super cute! I especially loved the selection of classic licorices and other chewy delectables, as well as a great selection of fancy chocolate. It also makes me smile to see handmade, bean to bar chocolate on the shelf next to packages of Chuckles. Didn't even know you could find Chuckles outside of a vending machine! The owner was super sweet (no pun intended!) and we had a lovely time sampling and chatting about confections and Minneapolis.

And speaking of Minneapolis, the single origin, bean to bar chocolate that was next to the Chuckles is made by hand in Minneapolis by Rogue Chocolatier. Howdy-do, they sure are amazing! We tried 3 different bars, all 70% and all of different origins. The flavor profiles were simply astounding, and especially enjoyable sampled side-by-side. They do sell online, if want to check them out. I also plan on mentioning them to some of the shops in town that I know would like to carry their bars.

And now that you've heard all about my vacation, you may be wondering what's up with Wingnut Confections. Well, the website is back up and accepting orders, for one! I'll be back at People's Farmers Market today (Wednesday, 6/9), with a fresh batch of Rhubarb Rose Truffles. I wasn't going to make any more, but with it being Rose Festival and all...

Also this week, I'll be co-teaching a class on Making Medicinal Meads with Missy Rohs of Arctos School of Herbal Studies. The class is on Saturday, 6/12 at 3pm. Registration is required and due now - email Missy !

I will also be riding along with Sabrina Hicks for the Pedalpalooza Chocolatey Ride on Friday, June 18th at Noon. We'll be meeting at the NW corner of Couch Park and taking a leisurely bike ride through downtown and the close in SE side seeking out interesting chocolate. I'll have samples along in the trailer too!

I think that's about it for this week. Remember, you can 'like' us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter - where you'll get more (although smaller) updates!

~ david

Spring, Flowers, Showers, Markets & Mothers

2010-04-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

Howdy All,

Yes, its definitely spring again in the Northwest! Days of warm sun, gardening and walks followed by days of dark, rain, comfort food and snuggles. And what better to lift your spirits during those damper days than a little bit of chocolate? You know we've got you covered...

If you haven't heard yet, we have a new spring seasonal truffle to introduce - Rhubarb Rose! Packed with the tang of local, organic rhubarb and scented with luscious organic rose petals - this one will make you smile whether its raining or the sun is shining. We've got a fresh batch today at People's Farmers Market (Wednesdays, 2-7pm, SE 21st & Tibbetts) so stop on by! We'll also be delivering (by bike, of course) some to Proper Eats on Thursday. Or, you could order truffles at our website, maybe even for you Mom.

Of course your Mom would love the Rhubarb Rose Truffle! And, you know of course, Mother's Day is just around the corner. We will have our new seasonal truffle, along with all our other truffles, the Quince Jelly (while it lasts), Candied & Chocolate Coated Hazelnuts, Coconut Toffee and more available through Mother's Day (May 9th). This year, we're also offering bike delivery of your chocolate order in select areas of Portland. Don't you think your Mom would be tickled pink to receive a box of organic vegan truffles hand delivered, by bike, to her door? I know mine would!

Also, in celebration of all the Mothers out there, we'll be offering discounts on Mother's Day Bike Delivery and postal shipping for Facebook fans only. Want to know more? Stop by our Facebook page and become a fan - just click on the 'like' button on the top of the page. You can also follow us on twitter.

There's also one other event coming up that I'm kind of excited about. You'll find me next Wednesday (4/28, 6-10pm) at OMSI After Dark. Once a month, OMSI opens up in the evening to adults only, with beer, wine, special dinner menu and events especially geared to grown ups. They also invite local food companies to come to sample their wares and talk about the science of food. I'll have samples of truffles, toffee & hazelnuts as well as sweets for sale. OMSI After Dark is free for members, $10 for non-members. I'll be looking forward to getting all geeky about confections!

You probably noticed that OMSI After Dark starts at 6pm on a Wednesday. Yes, I will be leaving People's Farmers Market early on April 28th. So, if you're planning on stopping by the market that day, better come early - I'll be leaving by 5pm.

I think that's about all the fresh news. Hoping to see you all at People's Market later today!

~ david

Spring Blossoms!

2010-04-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

Spring has really been quite wonderful.
And quite full of flowers it seems! I've been surrounded not only by the multitude of blossoms here in lovely Portland, but we also got away for a trip to Southern California just in time to catch the desert in bloom. Ocotillos, Cactus, Desert Lillies and more! I'd like to thank all of our flowering friends for inspiring our new Spring truffle - Rhubarb Rose.

The tangy taste of rhubarb combined with the scent of rose petals really says spring. We will have a few of these this Wednesday at People's Farmers Market (2-7pm, SE 21st & Tibbetts). They will be available online by the end of the week.

And what Mom wouldn't love one of these? Plus, if your Mom happens to live in Portland, you could have our organic vegan truffles hand-delivered by bicycle on Mother's Day. We'll be doing Mother's Day bike deliveries in select areas of Portland, OR on May 9th only. Order online by May 5th to guarantee delivery.

We also will be sampling our sweets this Saturday at the Hollywood Whole Foods on Sandy Blvd. from 10am-2pm. Stop by and say hi!

