PrintSee's Chocolates: Have You See-n the Light?
Growing up in New York our local boxed chocolate of choice was either Barton's or Barricini's. That was what my grandmother would have at her apartment in the Bronx. I don't know if either of them was any better than Whitman's or Russell Stover, but they were my grandmother's choice and she doted on me, so I loved those chocolates.
When I moved out to Los Angeles for my senior year of high school I was crushed to find no boxed candy I recognized. There was See's right near our house, but out of loyalty to my grandmother's choices, I never went in.
Fast forward almost 40 years later. A month ago I found myself searching for a reasonably priced chocolate to recommend to friends for Valentine's Day. I couldn't in good conscience recommend Whitman's or Russell Stover, because let's face it, they're both pretty awful. I don't think Barricini's even exists any more, and Barton's is not what it once was.
So when an artisanal chocolatier I know and respect a great deal (he does not want to be outed as a See's fan) told me he actually really likes certain See's pieces, he piqued my curiosity. He said See's doesn't use preservatives and uses good-quality Guittard chocolate. I then went on to See's website to see if there was any place in New York I could get its chocolates.
It turns out that See's is sold at the Lord & Taylor department store in New York. I also found out that Warren Buffet bought the company from the See family in 1972. (Buffet is not going to buy a loser chocolate company.)
I started getting really excited about losing my See's virginity. I walked over from the Serious Eats office to Lord & Taylor and bought one of every See's variety they had: milk chocolate almonds, nuts and chews, Awesome Peanut Brittle Bars, and toffee.
See's Toffee-Ettes
I brought them all back to the office and sampled one piece of each. See's turns out to be pretty damn good chocolate. For the price ($15 or less a pound) you cannot go wrong. I am partial to the one-pound boxes of dark chocolate nuts and chews ($15). What's not to love? Walnuts, almonds, caramel, all enrobed in various combinations in dark chocolate that, in the words of Curb Your Enthusiasm's Larry David are, "pretty, pretty good." I am also fond of See's Awesome Peanut Brittle Bars ($7.80 for eight one-ounce bars), already portioned out to make sure you don't overdo it. The little nubs of buttercrunch rolled in crushed almonds called toffee-ettes are also mighty fine.
I hope my grandmother will forgive me for forsaking Barton's and Barricini's, but I have to say that my chocolatier friend was right. See's is an excellent everyday candy. Warren Buffet should be very proud. I have See-n the light.
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29 Comments:
See's is definitely the best candy for the money.
bobbob at 9:23AM on 02/12/08
See's candies are great. My grandfather was huge on the coffee flavored pops. When my grandparents visit, they always bring over a box of chocolates and I finish them in a week. I just can't savor them slowly enough.
Jikuu at 9:31AM on 02/12/08
I always liked their lollipops, and I'm not even a lollipop fan!
OneWallKitchen at 10:23AM on 02/12/08
My favorites are the almond royales - almonds in chocolate caramel, and pecan royales - pecans in vanilla caramel.
synaesthesia.dc at 10:31AM on 02/12/08
I love love love See's. Grew up in California and it is one of the few things I miss about CA. My favorite is the milk chocolate and/or the dark chocolate Bordeaux. This is the piece in the box with chocolate sprinkles on it. It is a brown sugar buttercream filling. Also the Molasses chips are awesome. They have great easter candy too.
winnybean at 10:57AM on 02/12/08
I know lots of snobs who tisk tisk at See's. Me, I love See's dark chocolate scotch mallows which are chocolate covered caramel and marshmallow. I also like the "gourmet" lollipops, especially the chocolate ones. The rest I can take or leave.
kathy in oakland at 11:20AM on 02/12/08
i heart their toffee-ettes!
saffron4859 at 11:22AM on 02/12/08
See's is awesome. My daughter lives in S F and there is a See's right around the corner from her. When you go into one of their stores they instantly give you a sample. The lollypops are good and so is the bridge mix, and yes I forgot about the molasses chips... and just about everything else. I am not even a candy addict, but for an everyday commercial brand it's way better than anything out there...it could turn into a habit! Wish there were some real stores in the east other than a partial assortment at Lord & Taylor.
hanak at 11:43AM on 02/12/08
I love See's! Even their cream-filled candies are delicious! And when compared to the ridiculously over-priced Godiva, they are miraculous.
theminx at 11:44AM on 02/12/08
I honestly think that See's candy is perhaps the only thing I miss about Los Angeles. Mrs. See knew her chocolate! See's is better than Russel Stover or Whitmans. The only thing I can equate it to is Fannie Farmer. As a matter of fact they both used to be sold in those all-white retail stores at all the malls. BTW..I think Barricini may still be out there although their web site is still under construction. And Barton's?? The best thing is their Almond Kisses which used to be a special Passover treat when I was a kid.
RichardCrystal at 11:47AM on 02/12/08
Growing up in Northern California, I'm a See's fan, too. I'm now in Tucson (after having been in Dallas for the last 15 years) and there's a See's store in town. I was there Saturday picking up Valentine goodies for my kids and also a box of nuts & chews for myself. YUM! Also, if you are in one of their retail stores, ask if your company is part of their quantity discount program. Mine is, which means I saved $4.05 on my box of nuts & chews by just showing my work badge! The quantity discount works online, too - you may have to fax a copy of your badge, but it's worth it!
jmoilanen at 11:55AM on 02/12/08
Yep, I'm a die-hard See's fan too. It wasn't until I left California for London at 21 that I realized it wasn't everybody's local chocolate store. My other American friends went to Godiva for a chocolate-y taste of home, and I just didn't get it. All that money and gold everything and they don't even give you a free sample?! Puh-lease.
