Welcome all to the first Sweet Silk blog post! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Shefalee Patel and I’m the owner and founder of Sweet Silk. Here I will provide exclusive insights on our new creations from flavor combinations to our specialty packaging. This will be a great way to share antidotes from inside the kitchen on some our adventures, journeys, discoveries, fascinations, influences and inspirations…truly all the makings of Sweet Silk.
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Shefalee
Lately we’ve been featuring lots of truffles at the Sweet Silk Shop. It all started back during the Christmas holiday sale to our aphrodisiac fruit truffles for Valentines Day and then just recently featured our latest Coconut Cashew Truffles in collaboration with Nuts+Nuts. So for Easter, it was without a doubt that truffles were going to be the feature again!
This time, inspired by spring, I wanted these truffles to be bright in flavor and color…so I decided to feature all fruit filled truffles for our limited edition Easter Gift Boxes.
I always get a little excited to see all the pretty pastel displays and decor as Easter approaches. I especially love the gorgeous bonnets that women wear to church with those huge bows! Its not just the fluffy, puffy and gooey (like those Cadbury eggs) during this time of year that always makes me feel happy and even a little giddy. It is also the evident blossoming change of seasons and watching the earth spring to life. So to pass on a little of my Easter happiness to you all, I rolled each truffle in delicate pastel sugars and encased all of them in an eco-friendly ballotin candy box and tied it with a big jute ribbon. I also thought it would be great to offer sweets that were still vegan friendly & gluten-free so that everyone can enjoy a yummy Easter treat!
I also think the unseasonable early warm weather got me a little extra happy, so everyone gets free shipping for all Fruit Truffle Gift Box orders to anywhere in Continental US! So visit our online shop to place your order soon as sale ends April 2nd!
Recently, my brother came up to me and said “Hey have you ever heard of these guys…their cashews look soooo good….let’s try them!”. He was referring to the Brooklyn based artisanal cashew company Nuts+Nuts. This Brooklyn based artisanal cashew company provides the freshest cashews that are farm direct from Indonesian. They offer a variety of snack packs filled with roasted cashews blends based on their own family recipes made with local, fresh and all-natural ingredients.
We ordered their sampler pack, which came with 4 snack packs with a variety of roasted cashews: Spicy, Honey Sesame, Sweet & Salty and Lightly Salted. We devoured them all immediately upon receiving them! I loved the quality of their packaging to maintain freshness of the amazing quality of cashews. Our favorites were the Spicy cashews, that had a tangy kick, and the Honey Sesame cashews, which were crunchy sweet!
Nuts+Nuts Spicy & Honey Sesame with Sweet Silk Coconut Cashew Truffles (center)
Since we loved the cashews so much, we decided to try using Nuts+Nuts plain roasted cashews to make some of our sweets. Once I received these gorgeous cashews, I began testing them out for some of our sweets. Maybe it was the fact that that the cashews looked like they’ve been soaking up some rays in a tropical paradise to get that perfect golden tan or the Asian influence of Nuts+Nuts flavors, but I had an idea. ”Why not highlight the deep roasted nutty flavor” and thus shortly after, I began creating a variety of cashew truffles! These truffles have a soft cashew filling that is made with the same technique as our sweets to obtain that fudge like texture but coated in chocolate and rolled with a topping.
We contacted one of the owners, Cyrilla Suwarsa, to see if she would be interested in trying out our new creations and collaborate with us. After meeting Cyrilla, hearing her story and knowing her and her husband really enjoyed our Coconut Cashew Truffle, I knew we had a great match! Not only do our products complement each other, but I was especially drawn to our similarities as women entrepreneurs with a family operated business.
Cyrilla started Nuts+Nuts with her sister Caecilia to help provide much needed support to local famers in Indonesia to create high-grade cashew nuts. The sisters teamed up with an expert in agriculture to work together with these farmers in a symbiotic relationship. The cashew nuts are purchased directly from the farmers and are cured with a unique and special family recipe in small batches to create delicious, freshly roasted snacks, using only natural ingredients and no preservatives. It was unfortunately in 2003 when Cyrilla was diagnosed with Lupus that led to this collaboration with her sister, but now through Nuts+Nuts, both sisters aim to raise awareness about Lupus and give courage, comfort, and strength to all those who suffer from the disease. Additionally, Nuts+Nuts hopes to foster the cashew nuts industry in Indonesia, providing the farmers with additional knowledge about agriculture and allowing their children to have a better education and a brighter future.
