Teen soccer players are swarming southern Maine, the slots are spinning in Bangor and the best fudge I have ever eaten is being readied in Boothbay. The folks at Downeast Candy's Fudge Factory in Boothbay Harbor are beyond impressive. They are candy scientists who have mastered the art of making good fudge.

I am a fudge fanatic. This quirk drives Gillian a little nuts. I am willing to buy fudge anywhere. The trouble is, the vast majority of fudge is really awful. Hence the annoyance of Gillian. My kids have been enlisted as my fudge testers. Even they have become less willing to try the fudge samples I pick up. They have taken to judging its graininess, moisture level and density. My son in particular won't pop a piece of fudge into his mouth if it doesn't pass visual inspection. There is an art to good fudge.

This past week I had the pleasure of returning to Boothbay Harbor for a Maine Fare board meeting. We met and lunched at Fisherman's Wharf Inn, a delightful and authentic harbor front restaurant. I have to admit though, one of the best things about the Inn, from my perspective, is its proximity to Downeast Fudge, less than a block away. For those aware of my love affair with this fudge, they're probably amazed that I was able to remain focused in the meeting. I think I mentioned fudge at least three times to my colleagues during our few hours together. But what's a fudge lover like me to do when the primo stuff is just minutes away.

My love of fudge started when I was a kid traveling to the Carolinas on family vacations where salt water taffy and fudge were regular treats. My mom and I tried making it many times at home but rarely produced anything close to good fudge. Usually it was crumbly, overly sweet, or too soft. The art of fudge was beyond us. I think it always will be, I am going to leave the fudge making to the pros. 

At last week's Taste of the Nation, Bryan Dame did something wonderful with fudge. His homemade marshmallows and fudge s'mores, which he made with Andrews Brewing Company’s porter, were the absolute perfect ending to this delicious meal. All of the chefs, who on their only day off sailed to Cow Island and worked for seven hours, did wonderful things with their individual contributions. Bryan's spectacular fudge finish was a highlight (his whoopie pies were pretty awesome too, but I'll save those for my whoopie pie retrospective).

Cheers.