My favorites are scotch kisses (salty caramel around homemade marshmallow) and scotch mallows (the caramel and marshmallow, covered in dark chocolate).
Glad to hear I can get it at Lord & Torture, but I miss the candy counter where I can get a bag of whatever I want.
LizNYC at 12:09PM on 02/12/08
I had to laugh out loud when I saw this post. There's a tin of Toffee-ettes sitting next to me even as I type, because I was in an airport last week which had a See's store -- yay! I too had mostly Barton's and Barricini's as a child -- but we also had a California friend who would bring us boxes of See's, which we adored -- so See's is part of my childhood chocolate schema.
Too bad they didn't have any Almond Royales that day -- another great favorite. They're almost exactly like the Barton's almond kisses in the black tin.
Julie at 12:30PM on 02/12/08
Grew up and still live in SoCalif... definitely, See's was the go-to specialty chocolate that I remember. There wasn't a single Christmas where at least a couple of one-pound boxes weren't received as gifts. Sometimes, even for birthdays. I've never cared for the soft-centered candies or truffles, but loved the nuts and chews. And we used to get those lollipops and special chocolate easter eggs every year. It far exceeded any retail-type chocolate like Hershey's, Palmer's, Stowe, etc.
As a teen/college student, I discovered imported chocolates, which I consider to be far superior. But I still will happily eat See's (dark nuts and chews, please), which I can't say for other mass-produced domestic chocolate.
LoCo at 1:14PM on 02/12/08
Back in ancient times, in Sacramento, there were two kinds of candy: the kind you bought in the "grocery" store and Sees. Sees is what your grandmother gave you for special occasions or you gave to her when you started to have some money. When I moved to New York to go to school, I would bring some back and give it to my friends' parents. They always seemed thrilled (to my surprise, since I was way too cool to be impressed by a box of Sees anymore). I haven't had any for decades. I occasionally hear my brother wishing that someone would give him a box of molasses chips for Christmas - and fearing it also because he knows he won't share. My maiden aunt taught me to love a white chocolate bark that they only had in the summer. This was long before anyone talked (and usually loathed) white chocolate. Enough nostalgia. One comment though: the new packaging is hideous compared to the old chaste white box with a small cameo of "Mrs. Sees". Thanks for the trip, Ed.
islandexile at 1:28PM on 02/12/08
I grew up with See's in Northern California too. My mom and I would go into the store occasionally and pick out a couple of our favorites. I like the buttercreams! And the choc. covered nuts. I can't eat the chews or anything with caramel in it.
misseditor at 2:01PM on 02/12/08
I'm another lucky person here in san diego, when you go to the store they will give you a free chocolate while you're browsing. mmm
jennywenny at 3:18PM on 02/12/08
I'm a lifelong New Yorker who has long loved See's. I had no idea they sold it in NY! I just got back from LA yesterday, and carried four pounds of it back in my bag.
rjoskow at 4:52PM on 02/12/08
What I wouldn't do for one little square of Dark Nougat or California Brittle...
mlt43 at 5:01PM on 02/12/08
Their chocolate lolly-pops are just like sucking on an amazing brownie.
alexb at 5:56PM on 02/12/08
theminx, I agree. To be honest I'd choose See's over Godiva any day. I think Godiva is over-rated and more about marketing than anything else.
bobbob at 6:25PM on 02/12/08
I miss See's since moving to Tulsa. It is sold during Christmas at the mall and I load up on Molasses Chips, but I sure miss browsing the stores.
mrsglowtone at 8:23PM on 02/12/08
i used to go to see's and get a couple of chocolates almost every afternoon when i lived in san francisco. i love their nuts and chews and the lemon and raspberry buttercreams! i always pick up a box or two when i pass through SF airport.
cybercita at 8:38PM on 02/12/08
my favorite is (was) their brickle bar. it was a 2 inch x 1 inch x 0.5 inch thick rectangular candy bar filled with almond buttercrunch, covered in semi-sweet chocolate and then coated in chocolate sprinkles. it was only $1 and then later $1.25. when you include the free piece of candy they give you, such a sweet deal.
unfortunately they stopped producing it a few years ago =(
tinat at 11:45PM on 02/12/08
I think See's excels in toffees, nuts and chews. I'm from L.A., so my family always puts out a box during the holidays. Not a huge fan of their truffles though...they're grainy and too sweet.
thesu at 12:02AM on 02/13/08
Every time I go to LA (which is a lot) I pick up See's Awesome Walnut Squares or Dark Chocolate Molasses Chips. There are boxes of them in my kitchen right now.
Hamburger America at 12:38AM on 02/13/08
Love See's! Hubby brings them back to me here in Georgia after his business trips. My favorite is dark chocolate chews, but we've recently discovered the toffee-ettes. You can't eat just one.
He's from Ohio and grew up eating Esther Price chocolates. They're great, too, if you ever get a chance to try them.
Editmom at 9:47AM on 02/13/08
I LOVE See's too and I work in the same city as one of their factories and one of the discount stores. I like how they give free chocolate pieces to enjoy while in their stores.
mandabear at 6:01PM on 02/13/08
I love the scotch Mallows. Its the first one I pick out of the box.
drala625 at 11:08AM on 02/18/08