From Michigan, With Love: The best treats from all over the Mitten State

Welcome to another “From Michigan, With Love” article featuring the best that Michigan has to offer. Well, it’s March and for those that haven’t broken their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, you might not want to read this. We have three incredibly delicious and addictive sweet treats for you today that will test everyone’s willpower. And remember, From Michigan With Love is now a Pure Michigan company and is broadcast all over the state.

We’ve traveled the main roads and back roads from the U.P. to Traverse City, Mackinac to Holland and Battle Creek, Beulah to the central part of the state, Grand Rapids, the tri-cities area, the thumb, many places in between, and of course Southeast Michigan. Wherever you go in Michigan you’re sure to find something unique and we hope to highlight as many as we can. If you know of something we should look into and/or taste, please let us know. And remember, BUY MICHIGAN! Support our Michigan producers and farmers. If we all simply replaced $40 per month, per household, on Michigan-made items, the strength of our economy would truly blossom.

You can see more of the great things our state has to offer at www.frommichiganwithlove.com or www.facebook/frommichigan. We have frequent contests on our Facebook page where you could win sampler packs from a featured company, plus lots of videos from our monthly TV appearances.

In this installment we will feature Devon’s Mackinac Island Fudge in Mackinac City, The Toffee Store in Oakland Township, and Gerych’s Flowers and Gifts in Fenton.

Devon’s Mackinac Island Fudge, Taffy and Gourmet Popcorn

Devon’s Mackinac Island Fudge, Taffy and Gourmet Popcorn makes it possible to enjoy the great taste of Mackinac Island summer fudge 365 days a year. Why wait for the island to open when you can go online and purchase great tasting fudge anytime? The company has locations throughout Mackinac City and ships anywhere in the United States.

Devon’s makes over 50 flavors of fudge, 50 flavors of saltwater taffy and terrific gourmet caramel corns with or without nuts. The store also features candies and a host of Michigan-made items, including hard-to-find Thimbleberry Jam.

Devon’s Mackinac Island Fudge Company has manufactured some of Michigan’s finest fudge and other confections for the past 24 years. Besides its retail locations, it has a manufacturing operation that produces over 250,000 pounds of fudge each year. In 2011 the company launched the distribution of products nationwide and incorporated under the name Northern Confections, Inc. Devon’s goal is to bring quality Mackinac Island fudge and confections to everyone at an affordable price. The company always uses local ingredients from suppliers in Michigan because they know the value of supporting Michigan businesses. Devon’s Mackinac Island Fudge Company fudge and other products can be purchased in many areas in the state and across the country. They offer wholesale and innovative fundraising programs, plus gift certificates for friends and family, as well as for client and employee appreciation gifts.

The fudge shops on the island may close in the winter, but you can still enjoy the great taste of summer year- round with Devon’s Mackinac Island Fudge Company by visiting www.mackinacfudgeco.com.

The Toffee Store

The Toffee Store produces delicious small batch toffees that are made to perfection. It’s savory and sweet, easy on the teeth, and comes in six delicious varieties, including Birthday Suit (plain), Enrobed (chocolate dipped), Signature, Cherry Birthday, Cherry Chocolate, and Kona Coffee Toffee. There are four sizes from which to choose – single, three-ounce, eight- ounce, and one pound – with variations/ mixed selections in those sizes. Plus, the company makes beautiful gift boxes. There are only eight pure ingredients in the kitchen for all varieties: butter, sugar, vanilla, milk and dark chocolate, pecans, cherries, and Kona coffee.

In 2009, owner Heidi Patterson decided to create an elegant take on a classic treat starting with the finest and freshest ingredients. She ended up with a purely decadent confection. As a Type 1 diabetic for 32 years, she wanted the perfect toffee thickness, a balanced ratio of chocolate to toffee, and satisfaction from quality, not quantity, for those counting carbs.

Gerych’s Flowers and Gifts

Gerych’s Flowers and Gifts grows an incredible variety of flowers and plants, does deliveries of all sorts of bouquets and arrangements, offers all sorts of items for weddings and hosting a party, including tables, chairs, covers, silverware, dinnerware, stemware, and a host of other fun items to make any event stand out.

It’s never too early to begin thinking about and planning your garden and/or landscaping. And for those living on small plots of land or in apartments, Gerych’s offers veggies in a pot – three to five different veggies in a large decorative pot that grow and produce good food in small places. You can combine your favorite herbs and veggies for salads, soups, stews, etc. And this is something you can do at home just by taking some herb plants and some vegetable plants that are available at Gerych’s.

You can purchase a pre-planted pot or customize your own. Just use organic potting soil and miracle grow and you’ll have a mini garden right in your backyard or apartment balcony. It’s inexpensive and tasty. These make great hostess gifts for friends and family, and are very popular with the younger crowd. And if you’re searching for the perfect gift, Gerych’s has a wide selection of things from which to choose. Visit www.gerychsdesign.com for more information.