Sometimes you seek the adventure. Sometimes the adventure seeks you.
A few years back, I created a list of things to do in McHenry County. One of the items on that list was a visit to Anderson’s Candy Shop in Richmond. My wife and I stopped on the way home on the day I walked to Wisconsin, and I wrote a post about my experience.
That was almost three years ago. In early February, I found this comment on my blog.
Hi Roger,
As an outdoor enthusiast and longtime McHenry County resident, I was very happy to have to have found your blog this evening. Further, as one of the Anderson’s from the Anderson’s Candy Shop you mention as No. 18 in your Things to do in McHenry County list, I was pleased to see that my family business made the cut.
However … I was a bit dismayed when I read your May 31, 2009 entry about our candy.
Basically, my family and I would like another chance to impress you. Our chocolates have been rated amongst the best in North America by the L.A. Times and Consumers Digest, and as a fourth-generation candymaker, I take a lot of pride in our work. Naturally, I was disappointed to read that back in 2009 you had what seemed to be a lackluster experience.
Please give us another chance to show you we are worth a making a special trip … and not just because of our proximity to Dog n Suds ;)
Please let us send you another sample of our candies, on us, or please stop by again next time you are in the area.
Feel free to email or call me anytime.
Sincerely, Katie Anderson
I’m a firm believer in second chances, and I’m not one to turn down free chocolate. I e-mailed Katie and told her I’d be happy to give Anderson’s another chance. I gave her my address and mentioned what types of chocolate we like. On the Saturday before Valentine’s Day, I received a box in the mail. Inside was this letter:
And two boxes of chocolate!
I thought that was very generous, and before I’d tasted the first piece, I had a much better opinion of Anderson’s. But what about the chocolate?
The Snappers — Anderson’s “improvement on the turtle formula” — were good, but I still prefer a turtle with its whole nuts and without the nougat center that the Snappers have. I shared them with several friends, and almost everybody’s opinion was much the same as mine.
The English Toffee, on the other hand, was amazing.
And I’m never going to be able to drive through Richmond again without stopping to buy my wife some Salted Caramels. She loved them.
We are so happy that you received the chocolate and enjoyed the toffee and the caramels! Thank you again for the second chance and ask to say hi to either Leif (my dad) or me, next time that you are in the shop!