~ david

March Madness

2010-03-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the title is a little misleading - I'm really not in to basketball. But I am in to Spring!

And its been very spring-y around here lately. Magnolias, Cherry Blossoms, Hyacinth, Daphne and precious little Violets everywhere! No wonder I'm smiling ... and sneezing ;-)

The lovely weather makes for a beautiful farmers market too. I'll be at People's co-op for their year-round market today (Wednesday) from 2pm to 7pm with the very last of the Love Truffle (not many at all - better come early), fresh vegan Coconut Toffee and more. It'll also be your last chance to get some organic vegan sweets from me until St. Patty's day. I will be taking next week off and heading to the desert for some much needed relaxation and inspiration with the one I love.

Of course, while I'm gone, you'll still be able to find our goodies at a number of local stores. You can find them listed here. And, when I get back, you might even find I have a special St. Patty's day truffle for the 17th. You'll have to come by People's Farmers Market that Wednesday to find out though ;-)

Also, due to the sucess and demand for bike delivered Valentine's chocolate, were going to do it again for Mother's Day! You'll be able to order some lovely organic vegan fair trade sweets for your favorite Mom and I'll deliver them on Mother's Day by bike. I'll have more information for you soon.

Oh, and what else do I love right now? That would be my new wool bike jersey from Wabi Woolens! Soooo soft and warm ... and local. And perfect for our damp Northwest climate! Check them out, they have jerseys in a couple of local shops and online.

Now, back to getting ready for People's Farmers Market. I hope to see you all there!

~ david

Valentine's Velocity

2010-02-10T12:28:00.000-08:00

Whew! I'm out of breath and running late.

Its getting down to the wire for Valentine's Day orders. Last day for ordering your Bike Delivered Valentine's Chocolate (Portland only). Also, Last Farmers Market before the 'big day'. We'll be at People's Co-op momentarily for their weekly farmers market (SE 21st and Tibbetts). The market runs every Wednesday from 2pm to 7pm.

You can now find our sweets in the Goose Hollow neighborhood! I just returned from our first delivery to Goose Hollow Gardens. And, guess what? They're having an open house this Thursday! Stop by, try some chocolate and check out their cute shop.

Also, this Thursday, you can catch the premier airing of The Tequila Whisperer's pairing of our truffles with top shelf tequilas. The show airs at 7pm (PST). I believe it will be archived after that for your viewing pleasure. I can't wait to see!

This Thursday is also Chocolate Fest at the Whole Foods in Hollywood. We'll be there for this passport event. It works by you buying a passport, which you take to various vendors for samples. All proceeds from sales of the passport are given to Christi Care. Come by for all the fun!

And, Food Front in Northwest will be having their chocolate fest on Saturday. We'll be there from 2-5pm with samples galore!

I apologize for the hurried post/email! I've got a farmers market to get to!

See you all there,

~ david

Valentine's Day - Bike Delivered!

2010-02-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

After finding a huge amount of interest in our Valentine's Day bike delivery offer, we've added production days and extended the deadline for ordering to February 10th! You now have until Wednesday, 10pm (on the West Coast) to order Valentine Chocolate, bike delivered. Due to the limitations of my legs and bike, this offer only applies to Portland, Oregon. You can also follow this link for more bike delivery details.

Maybe your sweetie would like some Oregon Chocolate Hazelnuts, or a pretty little package of Coconut Toffee? Of course, you could also dazzle them with an assortment of our organic vegan truffles! And, remember we use only organic fair trade bittersweet chocolate.

Valentine's Day - Bike Delivered!

2010-01-25T10:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, the rumors are true!

Wingnut Confections is offering bike-delivered organic Valentine's Day chocolates for areas of Portland, Oregon. Give your sweetie (or yourself) something special – a delicious artisan treat that’s not only fair-trade and dairy-free, but is bike-powered and local, to boot!

We will be delivering between the hours of 10am and 6pm on Sunday, February 14^th only. To have your vegan truffles, chocolates, toffee, and hazelnuts delivered by bike for this one day only, you will need to place your order by February 7^th, 10pm PST.

You can visit our website for more information and to order Valentine chocolates online.

Delivery Zones:

Zone 1 is bound by the Willamette River on the West, Holgate Blvd. On the South, Tillamook Blvd. On the North and 60^th on the East. The delivery fee for Zone 1 is $4.00.

Zone 2 is bound by the Willamette River on the West, Crystal Springs Drive and Flavel Street on the South, 205 on the East and Columbia Blvd. on the North. Zone 2 includes all of St. Johns as well as Sellwood. The delivery fee for Zone 2 is $8.00.

If you're interested in bike-delivered Valentine's chocolates in Portland, but outside the defined delivery zones, please email us! If there is enough interest in the area you'd like, we may be adding zones.

~ david

Dark Chocolate for Dark Days

2010-01-20T12:11:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, the long, dark nights of January. And gray, gloomy days ... if you live in the wonderful Northwest! There is one cure though that is sure to bring a smile to your face ... dark, rich chocolate. And if you're looking for chocolate, we got some!

Today, it's my pleasure to welcome back the beautiful Love Truffle - a delicious combination of Organic Goji Berries and Ethically Wildcrafted Damiana. If the chocolate itself isn't enough to lift your spirits, the Damiana should help! The Love Truffle can be currently found only at People's Farmers Market (SE 21st and Tibbetts Wednesdays, 2-7pm) and at our website.