So we thought we’d share our discovery and have teamed up with Nuts+Nuts to offer a sweet & savory gift! Sweet Silk presents our new Coconut Cashew Truffles that are made using Nuts+Nuts plain roasted cashews with a pinch of cardamom, dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in coconut. Inspired by the organic nature of the product and the company’s mission, we’ve packaged our treats in a kraft ballotin truffle box tied with raffia ribbons.
So, maybe you can’t take a tropical vacation, but you can take your palate on a journey through Indonesia & India! So visit our online shop to purchase a gift box of our Coconut Cashew Truffles (gluten-free!) along with Spicy and Honey Sesame snack packs from Nuts+Nuts for your own escape or as a gift for someone who may need a delicious getaway!
Inspired by the great feedback from our Vegan Fruit Collection, I decided to continue experimenting to create more vegan sweets. I always knew dried fruits were nature’s candies but I also learned that many of them are even considered aphrodisiacs! This inspired me to create something extra special just for Valentine’s Day!
So, I decided to take our formula for the Vegan Collection sweets, using Indian and Middle Eastern influences and ingredients with all natural dried fruits, and transform them in to truffles! I coated each truffle in only 70% cocoa of Valrhona chocolate and rolled each in a different topping. I used only dark chocolate as I believe it is chocolate in one of its richest, purest form and most powerful aphrodisiac!
The results were 5 seemingly sinful new array of gluten-free Vegan Truffles:
Mango Chili Coconut – Juicy dried mango and blended them with cayenne chili powder coated in dark chocolate and rolled in coconut powder.
Date Rose Pistachio – Sweet Mejdool dates with a touch of organic rose oil that is coated in dark chocolate and rolled in powdered pistachios
Fig Vanilla Cashew – Blend of Black Mission figs and Turkish figs with hint of Tahitian vanilla coated in dark chocolate and rolled in powdered roasted cashews.
Apricot Honey Nut – Luscious bright Turkish apricots blended with orange blossom honey and coated in dark chocolate with ground pine nuts.
Bing Cherry Chocolate – Tart and sweet Bing cherries blended with a bit of Tahitian vanilla and coated in dark chocolate and cocoa powder.
Here are just some of the interesting facts I learned about the natural aphrodisiac affects of the fruits, spices and chocolate used in the truffles:
Chili Peppers have a wonderful attribute in their ability to release endorphins, get the heart pumping and make lips swell to full kissable pout! The capsaicin they contain is responsible for the effects and is also a good pain reliever triggered to put out internal “fire.” Endorphins also cause the high of extreme physical exertion — a floating, energized feeling.
Cardamom is an aromatic spice high in cineole, which can increase blood flow. Certain cultures deem it a powerful aphrodisiac and also claim it is beneficial in treating impotence.
Vanilla has and intoxicating, warm, sensual scent that has been known to captivate everyone from times of the Mayan and Aztec Indians and continues to drawn us in with its perfume in the modern times. It is known to have a euphoric affect on the brain that soothes emotional tension, reduces anxiety, stress and stimulates circulation. It is also said to have different arousing affects on women and men.
Honey is sticky, sweet, and sensuous, honey contains natural sugars that can give you a fast energy boost. It is is rich in B vitamins (needed for testosterone production) as well as boron (helps the body metabolize and use estrogen). In ancient Persia, couples drank mead every day for a month (known as the “honey month” — a.k.a. “honeymoon”) after they married in order to get in the right frame of mind for a successful marriage.
Rose Oil is sensual and evocative and has been used since ancient times as a favorite ingredient in love potions. The time honored tradition of giving roses to a loved one may have it’s basis in the fact the scent of roses evokes emotions of love, calmness, and lifts depression emotions that block arousal
Pine Nuts have been used to stimulate the libido since Medieval times. Like oysters, they too are high in zinc needed for male vigor and stamina. Pine nuts have been used for centuries to make up love potions.
