Exciting New Improvements
Every spring I get this mental image of summer in my mind: the long, lazy days, swimming and tanning and backyard barbecues… Truth be told, I haven’t had one of those stereotypical summers since junior high, ah nostalgia. But, here at Allison’s, I’ve been enjoying my busier-than-planned summer none the less. The deadline for submissions to our Tee and Tote Design Contest is drawing near and it’s fascinating to watch all the wonderful designs rolling in! Meanwhile, in the kitchen, we’ve acquired some new equipment, we’re testing some new recipes, and, believe it or not, we’re already gearing up for the holidays!
In case you’re wondering where most of our vegan chocolates have disappeared to this summer, we took a break from some of our chocolate production (while it’s really too hot to ship chocolate gifts safely anyway) and we’ve been using the time to test a few new chocolate recipes. We recently acquired a new tempering machine for our chocolate production that has helped to stoke Allison’s creative fire. Last week we even did a test of something very special, which isn’t quite right yet so I can’t say much, but was pretty exhilarating anyway.
Our vegan fudge has been the “hot” seller for the last couple of weeks, especially in the form of Fudge of the Month Clubs. Our clubs keep your sweets pantry stocked, make gift-giving easy, plus they have the added bonus of giving you a discount on everything you order as long as your membership is active. With amazing flavors like Apple Pie and Peppermint Velvet, what’s not to love?
While doing some “summer cleaning” we also discovered that we had a backlog of your love letters that we’re finally getting around to publishing in the form of product reviews on our website. Have you tried our goodies recently? You, too, could be among our famous fans. Tell us what you think below, or on our Contact Us, Facebook or Twitter pages. We’d love to hear from you (and if you include a picture of yourself, we’ll be especially grateful)! 
Looking Forward to: Spring Flavors
2010 was a busy year around here, what with testing all the new oat flour versions of our vegan cookies and brownies as well as creating our new line of salted caramels and brittle. 
But, life in the vegan fast lane is never dull, so with monthly club shipments done for the month, we’re hard at work again perfecting the two final vegan cookie flavors to be transitioned to oat flour: Butterscotch Pecan Cookies for March, and Coconut Key Lime Cookies for May. April’s Amaretto Almond Brownies will be the final brownie flavor to make the switch as well.
As far as fudge flavor highlights for spring, here’s what we’re looking forward to: Vanilla Chai white fudge in March, Peppermint Velvet fudge in May, and Sour Cherry Chocolate fudge in June. Let’s enjoy our way to warmer weather!
Four Reasons to Love Our Vegan Fudge
Does vegan fudge sound intriguing to you? We know it certainly intrigues us, especially since it’s a compassionate treat we can feel good about eating, it arrives in trays big enough to share, freezes well for up to three months, and comes in a delectable variety of exciting flavors. If you’re interested in being delighted by some of this awesomely creamy vegan fudge, you may be interested in our fudge of the month club with twelve decadent flavors like Peppermint Velvet, Sour Cherry Chocolate, and Apple Pie.
Minty and Mocha Monthly Flavors on the Way
Today we shipped this month’s flavors of vegan cookies, brownies and fudge to all our monthly club members, so if you’re in the club, check your mailbox. 
But if you’re not a club member that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on these awesome flavors. You can easily order this month’s Mint Chocolate Chip vegan cookies, Mocha Wheat-Free Brownies and Peppermint Velvet Fudge on our website. Happy monthly munching!
Chocolate Enjoyment 101
Here at Allison’s, we’re proud of our organic fair-trade chocolate. Not only does it help small farmers in developing nations earn a decent living, it also supports the environment and encourages more small farmers to grow organic crops for their own health and the health of the planet. Plus, it’s quite simply the best chocolate we’ve ever tasted.
In products like next month’s Peppermint Velvet Fudge, where fair-trade chocolate is one of very few ingredients, the quality of our chocolate really shines. This isn’t watery, waxy, overly sweet commercial chocolate. Excellent chocolate is like great coffee or fine wine, its tastes are deep and rich, it has sweet and bitter notes in perfect balance, and it’s best enjoyed slowly, with complete focus and all five senses. So, for those of you receiving our chocolates as a gift or our fudge in your monthly clubs next week, Bon Appétit!
Summer’s Fudge Flavors
We have some really outstanding fudge flavors coming up this summer and I want to give you all a sneak peak so you can start planning your picnic menus.
Our flavor of the month for May is Sour Cherry Chocolate, a pucker-liscious combination of chocolate and fruit that tastes just like chocolate springtime!
June’s fudge flavor will be Peppermint Velvet, a smooth chocolate fudge that’s as delicious as it’s name and a great fair-trade gift for mint lovers everywhere.
Apple Pie fudge, coming in July, is an especially exciting variety of white fudge complete with pie spices and apple chunks just in time for the height of summer.
If fudge isn’t what you’re looking for, our chocolates also make excellent fair-trade gifts.
Compassionate Gift Giving
If you’re anything like me, you like to give meaningful gifts that not only make someone’s day, but also make you feel good about supporting businesses and causes you believe in. One way I accomplish this is by purchasing fair-trade gifts of chocolate, tea, or coffee which support fair wages and decent working conditions for farmers and laborers in the countries that grow and process these commodities. My fair-trade gifts not only support humanitarian efforts around the world, but my friends and loved ones also get to enjoy really delicious desserts. It’s a win-win situation! 
For complete peace of mind, try buying vegan and fair-trade to support compassionate treatment of both animals and people.