The Love Truffle isn't our only seasonal offering either - we still have Sugared Quince Jellies. The taste and sent of quince feels like a warm ray of sunshine to me. We'll have these at People's Farmers Market too, plus you can order them online.

And, speaking of the People's Farmers Market, stop on by and visit today! I'll have samples of the Love Truffle and Sugared Quince Jellies cut up for you, as well as other tasty morsels. While you're there, take a look at Missy's herbal wonderland right next door. You could pick up some of her Love tincture to pair with our Love Truffle for that certain special someone. The Love tincture blends Damiana and heart warming Hawthorn. And, if you haven't guessed, she's the talented person who provides the Damiana infused vodka in our Love Truffle.

If you can't make it by market, I also have some tastings planned for a few of the local stores coming up...

Saturday, Jan. 23rd, noon-3pm ... We'll be at the Whole Foods in Tanasbourne with truffle, toffee and nut samples.

Sunday, Feb. 7th, 11am-3pm ... We'll be at the Whole Foods on Fremont with toffee and nut samples. Pick some up to enjoy at your Super Bowl party!

Saturday, Feb. 13th, 2-5pm ... Come on down to Food Front in Northwest for their annual V-day Chocolate Event! We'll have lots of samples.

Now, that brings us to the topic of Valentine's Day. If you're planning on ordering Valentine chocolates to be shipped, it would be a good idea to get your order in by Feb. 7th. If you live in Portland, you could also choose to have your order bike-delivered to you're sweetie! Yes, that's right, this year we will offer the option to have chocolates delivered by bike in a limited delivery area in Portland only. The details aren't quite worked out, but will be shortly. Ohhh, I'm excited!

Whew! That ended up longer than I expected! Thanks for making it to the end, and I hope to see you soon...

~ david

Here Comes 2010!

2010-01-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, Wingnuts!

We're happy to be back making vegan organic truffles and other luscious organic vegan treats after a restful and enjoyable week away. We'll be back at People's Farmers Market today (Wednesdays, 2-7pm at SE 21st and Tibbetts), with fresh batches of Truffles, Chocolate Coated Hazelnuts, Spiced Hazelnuts, Vegan Coconut Toffee, various Clusters and Haystacks, some Lollipops and more Sugared Quince Jellies! Stop on by and say hi. You'll also find mushrooms, winter greens and squash, local Fressen bread, tinctures and cordials and more!

Now that we're back at work, we've re-opened our webstore. You can purchase vegan chocolates at our website and have them shipped via Priority Mail throughout the US.

Also, January will be filled with demos at local stores, including...

Whole Foods Hollywood (grand opening!) on January 17th from 12-3pm

Whole Foods Tanasbourne on January 23rd from 12-3pm

And, we would like to thank the Doubletree Hotel for not only using our delicious vegan truffles for their wine and chocolate pairings, but also for blogging about us (and wonderful Sarah Hart and Alma Chocolate)!

Welcome to 2010, we look forward to spending it with you ;-)
~ david

Holiday Insanity

2009-12-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

The holiday season has come thundering in on us. We've been so busy getting ready for all the events happening this weekend, that there's been little time to keep you all updated! Finally getting a chance now, so here goes...

First off, lets talk about upcoming events. Here's a list of a few on the horizon. A lot of them are actually this weekend.

Tryon Creek Forest Gift Fair
Join us once again on December 5 & 6, 10am-4pm at Tryon Creek for their annual Forest Market, where you will find hand-crafted local gifts as well as beautiful wreaths to round out your holiday season. This event also features an all day craft workshop (both days) and a guided herbal walk with Missy Rohs of Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies. The walk takes place on Sunday 10-11:30am.

The Jeweled Feast
Industrial elegance at Highball Distillery (610 SE 10th) sets the stage for this premier event showcasing one of a kind jewelry for sale as created by Portland's own Gilded Lily Jewels. Sample artisan cocktails provided by Highball, gourmet Hors D'oeurves and locally produced Wingnut Confections alongside art and other gifts.
This premier event, on Saturday December 05, 2009 from 3-8 PM, will also feature a wide array of art for sale as well as edible gifts sure to please those on your holiday shopping list. Vendors include Gilded Lily Jewels , Zephyr , Christopher Bridge Wines, Amanda - Photographer, as well as Highball Distillery and Wingnut Confections!

The Alchemists' Bazaar
Stop by the Camamu Soap Shop (2021 SE Clinton) for the Alchemists' Bazaar this weekend - December 5 & 6 11am-5pm! You'll find Missy Rohs and her herbal tinctures, Paperwings jewelry, Lisa Kagan Designs (art prints and holiday cards), Tortoise & Hair (hair accessories), Lorien Grace (beaded jewels), our vegan & organic confections and Camamu's lovely soaps. There will also be live music by Lewis Childs.

BikeCraft V
BikeCraft is a bike-lover's bazaar that showcases local, handmade, bike-themed arts, crafts, fashion and more. This year, it will be held December 5th, 10am-5pm, at Sandbox Studio warehouse (420 NE 9th). Besides many bike-themed gifts, you will also find our organic vegan truffles, toffee, and other sweets at Portland Pedal Power's table. Remember, you can also have Portland Pedal Power deliver chocolates directly to you in the downtown area during the week - and they'll do it by bike!