Figs have a sweet dark flesh with a honey scent, and a unique texture to the tongue. These soft sweet fruits, full of small seeds that has ancient reference with fertility and love. They also full of antioxidants and are the richest sources of calcium, fiber, magnesium, manganese, copper, potassium and vitamin K.
Cherries are said to stimulate pheromone production. Plus, they provide potassium which is required for sexual hormone production. There’s an abundance of antioxidants in the little fruits, helping to keep your skin youthfully beautiful and your energy level high!
Apricots are soft little fruits are packed with beauty-enhancing nutrients and beta-carotene – a potent antioxidant. They are also a good source of iron, a key nutrient for fertility in women.
Chocolate in all its deliciousness is always the topic of debate for being true aphrodisiac. From a scientific standpoint, it contains both Serotonin and Phenylethylamine, which are mood-lifting hormones found naturally in the human brain. When we consume chocolate, we increase our normal levels of both, which leads to that feeling of excitement, as well as an increased level of energy and libido. So although chocolate may or may not be a true aphrodisiac, it certainly does have some aphrodisiac properties. After all, it makes us feel good all over — much like being in love!
This Valentine’s, surprise your sweetheart or someone special with an out-of-the-ordinary box of sweets. Each of one of our slender white or red gift boxes come with our five vegan truffles filled with all-natural aphrodisiacs that are sure to impress (and maybe knock some socks off)! However, due to limited offer and quantity, these truffles will exclusively be available by special order till Feb. 13th!!*
To pick up a box just swing by the EnamorMe gift shop in NJ from Feb. 9th – Feb. 14th or at the “Sweets for your Sweet – Food Artisan Market” this Sunday, Feb. 12th in Astoria at The Queens Kickshaw.
*Contact order@savorsweetsilk to place a special or custom order for Valentine’s Day and to arrange delivery, shipment or NYC pickup for your order. Each truffle box is $12 and comes with 5 truffles in your choice of red or white flip box tied in a satin ribbon.
Happy New Year!
We started off the new year with a different kind of celebration! Our party was to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the kitchen space, The Entrepreneur’s Space, officially becoming an incubator funded by the Queen’s Economic Development Corporation. Along with many of our fellow chefs, bakers, entrepreneurs, we had the chance to really showcase our delicious creations. We were all on hand chatting with press, vendors and local foodies all whilst stuffing our face at the same time. Some of our sweet favorites were Lomaxine’s Orange Pistachio shortbread style cookies, Krumville’s gluten-free muffins!
Sweet Silk used this opportunity to introduce our latest collection, the Vegan Fruit Collection. This collection is made using all natural ingredients that contain no dairy products, no eggs, no preservatives or additives, no sugar and they are all gluten-free like all of our sweets. We’ve taken luscious organic dried fruits, such as dates, apricots and figs, and simply enhanced its own natural sweetness with hints of spices, vanilla, rose oil or touch of honey and added a bit of crunch with tiny pieces of pistachios, cashews or pine nuts. These dried fruits have been a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean diets for centuries. It is no wonder why, as they retain all the beneficial nutrients of the fruit and are great source of magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, manganese, fiber and vitamin A & K.
Whether you are a vegan, watching your sugar intake or just looking for a low fat way to crave that sweet tooth…go ahead and indulge…these sweets are guilt free and good for you!
I can’t believe how quickly this year has gone by and that the Christmas holidays are approaching. This time of year always makes me reflect back and I am reminded of all that I am thankful for. It has definitely been a great year for Sweet Silk and I am overwhelmed by all the love and support from my amazing family and friends, all of the encouraging feedback and complements from our customers, all the press and awareness of our company through just word of mouth. I feel so thankful that I felt it was important to give back. So this year Sweet Silk will donate portions of the holiday sale to an amazing organization called SOS Children’s Village. SOS Children’s Villages is the world’s largest charity dedicated to orphaned and abandoned children.
