On the Record : October 2021

I'm a big fan of shopping local, supporting small businesses, and giving my money to companies that give back to the community and do good. I also have spent my time in quarantine doing a lot of online shopping and needed something to help me justify all my purchases. And so I bring you Monthly Mains, a series where I’ll highlight three things that have made my life better (and will probably make yours better, too).

October: I’ve talked about it before (in my very first Monthly Mains post a year ago!). For me, it’s the height of the fall season. This year, miraculously, we almost completely escaped the unwanted teaser of the winter that’s to come (as in, there was hardly any snow).

The month is also when we welcome in Spooky season (and Scorpio season, after celebrating Libra season for three-ish weeks first). In my neighbourhood, ghosts started appearing on trees and gravestones popped up on front yards quite early on this year as people prepped for Halloween.

I do enjoy all the decorations and costumes and horror films, but I’m more focused on my personal favourite part of the spine-chilling, fear-inducing celebration: the not-so-scary treats. Besides the usual boxes of candy and chocolate we hand out (or finish ourselves before handing them out, then have to panic buy day-of), there are a number of places that offer Halloween-themed treats you and your favourite people can enjoy as well.

For this edition of Monthly Mains, I did the research for you (real tough job, I know) and tested a few local shops that make different kinds of treats you can get for all your Halloween needs, or just whenever you’re craving something sweet, because they’ve got great stuff year-round. Here are three of my favourites, based on taste AND aesthetics:

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

I’m a big fan of things that combine a little South Asian flavour (literally or figuratively) to basic things. Calgary Chocosweeats Factorie does just that, and more.

I’m fairly certain that saunf candies, or candy-coated fennel seeds, are common in many South Asian households and restaurants. But I had never seen them in a chocolate bar – that is, until I visited the Calgary Chocosweeats Factorie website.

They’ve upgraded the humble saunf candies by adding them to semi-sweet dark chocolate accented with dried rose petals. The bar itself is beautiful – a rich brown canvas scattered with specs of bright pinks, yellows and greens and dots of deep red. It’s a unique and delicious combo that I imagine being served to South Asian royalty. I count my mom as a queen, and she is a fan of the bar (she eats a piece of it every day with her post-work cup of chai) so my imagination isn’t too far from reality.

This isn’t the only fun combination the Factorie offers. The company has an array of visually appealing, palette-pleasing bars, bark and other treats for those looking to try something new (like a white chocolate bar that mixes cereal and dried fruits) and those who consider themselves to be more “purists” (like a semi-sweet dark chocolate bar filled with salted caramel, peanuts and pretzels).

I will admit, the bars are a bit pricier than the typical (and even the fancier) bars you can buy in a store. That being said, these are not your average chocolate bars, they’re made in small batches locally with premium ingredients, and by treating yourself to these bars every once in a while, you’re helping support a local small business that obviously puts lots of love and care into what it produces.

If you’re looking for a special treat for yourself (or a loved one) that looks great and tastes even better, or want to take your taste buds on a unique adventure, I’d definitely recommend splurging here. (They ship across Canada!) You can check out all the chocolate options available on the company’s website.

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

Pretty Sweet Bakeshop creates desserts that are totally true to its name. It offers treats that are very pretty (almost too pretty to eat... almost), and very sweet (would it be dessert if it wasn’t?).

I haven’t tried a lot of what’s available here. Not because I don’t want to, but because I really, really, really love the two things I always end up ordering for myself. And those two things are the donuts and the Dunkaroos.

Let’s start with the donuts. I first had these at a friend’s house and I was immediately a fan. These donuts are not the yeasty, fluffy, chewy ones many of us are used to. Instead, these are dense and cakey and look so beautiful. There are different sizes available, and each week there’s a new list flavour options available to try.

I love the donuts. But I love the Dunkaroos even more. This childhood classic, that was always such a treat to get in my lunchbox, was all about the icing. And instead of replicating, Pretty Sweet somehow made it even better. The icing is fluffier than the original snack, and less sickly sweet (but still sweet), and full of colourful sprinkles. The bakeshop’s cookies are a total upgrade from the original. They’re larger (meaning, more surface area for all the icing), softer, and they taste way better. They’re so good they’d be a great snack on their own (but why would you eat them on their own when the icing is available?).

If you love sweets but aren’t into cakey donuts and Dunkaroos, fear not. Pretty Sweet offers a number of sweet treats – holiday themed and not – that you can enjoy. Cookies, macarons, ice cream... the list goes on. To see all the options and place an order, visit the bakeshop’s website.

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

So far, I’ve talked about treats that invoke a sense of nostalgia for me. This third treat option is no different. It reminds me of summer walks to the neighbourhood 7-Eleven with my sisters. I would bribe them with the promise of 20 candies (which I could get for just $1.00). The Sugar Cube may not offer exactly the same steal of a deal, but it helps bring back some fun memories with colourful and delicious boxes full of candy.

I was fortunate enough to receive a Stacked CandyGram from my colleagues for my birthday – a truly sweet surprise! The stacked option includes three cubes of different sizes, all packed full of a wide variety of sweet and sour candies. It looks great, and tastes even better. It’s all the fun of five-cent candies from 7-11, but rather than being a bit tough to chew from being out in bins for who knows how long, this candy is fresh, soft, juicy and full of flavour.

Besides having some of the freshest candy in the city, The Sugar Cube stands out for me because it offers candies for everyone’s specific dietary needs. Whether you’re gluten free, vegan, halal, or have other allergies/dietary restrictions – you can still enjoy a great assortment of treats.

Whether you’re looking for a one-time treat for someone you care about, want to have the best goody bags at your next (COVID-safe) event, or hoping to sing up for a monthly candy subscription, The Sugar Cube has something for you. Satisfy your sweet tooth and check out the full candy inventory on the company’s website.