Neither Irish nor made with potatoes...
Irish potatoes are a must have at The Chocolate Shoppe come March every year! They make them in house and although they aren't the prettiest confection they certainly could be the tastiest if coconut is your thing! Irish potatoes are pretty simple, they start with a delicious coconut base and are then hand-rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture. They are so popular, the shop says they even have people who aren't coconut fans fall in love with these seasonal specialty treats.
Tracing the candy's origins isn't so simple. What we do know, is that the treat did not originate in Ireland, but rather in Philadelphia - most likely an accidental treat stumbled upon by Irish immigrant candy shop workers in the early 20th century. The name certainly does not come from potatoes being a key ingredient, it instead depicts the appearance of the confection, which has similarities to a potato recently dug up from the dirt. Walk into any candy store in the Philly area in March and you'll find these treats prominently displayed. Some versions are fist-sized and include pine nuts on the outside to give the appearance of potato buds.
The Chocolate Shoppe's version of Irish Potatoes are bite-sized, and can be purchased in a cute box for gift giving - what a thoughtful treat for those who love to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! If you haven't tried them yet, you should probably stop in soon! While you're there, don't forget to pick up your gold coins, milk and dark chocolate shamrock pops, and more!
The Chocolate Shoppe is located at 62 East Mill Road in Long Valley. They are open Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday 10-5; Thursday 10-6 and Saturday 10-4. Special seasonal hours can be found on their Facebook page. For more drool-worthy photos and up-to-date info on new products, specials and giveaways, follow them on FACEBOOK.
AND DON'T FORGET, EASTER IS EARLY THIS YEAR! DON'T FORGET TO STOP IN FOR ALL YOUR BASKET GOODIES!
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