I first learned of SOS through my best friend who recently began volunteering for SOS. I was particularly drawn to this organization because their mission is to build families for orphaned or abandoned children, help keep siblings together and build homes, education facilities and even entire communities. SOS originated in Austria in 1949 (after World War II) and spread to India in 1964, when the first SOS Village was built in Greenfields (in the suburbs of Delhi). Since, they have expanded to spread their efforts worldwide and are now present in 133 countries with over 540 Children’s Villages. SOS now has the largest presence, with 40 Children’s Villages, in India (where over 20 million children lost their parents).
Family and especially the bond between siblings is one of the most important things for any child and it has been for me as well. So, I thought this was a great opportunity for me to not only help spread the word but support a great cause. Please take the time to read more about SOS Children’s Villages at www.SOS-INDIA.org.
This holiday season spread the joy by sending someone a Sweet Silk Holiday Gift Box and help SOS in their efforts to help children all over the world.
What a busy past month at Sweet Silk! I was so busy in the kitchen and at events that I neglected to post a special message for the Diwali holidays. Everyone reminding me all month that in this industry when you are too busy its a good thing! Needless to say, it was a very good thing as we sold out for Diwali and then some. We also received great press and numerous opportunities to be part of events hosted across the boroughs of NYC.
Particularly, just as the Diwali sale was coming to an end, I began preparing for the Queens Uncorked event. This event was sponsored by Edible Queens Magazine that took place at the beautifully restored The Foundry building to showcase local Long Island wine with Queens restaurants and food artisans.
Sweet Silk had the privilege and pleasure of being paired with BOUKÉ wines. I met with the owner, Lisa Donneson, at her Brooklyn home before the event to conduct a tasting and find perfect matches for the event. To our pleasant surprise, we found multiple pairings of our sweets with her dessert wines. Our personal favorites were the Fig Roasted Cashew sweet with the Bouquet red dessert wine and the Walnut Apple Spice sweet with the Bouquet white dessert wine. These pairings really complemented each other well and accentuated some of the key flavors and spices. I even went as far as adjusting my recipe of the Fig Roasted Cashew just a smidgen to truly enhance the cherry undertone in the dessert red…and it really paid off! Not only did it pair perfectly with the red dessert but turned out to be the new favorite sweet of the evening! Another one of our new fall sweets, the Pecan Cherry Vanilla, was also another great pairing with the red dessert wine.
The event was a great success thanks to Leah McLaughlin, of Edible Queens, and her amazing tea m. There were up to 300 guests throughout the evening and over 40 presenters. Bouke and Sweet Silk got one of the better tables with a great backdrop (at least we thought so) and we set up side by side to present our sweet and wine pairings. My sister, Sheila, joined me and Lisa’s good friend, Jennifer joined her to help out for the evening.
Luckily my cousin, who attended the event, made rounds of all the great food and wine and brought a little tasting back to us. Some of my personal favorites (to name a few as all the food there was delicious!) were the macaroons from Little Oven, cheesy goodness from Queens Kickshaw, Cabernet Cavatelli (homemade fluffy pasta with braised short ribs!) from Valentino’s on the Green, the duck from newly opened farm to table restaurant Bear and the Pepper and Fennel Taralli from Elisa Bella.
A perfect way to top off an amazing and nonstop month for Sweet Silk!
To adjust to the quick drop in temperatures this past weekend here in NYC, I found myself pulling out sweatpants from the bottom of my drawer and having to throw on a scarf before I stepped outside. I didn’t think much of it aside from the fact that I don’t like being cold! However, throughout the weekend, I noticed that I was surrounded by signs everywhere I went of pumpkin spice lattes and apple caramel ciders. That’s when it finally hit me, it is officially Fall!!!!
I am always sad to say goodbye to summer (and what a great summer it was for Sweet Silk), but I was happily reminded this weekend that the Fall season does lend itself to unique nuances that make the brisk air a bit more tolerable! The warm waft of spices from bakeries and ripe pickings of many fruits and vegetables make this a very delicious season. Let’s not forget all the wonderful holidays jammed into the next few months from Navarati and Diwali to Thanksgiving, which are all celebrations that revolve around a splendor of food! Of course my favorites are all the luscious pies, pastries and sweets that embody the season.