People's Holiday Craft Fair
Once again, we'll be at People's Co-op Holiday Craft Fair on December 19th, noon-5pm! You'll find local, hand-made gifts both in the community room upstairs and in the courtyard in front of People's Co-op (3029 SE 21st). Look for us in the courtyard, in our usual People's Farmers Market place, with all of our delicious vegan organic sweets! Missy Rohs will also be joining us in the booth with lovely herbal tinctures and cordials.

Besides all the holiday events, we've also added a few sweet treats to our website! You can now order our Coconut Toffee online, for one. We also have a few seasonal truffles available right now. Add a Brandy Nog Truffle (think brandied eggnog, without the dairy), Fig Truffle (made with local organic figs and fresh fennel seed) or maybe a Sugared Quince Jelly (local organic quince, organic sugar and a touch of organic lemon) to your next box of Wingnut Confections Vegan Truffles!

And, speaking of ordering and holidays, remember to get your seasonal orders in early. Our last shipping date will be Monday, December 21st. We will then close down our online store until the 5th of January. Our last day at People's Farmers Market (SE 21st and Tibbetts) will be December 16th. We will be having a cozy house sale on either December 21st or 22nd, look for more info to come!

Happy Holidays, everyone!
(enjoying the chill in the air, and the lack of snow ;-)
~ david

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Its that time of the year again, when the air gets crisp and the veil between here and there gets thinner. We don costumes, hoping to hide our identities from our past. And honor those that came before us and helped make us who we are. Its also a time for treats, and tricks...

And in the treats department - we've got you covered!
We will have all our usual delectable organic vegan confections at People's Farmers Market (Weds. 10/28, 2-7pm) at the corner of SE Tibbets and 21st as well as Hollywood Farmers Market (Sat. 10/31, 8am-1pm) on NE Hancock between 44th and 45th. Plus, we will have our seasonal Fig Truffle for possibly its last week until closer to Christmas. You will of course, find some of our new vegan Coconut Toffee. And, to celebrate the current season, we will also have a limited supply of Chocolate Spiders! These tasty little treats are 100% Organic, Fair-trade Dark Chocolate. Delicious and dairy free! You can get some for yourself from the farmers markets only for 50cents each, or 5 for $2. And, if you come to either Farmer's Market the week before Halloween in costume, you might even end up with one for free (again, limited supply!)

And, speaking of Halloween, you might be able to guess what I'll be passing out to the little kiddies on Saturday night ;-)

~ david

Welcome, Fall!

2009-09-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Some may be sad to say goodbye to summer, but I must admit I'm rather happy to say hello to autumn. I'm a little bit like the chocolate I work with - I don't really like extremes in my weather. Plus, the fall brings mushrooms, changing leaves, harvests and more...

Like the Breitenbush Herbal Conference, happening this weekend at Breitenbush Hot Springs! You'll find us there with a couple of special truffle concoctions created especially for the conference. In addition to our regular truffle flavors, we'll have our Western Red Cedar Truffle as well as our ever popular Love Truffle - with damiana vodka and goji berries. We will also have our seasonal Fig-Fennel Truffle, both versions of our Candied Hazelnuts and our delicious Coconut Toffee. Of course, this conference means you won't find us at Hollywood Farmers Market this week.

Speaking of missing markets, there's going to be some shaking up of our September schedule. We, as mentioned, will not be at Hollywood Farmers Market this Saturday (9/12).

You will be able to find us at People's Farmers Market on Wednesday (9/16, 2-7pm) and Hollywood Market on Saturday (9/19, 8am-12pm).

The week after that, I will be off on a much needed bike trip to the coast combined with a lovely weekend with my sweetheart! This means we will be missing from People's Farmers Market on 9/23 as well as Hollywood Farmers Market on 9/26.

You can also find us in a number of Portland area stores. Our website has a list of locations that carry our tasty vegan organic candies!

And, I have one thought to leave you with...

chocolate spiders.

~ david

Wednesdays

2009-08-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Wednesday!

Today is pretty much a usual Wednesday for me. I woke up and drank some coffee. Packaged a bunch of chocolate truffle boxes and labeled some sacks of organic candied hazelnuts.

Then, at 9am, I was off to People's Co-op to meet the truck delivering my hazelnuts and organic raw sugar. While at People's, I helped Hermann set up for the market - a usual occurrence during the season. And he sure has some lovely stuff this week! Lots of delicious figs, some early apples and some of the last of the raspberries and blackberries. If you didn't know already, Hermann grows the tasty marion berries that appear in our truffles!

After returning from People's, I pulled the orders for today's delivery. Then, out the door to drop our scrumptious treats at various retail locations - including a new one...
Portland Pedal Power delivers lunch from various food carts directly to you in the downtown area by bike. And, beginning today, you can also purchase our truffles and other confections through Portland Pedal Power and they'll drop them off for you! Ordering lunch? Why not add a 2 piece truffle box to your order with no additional delivery charge. They're also delivering flowers too - what a lovely combination, chocolate and flowers. A perfect way to say thank you, great work, I love you, I'm sorry, congratulations... the list goes on and on!

