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EAT THIS: ASHBY CONFECTIONS PÂTES DE FRUIT
In a win-win for the city and anyone with a sweet tooth, an established area candy and chocolate maker is moving into a long-vacant downtown Santa Cruz storefront.
Jennifer Ashby, owner of Ashby Confections, is taking over 1207 Pacific Ave., the former location of Joe’s Pizza and Subs, which closed in 2018. Ashby is working to transform the 2,000-square-foot space into a production kitchen and a retail space for her chocolates, truffles, brittles and fruit candies. If all goes well, she aims to move her kitchen and retail space from its home of 14 years in Scotts Valley’s Victor Square shopping center to the new downtown shop by Easter.
Once open, Ashby is excited to offer creative new products, like seasonal truffles, marshmallows, nougat and glossy candied fruit, in addition to the fruit candies, chocolates and tortoises that she’s become known for – all made with organic chocolate, dairy and fruit, and without preservatives or artificial ingredients.
With so many treats available at local farmers markets, grocery stores and through her website, I asked her what she’s excited about right now. Her answer surprised me: “My pâtes de fruit. I’ve been perfecting the recipe for years.”
I stopped by her current storefront to try them for myself. These small, deceptively simple jellylike fruit candies ($16.99 for 4 ounces) come in jewel tones ranging from ruby to amethyst to citrine. Made from fresh strawberries, pineapple, plums or Concord grapes, the flavor is both delicate and robust, like a spoonful of summer jam that melts over your tongue.
Find them at Ashby Confections’ current shop at 16C Victor Square Extension in Scotts Valley or online to get a taste of what’s to come to downtown Santa Cruz.
BEST OF THE WEEK AHEAD
Below, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
ICYMI – here are the food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed, plus important news from beyond our borders picked by yours truly.
- Monterey chef Tim Wood tapped to bring new restaurant to Watsonville airport (Lookout)
- From fire to fallout: CZU’s lasting impact on Santa Cruz County’s wine industry (Lookout)
- Starbucks is closing more stores and laying off 900 workers (NPR)
- After the Eaton fire, a Los Angeles community garden rebuilds (Civil Eats)
