Vicky's in Milton is a long-running party supply and candy-making shop that’s become a local staple. Known for its wide selection of baking ingredients, candy molds, balloons, banners, and event décor, it has become a go-to spot for everything from birthday parties to weddings. Have you been?

I have visited Sugar Shenanigans in a few different capacities: their original location, an expanded location, and now their newest move. This candy shop is the closest thing that the Kanawha Valley has to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Some of my favorite purchases include those peelable gummy candies. There are so many different types of fruit here: mango, pineapple, peach, grape, orange, lemon, etc. I also love the international candy bars, specifically Cadbury from the UK:

Cadbury Twirl – Two chocolate fingers made of delicate, flaky milk chocolate

Cadbury Wispa – Aerated chocolate with a bubbly texture inside a smooth chocolate shell

Cadbury Flake – Extremely crumbly folded chocolate layers (famously used in ice cream cones)

Cadbury Crunchie – A honeycomb toffee center coated in milk chocolate

Cadbury Double Decker – Layers of chewy nougat and crispy cereal covered in chocolate

Cadbury Curly Wurly – Thin lattice of caramel coated in chocolate, known for its long twisted shape

Cadbury Picnic – A chunky mix of peanuts, caramel, nougat, biscuit, and puffed rice in chocolate I picked up a variety of sweets to take home with me:

Haribo Maoam - A chewy fruit candy stick that’s very soft and taffy-like. It’s intensely sweet with bold artificial fruit flavor and the texture of a stretchy Starburst.

Mackintosh’s Creamy Toffee - A classic British chewy toffee. It’s buttery, rich, and dense with a slow melt that sticks pleasantly to your teeth. Joyva Joys (Chocolate Covered Jelly) - A chocolate-coated fruit jelly bar similar to a chocolate-covered gummy. The center is bright, sweet jelly with a thin milk-chocolate shell.

Nestlé Mirage - A Canadian chocolate bar made from aerated milk chocolate. It’s light and bubbly inside, giving it a delicate, melt-fast texture similar to a Wispa or Aero.

Annabelle Candy Company Rocky Road - A thick bar packed with marshmallow and roasted cashews, all held together with chocolate. It’s chewy, crunchy, and very sweet.

Chase Candy Company Cherry Mash - A Midwestern classic with a soft cherry fondant center surrounded by chopped peanuts and chocolate. It tastes like cherry cordial mixed with a peanut cluster. I also picked up a Universal Yums box for Sweden. I used to have a subscription for these but canceled it after I felt like the value wasn't there. But after trying all these Swedish goodies, I fell back in love and restarted my subscription. Have you seen those viral fruit pastries all over the internet? Also known as "tromp l'oeil" (French for 'deceive the eye'), the desserts are fruit-shaped mousse cakes with a hard, crunchy white chocolate shell, fruit filling and a cake base. Sugar Shenanigans had those, too! I tried raspberry, mango, lemon & Ferrero Rocher. What's your favorite purchase from here?

I try to support local farmers, bakers and small businesses whenever I can. So, when I hear about a new local vendor, I make every effort to check them out. Here are some of those that I've visited at events, purchased at markets and more.

The Leavitt Farm - moonshine jellies, BBQ sauce, salsas Trail Top Popcorn - gourmet popcorn Tobin's Treats - freeze-dried treats Snapdragon - baked goods Lettie Jane's - Dubai chocolates Ilar Homestead & Bakery - sourdough, treats Kit's Kitchen - gluten-free baked goods (including pepperoni rolls!) Grandma's Jam House jams & Stanholtz Orchard apple butter Ellison Mountain Heritage Nursery - unique trees Char-Sisters + KO Cupcakes - chex mix and cupcakes Mama Rose's - pumpkin roll Zucchini Patch & Sugar Sisters - part of a market show Sweet Sister Shenanigans - cotton candy Jerky Hut - loved the teriyaki flavors Sweet as Hale - freeze-dried treats Snack Crush / MAC's Treats - s'more hot chocolate Mountain Mama Mercantile - pepperoni rolls DeFeo Family Vineyard & Winery - olive oils & balsamics Sweet Stitches - bars of all sorts Olden Days Farm and Cottage - breads & pepperoni rolls SuperLove Cottage Sweets - s'mores bar Sweet Bliss Bakery - breads & brownies Swim Sweets & Treats - bagels & pepperoni rolls Stone Kitchen Bakery - butter pecan cake Cakes by Meagan - Valentine's treats