And now, I'm showered and wrapping up typing this note. Its time to get everything loaded into the bike trailer and head back on over to People's Farmers Market (2-7pm, Wednesdays). Stop on by and say hi! I'll have organic truffles, organic candied and chocolate hazelnuts, clusters and citrus haystacks , habanero lollipops, sarsaparilla lollipops and organic vegan toffee. I'll be sharing the tent, as always, with the lovely Missy Rohs of Two Cats Botanicals. She'll have an array of tinctures and topicals to lift your spirits, calm your nerves, help you sleep, heal your bangs and scrapes and generally just make your life more spectacular!

I also have a shameless plug...
Missy Rohs, who also teaches Herbalism (Arctos School of Botanical & Herbal Studies), and Candace Larson are leading an informative and fun weekend camping trip to the east side of the Cascades at the end of August. I will also be along, cooking for you! The deadline for registration is quickly approaching, so if you're interested, please see the school's website for registration information. This is what the site has to say about the trip...

Hands-On Camping Trip: The Wild, Wild East!
Friday, August 28th - Sunday, August 30th
- with Missy Rohs & Candace Larson
Come explore the amazing medicinal plants and feathered friends of the east side of the Cascades. We'll be car camping in a rustic site, surrounded by stunning lakes and plentiful plants. Herbalist Missy Rohs will discuss the native medicines of the area; Naturalist Candace Larson will join us to teach about birds, mammals, mushrooms, and more. With luck, we'll arrive at the height of huckleberry season! Together, we'll make medicine, go on guided hikes, and get to know an oft-overlooked ecosystem just a few hours from Portland.
The camp-out is $175/person. Register with a friend, and each get a $25 discount. Dinners and fees are included. Register for this trip early - space is limited!

And if you can't make it the market today, I'll be at Hollywood Farmers Market again on Saturday (8am-1pm). You can also find us in a number of local stores.

Happy Showers...
~ david

Hot Hot Hot!

2009-07-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

As the Pacific Northwest settles in to a triple digit heat wave, chocolatiers begin to panic.

Or, they take it as a suggestion to shut down the shop and head to somewhere cooler!

So, instead of sweating it out at People's Farmers Market this week (7/29), while worrying if the cooler full of chocolate is out of the sun and whether it will even make a difference if it is in the shade - we will be heading to the mountains for a couple of days. David will be back in time for this Saturday's Hollywood Farmers Market though, with a limited selection of confections (and, of course, quiche and burritos!)

And, if you can't wait 'til Saturday, remember you can find our delicious sweets at a number of locations throughout Portland! Some suggestions would be People's Food Co-op, Food Front Co-op, Proper Eats in St. Johns, Whole Foods in the Pearl (as well as Hillsboro, Fremont and Bridgeport Village) and Alma. Stop by our website for a complete list of locations carrying our vegan organic chocolates.

Thinking cool thoughts...
~ david

Happy Summer!

2009-06-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

People's Summer Street Carnival
The summer solstice has finally brought us weather that feels like summer. And, with the arrival of the solstice, comes People's Summer Street Carnival! Once again, SE 21st will be shut down from 2-9pm today (Wednesday, 6/24) so we can flood it with farmers, herbalists, food vendors, tarot readers, stilt walkers, jugglers, bands, happy people and, of course, vegan organic candies from yours truly. Oh, and I forgot to mention - a beer garden! Stop by today and join in the fun. Try the vegan toffee. Sample a truffle you haven't had before. Pick up a habanero lollipop to suck on. Grab a bag of organic candied hazelnuts for later! Most importantly, come celebrate summer with us!

Of course, the coming of summer also means that Wingnut Confections will be taking some time off. Yay for time off! We will be skipping the Hollywood Farmers Market on July 4th as well as the People's Farmers Market on July 8th. We will be back in full swing though for the July 11th Hollywood Market! So, if you're looking to pick up some vegan sweets, stop by People's Farmers Market today (6/24) or next week (7/1). We'll also be at this week's Hollywood Farmers Market (6/27). And you can always find our confections at one of our local venues. Check our website for a full list.

New Locations
Our confections have found a couple of new venues recently too. You can now enjoy a selection of rotating organic vegan truffles while sipping a delicious malted beverage at Bailey's Taproom. Bailey's is located at 213 SW Broadway, in the heart of downtown Portland.

You will also find a selection of our vegan treats in the Pearl district at The Little Green Grocer - located at 1101 NW Northrup. The Little Green Grocer is a cute little store that focuses on local and organic consumables. Stop in and check out their store!

That's about all I have for you this week. Enjoy the warmth and sun and I hope to see you later today at the Street Carnival!

~ david

Mother's Day, 'Scratch & Dent Sale'

2009-04-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring Fellow Chocoladites!

And spring means Mother's Day is just around the corner. Looking for ideas for that perfect gift to satisfy your loving Mom? Why not a gift box of organic fair trade truffles? Or possibly some Oregon Candied Hazelnuts? Nothing says 'I love you' like chocolate (and maybe a great big hug!) If you're thinking of ordering Mother's Day gifts from Wingnut Confections, please be sure to place your order by May 3rd to guarantee availability. If you're having your confections shipped and would like them to arrive before Mother's Day, they will need to be ordered no later than Tuesday, May 5th.