This year I decided to share my fall experience with my consumers by releasing new varieties of sweets inspired by the season. So stay tuned as the first round of fall inspired sweets will be released soon and just in time for our upcoming Diwali Sale! (Hint: Roasted nuts and pumpkin pie!)
Also, we will be hosting tasting events throughout NJ and NYC where we will offer free bites of some of our new Seasonal and Signature flavors. So make sure you stay in touch via Facebook, Twitter or our signup on our mailing list to get insight on Sweet Silk happenings, special discount deals and chances to try our new flavors for free!
This time of year is very special to me for many reasons and so I find it fitting that I chose this moment to write our first true blog post. First, we are approaching the anniversary of when our Signature Collection of sweets were first introduced to the general public. The launch event which held at Shaadi Studio in NYC and we received great energy and feedback that made me really appreciate how far we had come and was aspired to take it to the next level. Secondly, this event took place around the Raksha Bandhan holiday, which celebrates the bond between a brother and sister. Coincidentally, Sweet Silk (since we first started up to this day) is a result of the amazing partnership between two sisters and a brother. Collectively, we all contribute and make Sweet Silk what it is today with our talents, hard work, dedication and passion to provide only the best to our consumers. We’ve accomplished a lot in the past year and proud of how we’ve grown not just as a company but as creators, individuals, partners and as a family. So, why not share with you all what we are all about.
Team Sweet Silk our launch event (from left to right: Nimesh, Shefalee and Sheila Patel)
Initially I started writing about how Sweet Silk even came about and what led me to start a confectionery and team up with my siblings. However, I think I will save that for a later day. In the spirit of the upcoming holiday and all that it embodies, I decided the first blog would actually be more of a dedication to my brother. For those who don’t know, my brother, Nimesh, is only a couple years younger than me. Even as kids we were always a good team from being partners in crime (getting into some kind of trouble with our elaborate imaginative games) or looking out for our younger sister, Sheila. So it is no surprise that we are now business partners because we not only work well together but seem to balance each other out.
So let me shed a little more light on how crucial he is to Sweet Silk. He was the first one to back up my idea at conception even though he knew nothing about the confectionery business (and I’m sure he thought I was crazy). He handles all the financial aspects of the business, which makes sense because he’s always been good with dealing with money. Even as a kid he would count money he got for his birthday or holidays, over and over again and keep a log of his savings!. He was instrumental in developing the branding of Sweet Silk along with my sister and he single-handedly designed our website and online shop and continues to manage it. He is the one who creates the newsletters and has even become the resident photographer. Aside from all the technical aspects, he is also always ready to step into the kitchen and help me any way he can with cutting or packaging our sweets. I can’t begin to tell you how many times he, along with my sister and mother, has been up late nights working on finishing a large order with me. All of this and much more while still maintaining a full time job as an engineer (and I thought I was a good at multitasking)!
More importantly he is an amazing brother. He is the kind of brother who will take the heat for you because he didn’t want to see you cry or will carry your burdens because he didn’t want you to suffer. He is the kind of brother who always knows how to make you laugh when you are feeling down and would protect you from anything/anyone that would bring you harm. He is the kind of brother who would drop everything without question or hesitation if ever asked for help. He is honestly (and this is not my biased opinion) the kindest, most loyal, dedicated, motivated, insightful man I know (and yes ladies he is good looking and single too!).
So I have to say (and I know I’m a sap because I’m tearing up just writing this), that I’ve been truly blessed to have a brother like him and Sweet Silk wouldn’t exist nor be where it is today without him. I love you Nim and I don’t think I will ever be able to thank you enough for everything you have done and continue you do for me. I am so proud of everything you have accomplished and the man you have become. You are definitely my inspiration and I strive to be more like you every day.
Raksha Bandhan 1988-Tying rakhi on my brother is a tradition we still continue in our family.
So make sure this Raksha Bandhan you take the time out of your busy schedule to truly express to your brother, cousin, brother-in-law, or friend that you hold dear just how much you appreciate everything they’ve done for you and how much you care…they deserve it.
