Food and dining briefs: Chocolate Wine Sticks meld two sinfully delicious flavors

For more than a century, Sweet Candy Company has been known for its wholesome candy confections such as taffy, jelly beans and Jordan almonds.

But the Utah candy makers newest creation is a bit more sinful. And it contains something surprising for tee-totalling Utah -- wine.

The new Chocolate Wine Sticks meld two popular indulgences into one, explains President Rick Kay. "So many people talk about wine and chocolate as complimentary flavors, but few have put the two flavors together so directly."

The sticks are reminiscent of Sweet's popular orange and raspberry sticks. They have gel centers -- made with real wine reductions -- and are covered in premium dark chocolate. While they contain no alcohol, consumers will be able to taste the "essence" of the individual grapes.

The sticks come in Cabernet, Port and Champagne flavors and are available at sweetcandy.com. They soon will be available in retail shops In Utah and around the country. Individual flavors are available in 3.5-ounce boxes for $4. There also is a triple-pack containing all the flavors (in 3.5 ounce boxes) for $12.

Sweet Candy introduced its newest confection at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco earlier this year, earning positive reviews. Now the 117-year-old company plans to show the product at the All Candy Expo at the McCormick Place in Chicago May 19 -- 21.

Take a Cinco de Mayo cooking class at JCC

Make and enjoy chile verde, cheese enchiladas, guacamole and tropical salsa during the April 27 "Cinco de Mayo" cooking class at I.J. & Jeanné Wagner Jewish Community Center, 2 North Medical Drive (across the street from University Hospital). Jim Light, Executive Chef at Viking Cooking School, is the teacher. The two-hour class beginnings at 6:30 p.m. and costs $90 per person. For more information or to register call the JCC at 801-581-0098.

Volunteer at the Food Pantry Garden

The Utah Botanical Center in Kaysville will break ground in May on a "Food Pantry Garden." Boy Scout troops will plant potatoes, tomatoes, corn and melons in the massive 12,000-square-foot garden, at 725 S. 50 West. During the summer months, all the food that is harvested will be donated to local food banks to help families in need. But the center is relying on the community to make the project work. It needs volunteer to help maintain the garden from May 20 to Sept. 30. Times are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. Call 801-451-3403 for more information.

CSA now delivers to your work

Black Island Farms in Syracuse is making its Community Supported Agriculture program more convenient for busy consumers. If at least 10 co-workers sign up for the program, Black Island will deliver the weekly supply of fruits and vegetable to your work. Cost to become a CSA member varies between $200 and $400 depending on how much produce you want or need. In addition to getting weekly produce from about mid-June through October, member also will get free passes to the farm's harvest festival, discount tickets to the haunted house, free days at the farm, free hay rides and a fall decoration package with corn stalks and pumpkins. To learn more call 801-540-7930

Beer industry giving boost to economy

Here's another reason to like beer. Beer brewers, importers, distributors suppliers and retailers contribute more than $573 million annually to Utah's economy, according to a study commissioned by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and the Beer Institute. In Utah, the beer industry creates 6,807 jobs -- more than $165.5 million in wages -- and provides more than $57 million in federal, state, and local taxes, the study showed. The complete report, including state-by-state and congressional district breakdowns is available at www.BeerServesAmerica.org

Charley's donates to Kidney Foundation

Charley's Grilled Subs recently donated $10,000 to the National Kidney Foundation. The national chain, which, as its name suggests, serves made-to-order grilled subs, was inspired to support kidney awareness by its Salt Lake City area franchisee, Marcus Gilbert. Gilbert donated one of his kidneys to save the life of his employee Juan Delgado, who was suffering from end-stage renal disease.

Walk to raise money for clean water

Employees at the Aveda Salons and Spas in Utah will participate in a walkathon today to raise money for clean water preservation. The event will start at 8 a.m. at Salt Lake City's Liberty Park. Participants will walk six kilometers -- the average distance women in developing countries walk to collect water each day.

Get the latest on food happenings and culinary treats from around Utah with the Bite by Bite blog of Tribune food writer Kathy Stephenson.