This year, if you place your order online, visit our Facebook page first to find a special code. Enter this code in the special instructions for your order and we'll add 1 - 2oz. package of our brand new Coconut Toffee for free! Currently, our toffee is only available directly through us at our Farmer's Market booths. Soon, when labeling is squared away, you'll be able to find it in stores around Portland and through our Website. And, like all our other sweets, the toffee is also dairy-free.

Now, you may be wondering, what else is new?
Well, you might be able to find some of our new Coconut Toffee at our Farmer's Markets this week - I'll have limited supply.

Beside that, you will also find a selection of less than perfect Citrus Haystacks and Cherry Cashew Clusters at a discount price of $1.25/each (not packaged). Some may have lost their temper, or gotten banged up a little - but its all cosmetic, they're just as tasty! So, if you haven't tried these before, or if they happen to be favorites - stop on by and pick some up.

This week, you'll find us (as usual) at:

People's Farmers Market
- Wednesday, in front of People's Co-op (SE 21st & Tibbetts) from 2-7pm

Hollywood Farmers Market
- Saturday in the Nourishment Booth - home of the most delicious Breakfast Burrito in town! (NE 44th & Hancock) from 8am-1pm

Now, back to thinking about morels ;-)
~ david

2009-03-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring Chocolate Fans!

Spring has been slow in arriving, but I did see my first asparagus spears poking up in the garden this morning. How exciting!

We (as in I) have been rather busy too over at the Wingnut headquarters. I've been working on an organic vegan toffee, using coconut oil. I think I've almost got it ready for full time production. Not this week though, but definitely next week! Its quite tasty, with a nice coconut flavor and a hint of chipotle. Coated with organic fair trade dark chocolate and then sprinkled with toasted and salted pumpkin seeds. You can look for it on Wednesday, April 1st at People's Farmers Market (2-7pm). April 1st will most likely be the last time you'll be able to find the Love Truffle for a while too. It will be retiring to make room for a new seasonal flavor. What will that be, you ask? You'll just have to wait to see! I guarantee it will be definitely seasonal!

And I've not only been busy in the kitchen. I've also been making major updates to our website. You can now find the Story of Wingnut Confections, as well as many more photos, a lot more text and a redesigned catalog page where you can order our organic vegan truffles and confections. I'm still working on some parts of the site, do not be alarmed if a few of the photos don't match up with the item, and there may even be one or two that are missing. I should have everything done though by this weekend.

Also, there is another little scheme I'm working on for Wingnut Confections. Can't spill the beans yet, but I think its a rather fun (and a very Portland) idea.

There is also an upcoming event that I'm excited about. Once again, we will be at Tryon Creek State Park's annual Trillium Festival! The festival takes place this year on April 4th & 5th from 10am-4pm at the park, which is located just south of Lewis & Clark College and just north of Lake Oswego. Come celebrate the brief and yet beautiful return of the Trilliums, enjoy a walk in this gorgeous and valuable watershed, and shop for locally raised native plants at their annual plant sale.

Outside of the realm of the Wingnuts, I also will be co-teaching an upcoming class on Making Medicinal Meads with Missy Rohs of the Arctos School of Botanical and Herbal Studies. This class will be taking place on April 11th from 3-6pm in SE Portland. We will walk you through the process of making mead, with samples along the way. We will also be covering a number of tasty medicinal herbs that go great in mead. This class requires preregistration by April 8th, so don't delay! Visit the Herbal Workshops section of the Arctos School of Botanical and Herbal Studies website for registration information.

And, finally, I'd like to invite everyone down to People's Farmers Market on Wednesday, April 1st to help me celebrate Wingnut Confections 5 year birthday and also - my birthday! I will have ample samples of our organic vegan confections for you to try. Haven't had a Habanero Mole Truffle yet? Stop on down, say 'happy birthday' and try a sample - I'm sure I'll have one cut up waiting for you!

Ok, that all I got for you this week. Smell some violets and cherry blossoms in between the showers and enjoy the rainbows they bring. Happy Spring!

~ david

Making Mead and More

2009-03-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

Ah, I've been busy!

Mostly, I've been re-creating our website for Wingnut Confections. Not quite done yet, but working away. Look for new and improved ordering capabilities, new items, and...finally - Our Story! Yep, no kidding. Stay tuned, I'll let you know when I have it uploaded.

Also, coming up April 11th, I will be co-teaching a class on Making Medicinal Meads with Missy Rohs of the Arctos School of Botanical and Herbal Studies. This class will cover the process of making mead, a delicious fermented honey beverage, as well as medicinal qualities of herbs that love to be in mead. This class requires pre-registration by April 8th. See the Arctos School website for more information and to register.

And, if you haven't been by People's Farmers Market lately, you probably don't know that I've been playing around with a Vegan Coconut Toffee. Made with organic coconut oil, organic sugar and fair trade organic bittersweet chocolate - It's not quite ready for the stores, but close.
If you'd like to check it out, or possibly pick up your own box of vegan truffles, stop by People's Co-op for their Farmers Market. It happens every Wednesday from 2-7pm. You'll find People's at the corner of SE 21st and Tibbetts. One block north of Powell. If you can't make it there, check our website for where to find your Organic vegan truffles and canides!

