Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 28 JUNE + JULY 2018 PHOTOGRAPH BY SHUTTERSTOCK Any discussion of the Fudgery, the candy shop institution on Rockport's Bear- skin Neck, has to start with the signature offering. e Fudgery employs a unique, extended fudge-making process designed to yield only the creamiest final product. It is a confection that has converted fudge skeptics and has kept some customers coming back during their summer vacations for more than 20 years, says the shop's new owner, Peter Fox, who closed on the sale in April. "It's all about the fudge," Fox says. "If you're talking about fudge, this is where you need to be." e store came to Rockport in 1987 as an outpost of the original Fudgery in Beach Haven, New Jersey. e low-slung, waterfront building sports wooden walls and beams, with stained glass signs hanging over the candy cases. It's a nostalgic atmosphere that has barely changed in the past 30 years, Fox says. / E AT+ D R I N K / e Rockport location is one of three Fudg- ery shops opened by founder John Maschal and his business partner. Fox started as manager three years ago, leaving behind his job at Logan Airport for the less stressful work of candy making by the sea. When the owners decided they no longer wanted to travel to Massachusetts to oversee the business, Fox jumped at the chance to buy the operation. e sweet-toothed need not worry, however: e fudge will stay the same, Fox says. With a sweeping gesture to the case of fudge that runs through the store, he promises, "is is the heart, and this is not going to change." e shop's fudge formula calls for painstak- ing care to be taken in production. e fudge base—milk, heavy cream, and sugar—is cooked up in the morning, and then poured into rows of gleaming copper bowls that ALL ABOUT THE FUDGE A Rockport institution, the Fudgery has been satisfying sweet-tooth cravings for more than 20 years. By Sarah Shemkus CONTACT 4 Tuna Wharf, Rockport, 978-546-2030, rockportfudgery.com line the back wall of the shop. When the blend has cooled sufficiently, flavorings and mix-ins are added, and the concoction is hand-whipped with a three-foot-long wooden paddle until it reaches the proper consistency, anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. e mixture is then poured into pans holding about six pounds of fudge and left to finish cooling overnight. Only then is it served up to customers. "We do it the old-fashioned way," Fox says. "It takes three times longer for us to make a batch of fudge than most of the other fudge shops around." ere are consistently 12 standard flavors on offer, including traditional chocolate and penuche, indulgent triple chocolate, and classic vanilla walnut. In the summer, seasonal flavors join the menu. Last year Fox mixed up a root beer float fudge and a subtly spiced Mexican mole flavor. In the fall, he tried out maple bacon "breakfast fudge"—an instant hit. e shop is also known for its elephant ears, large disks of crispy puff pastry swirls laced with cinnamon and brown sugar. And, over the years, the owners added a few other products to the line-up, including ice cream and espresso. One wall is lined with barrels of saltwater taffy in a tubular shape that signals they are from New Jersey rather than Massachusetts. e choice to sell this variety of taffy is a nod to the Fudgery's origins, Fox says. "Yes, we're New England, but the roots come from New Jersey," he says. Fox is both excited and terrified heading into his first season as owner, he says, but he already has a few plans for small tweaks to the operation. He has some minor renovations in mind and some products he'd like to add. is year, he will be renting out some of the space in the back of the store to a new business sell- ing breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads. He is excited to keep experimenting with new flavors and hopes to build up the Fudgery's online mail order business as well. And he'll be enjoying the fact that he has a job that surrounds him with joy on a daily basis. "When I worked at the airport, everyone was always in a bad mood, in a hurry," Fox says. "Here they come in with a smile and leave with a bigger smile."