2019 February Paso Robles Magazine

LOCAL GOODS REPORT
from General Store Paso Robles
Mehlenbacher's Taffy
“ Working as hard as bull riders
to hand-make your favorite taffy! ”
e may be known as a world-class wine
region, but add sweets to the list of
reasons foodies should hang out in Paso.
Mehlenbacher’s Taffy, makers of traditional,
hand-pulled taffy, offers up one of the most
delicious candies we’ve ever tasted at General
Store (and we taste a lot — we know, hard job.).
Starting with an original recipe from the 1900s,
Mehlenbacher’s uses only the finest, natural
ingredients, including grade A butter and
pure cane sugar. You’ll find no high-fructose corn syrup or preservatives, and,
who knew? It’s gluten free! Each taffy stick, which is about the size of a cigar, is
about 125 calories. They are brightly colored and make really cute (and affordable)
party and wedding favors. They’re adorable sprinkled down the center
of a table at a birthday party or adding a pop of color to a local gift basket.
What better time than Valentine’s Day to learn a bit about a sweet treat we know
you’ll love? What machine is used to make the taffy? None, unless you call a
copper kettle a machine! The taffy is hand-pulled on a hook, hand-portioned
and wrapped. Pulling taffy is like riding a bull ... you have to get this sticky mess
to stay on the puller and you are working against gravity.
How many flavors do you make? The Mehlenbacher’s crew has more than 30
years of experience and make more than 30 different flavors.
Is it saltwater taffy? No. We like to let our flavors stand on their own, so we
make our taffy with no salt (good news for those of us trying to keep our sodium
lower!).
How long does taffy last? It’s best to eat it within six months of when it’s made.
Not a problem at General Store, where we delivery fresh taffy frequently.
What are the oddest flavors you’ve ever made? We made vinegar taffy, which
sounds weird but tastes good. Crisp and refreshing like lemon lime.
How do you prevent your taffy from melting on a hot Paso day?
If it’s hot outside, put your taffy in the fridge for a few minutes. It will make it
much easier to separate from its wrapper.
Thanks to Alicia and team for giving us another local treat to enjoy. May we
suggest the Hot Cinnamon for your Valentine?
The team at General Store Paso Robles
February 2019, PASO Magazine pasomagazine.com | 35