Now, back to rolling those truffles ;-)

Wingnut Confections Update for Jan. 19th

2009-01-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2009!

And with a new year comes change. We've said goodbye to the Brandy Nog Truffle for the year. Soon, it will be time for the Sugared Quince Jellies to be put to bed and the Pear Brandy Truffles may also soon be on their way. I hope you all had a chance to enjoy them!

Of course, its not all loss! With Valentine's day rapidly approaching, we get to welcome back for a limited engagement...The Love Truffle! Made with organic goji berries and fresh wildcrafted damiana infused vodka, you can't go wrong! You'll get a chance to meet this one beginning this Wednesday at People's Farmers Market (2pm-7pm @ 21st & SE Tibbetts). You can also order this flavor online, but you won't find it in stores. And a big thanks to Missy and Two Cats Botanicals for crafting the Damiana Infused Vodka! She'll be back this week at People's Farmers Market with her lovely tinctures and tantalizing cordials. I will also have fresh batches of both the Habanero and Sarsaparilla Lollipops this week. And, if you're lucky, you may even get to try a test batch of vegan toffee. I've been experimenting and I'm getting close. If you stop by, just ask and I'll share a little if I have some ;-)

Also, if you're coming by People's this Wednesday, you'll want to get there early. I'll be packing up at 4pm so that I can make it to Paddy's Bar for Cadeau! Cadeau! And, no matter whether or not you'll be coming to the farmers market, you should stop by Paddy's where you can check out great gift items from the following local world friendly businesses...

Global Sistergoods
Liv and Lotus
Lucina Jewelry
Experienced Materials
Bambootique
and...of course - Us!

Paddy's Bar is at 55 SW Yamhill, and we'll be there 5:30-8pm. Come on down, enjoy a beverage, mingle some and look for the ideal special gift for your sweetie!

And if you can't make it to see me, remember you can always order online at www.wingnutconfections.com! You can also find up to date information on locations you can find us.

And don't forget chocolate loves you...
~ david

PDX MindShare Valentine's Event

2009-01-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day shopping making you sweat? Get the perfect gift (or find the gift you'd like to get) while networking and enjoying a fine beverage at PDX MindShare on January 21.

We will be joining Global Sistergoods and these other fine fair trade, eco-friendly and sustainable local businesses will be on hand to help you find just what your sweetie will love. Besides you, of course.

Global Sistergoods--fabulous, fun and fair trade jewelry, handbags... and more!
Liv and Lotus--lovely scarves and hats from reclaimed materials
Lucina Jewelry--indulgent, inspiring jewelry from fair trade gemstones
Wingnut Chocolates--vegan. organic. artisan. delicious.
Experienced Materials--creative steel lighting design. Romantic!
Bambootique--fair trade papergoods, skin care, candles, oh my!

PDX MindShare
January 21

Paddy's Bar and Grill
55 SW Yamhill

5:30 pm- 8 pm

sponsored by Global Sistergoods, PDX MIndshare and Ladies Who Lunch

Drink. Network. Shop.

Freezing My Nuts Off

2008-12-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

Its Wednesday once again, and Christmas eve to boot, and the courtyard at People's Co-op is still covered with snow! I'd like to say I have the resolve to show up for the Farmers Market this afternoon, and stand in a snowbank for 5 hours, but I don't.

There's no need to worry though if you're still looking for sweets for x-mas! I will be having an unofficial house sale at my home from 2pm-7pm today, and I live right around the corner from People's Co-op! I will also be joined by the fabulous Missy Rohs and limited supply of her lovely cordials and tinctures. If you know where I live, stop on by! If you don't and would like to come, give me a call at 971.409.0237 and I'll give you the address.

Whether you make it or not, warm and joyous holiday wishes to all!
~ david

Wintery Farmers Market Today

2008-12-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

Oh, is it going to be a cold one today at People's Farmers Market (Weds, 12/17) - but I'll still be there along with a number of other vendors willing to weather the 'arctic blast' of 2008. Although I have to say, its far from an arctic blast! That makes me think of those lovely 40 degrees below zero days in Minnesota. Now that's what I call arctic!

Slated to join me at the market today is Gee Creek Farm with a large selection of local veggies, Fraga Farm Goat Cheese, Fressen and their Austrian style breads (including Stollen!), and Two Cats Botanicals with helpful tinctures and lovely cordials - both of which I recommend! And I'll have all of our regular truffles and confections, plus our seasonal selections - Pear Brandy Truffles, Brandy Nog Truffles and Quince Jellies. There may even be a few Habanero and Sarsaparilla Lollipops left!

And I have a backup plan if the weather really is too nasty for the market today. If, for some reason, you don't find me at the market today, call me or ask at the register at People's Co-op!

Also, we have a couple of new locations carrying our sweets! You can now find our Spiced Hazelnuts, Cherry Cashew Clusters and Citrus Haystacks at Alma Chocolate (140 NE 28th). And Simply Nourishing on 24th and Broadway has a number of our selections.

And remember, you can always call us about last minute holiday gifts - we'll figure out a way to help you out!

Holiday Festivities and Flavors

2008-11-30T12:20:00.000-08:00

Are you dreaming of chocolate snowflakes? Wouldn't that be fun...

I may not be making any 'cocoaflakes', but I will have the Brandy Nog Truffle back this week! It will join our two current seasonal selections, the Pear Brandy Truffle and Sugared Quince Jellies, for the holidays. You will be able to find the Brandy Nog flavor at some of the stores carrying our confections, but you'll have to see us if you'd like to get your hands (and mouth) on the Pear Brandy Truffles or Quince Jellies.

Speaking of interesting flavors, I hope some of you were lucky enough to make it to the Forest Cocktail Party to benefit Bark! Our special Wild Elderberry Truffle, made only for this event, seemed to be quite a hit, as was all of the other delicious treats and drinks. And it was all to help raise money for Bark - who do a wonderful job helping to protect the Mount Hood Wilderness! If you'd like to know more, check out their website. And if you're interested in the possibilities of your own custom flavor - contact us! There is a minimum order of 30 truffles.

And, now that we're getting into the season, you'll be able to find us at a few upcoming Holiday Gift Fairs!

First off, is the Forest Market at Tryon Creek State Park. You'll find us in the gift shop along with other sustainable local craftspeople on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 6th & 7th) from 10am-4pm. This event also includes a Craft Workshop all day for both days where you can create your own cards and ornaments from recycled and reclaimed supplies. And, if you get there early on Saturday, you can enjoy a free guided nature walk through the park provided by local herbalist extrodinare, Missy Rohs of Arctos School of Botanical and Herbal Studies. The walk will start promptly at 10am and will take about 1 1/2 hours. You'll learn about edible and medicinal native plants while wandering through this beautiful park.
We will also be at this year's People's Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 13th from 1pm-6pm. This fair takes place upstairs in the community room at People's Co-op (SE 21st and Tibbetts). There will be a great selection of handmade crafts from local artisans at this one!

Also on the 13th, you'll be able to sample our 'wares at the Tanasbourne Whole Foods from 2pm-6pm. Stop by and say 'hi'!

And you'll always find us at People's Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 2pm-7pm, and online at www.wingnutconfections.com - where there's a full list of places to look for us. You can also stop by our Facebook page, where I'll be posting upcoming events and even some photos occasionally!

Until next time, remember that you really don't need to clean your plate before dessert...
~ david

Update for November 17th, 2008

2008-11-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome to mid-November!

Life has been a little busy in the land of chocolate. As we head into the holiday season, we will be rolling out a couple of new items...

It looks like we'll have our seasonal Pear Brandy Truffle through the holidays, which is rather exciting! It's made with local pears from Obrist Farms and Clear Creek Pear Brandy - both delicious and local. There's also a touch of cardamom, which is always quite nice with pears. This flavor will only be available directly through us via the website or markets.

And its also time for the return of the always popular Brandy Nog Truffle! Made with soy milk, brandy and spices - this one's been warming the hearts of our customers for years now. You'll be able to find this seasonal flavor starting next week at People's Farmers Market on Wednesday, Nov.26th (from 2pm-7pm), as well as anywhere else you can find our truffles - check our website for a list of locations.

When was the last time you had a lollipop? Maybe you should try one of ours! We currently have a Habanero Lollipop, made with local habanero chilies. And, yes, it packs a bit of a punch! We will also be unveiling our Root Beer Lollipop this Wednesday at People's Farmers Market (Nov. 19th, from 2pm-7pm). We use organic raw sugar and organic brown rice syrup, not corn syrup, in all our lollipops. Any flavorings are achieved through natural infusions.

Also, beginning this week at People's Farmers Market, we'll have adorable Sugared Quince Jellies! Made with local organic quince and organic raw sugar, these won't last long. But hopefully they'll be around through the holidays! You'll find these at our events and farmers markets only. We'll also, of course, have these at this week's final Hollywood Farmers Market (Sat., Nov. 22nd, from 9am-1pm). Last chance to visit us in the Nourishment booth until next year!

Not only have I been busy in the kitchen I've also been running around on my bike! You can also find our confections at a few new locations. I made my first delivery to Whole Foods in Bridgeport Village. Yes, that's Tigard. And I made the 32+ mile round trip on my bicycle! You currently find our Chocolate-coated Candied Hazelnuts and Candied-spiced Hazelnuts there. Our Truffles should be out there soon too! You can also find our confections at the Freemont, Tannasbourne and Downtown Whole Foods - look in the Specialty Foods area near the cheese counter.

Also, if you're in the Beaverton area, you can also find us at Elixir Day Spa (4180 SW 110th Ave) as well!

We also will be at a number of upcoming holiday gift fairs.

You'll find us again this year, with other local and sustainable businesses, at the Forest Gift Fair. It takes place in the interpretive center at Tryon Creek State Park on December 6th and 7th.

We will also be at People's Holiday Bazaar on December 13th. This will take place in the upstairs Community Room at People's Co-op (SE 21st and Tibbetts in Portland).

Whew! I think that's about all for now. You can visit our website to find a full list of stores carrying our sweets as well as places you can find us. And you can, of course, place an order for shipping!

And remember to eat your chocolate every day, its good for you - especially when its organic and fairly traded ;-)

2008-11-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

its the beginning of a new era. wingnut confections is now blogging! look for regular updates...