Last week I was kindly invited to visit The Treat Kitchen in Nottingham, a sweet lover's paradise. This was one offer that could not refuse!
So what is the Treat Kitchen I hear you ask? Well the Treat Kitchen is a traditional sweet shop with a modern twist which is located on Wheeler Gate in Nottingham City Centre. If you are from Nottingham you may well have passed by it a few times, as it has been open since last September.
Although, I have walked past the Treat Kitchen on several occasions, yet I have never had the time to go in (shame on me) So this was the perfect opputunity to 'Treat' myself.
Before my visit I decided to do some research about the Treat Kitchen. So like I mentioned the shop has been open since last September when the owners Martin and Jess moved back to the UK after living in Australia for 3 years,. The Barnett family have been in the confectionery business for over 100 years!! Martin and Jess both felt like their was a gap in the market for a modern version of the 'Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe'.
When I arrived I was greeted by Jodie, the marketing assistant. Jodie explained that the Treat Kitchen was designed to give a modern twist to the old fashioned sweet shop. To achieve this they decided to include huge glass windows, clear jars/pouches, white shelving and walls to make their brightly coloured sweets speak for themselves. This is indeed the case, the rows of colourful jars were visible from across the street!
The packaging doesn't just make the sweets and shop look pretty they actually help the environment! As all the jars and glass milk bottles can be reused for absolutely anything your heart desires. You could use the jars as makeup brush holders, candle holders, pen pot's or even a plant pot!
Despite the modern look of the Treat Kitchen they still have all the favourite traditional sweets from Sherbert Lemons to Pear Drops, in fact they actually have 300 varieties of different treats (wowie that should keep you going for a few
months weeks days)
The Treat Kitchen actually have their very own sugar free range which is aimed at Diabetics, but if you are trying to be a bit healthy but still want to sample the delights of the Treat Kitchen they are perfect for you as there is no compromise on taste! The sugar free range has 10 varieties, including sugar free chocolate limes and sugar free chocolate eclairs.
The Treat Kitchen also have a new range of gourmet dessert boiled sweets (!!!) The range includes 4 different dessert flavours: Lemon Meringue Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, Banoffe Pie and Rhubarb Crumble! So, now you can have dessert at any time of the day (who's complaining?)
If you're brave enough then there is also a brand new radioactive range of sweets, which include 12 different flavoured hard boiled sweets that are covered in malic acid. The sour taste from the acid coating lasts about 30 seconds in your mouth, then you can enjoy the hard boiled sweet. Although I was too much of a wimp to try them, I am obsessed with the packaging of the radioactive range, I love how they are packaged chemistry beakers...they remind me of school so much!
Chocoholics needn't turn the other way...the Treat Kitchen also stock yummy chocolate pizzas from the local family run 'Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company'. Their chocolate pizzas are made with Belgian milk and white chocolate. Personally, I think these are great for a quirky gift for any chocolate/pizza lovers!
Another great thing about the Treat Kitchen was the fact that they have 140 vegetarian flavours and their Jelly Bean range is gelatine free. Normally when I go to sweet shops or am wanting to purchase sweet's from the supermarket I get slightly disheartened by the fact that none of them are suitable for vegetarians as the majority contain gelatine, which is a shame. So the fact that they have sweets suitable for veggies is a real bonus. The Treat Kitchen definitely put a lot of thought into their products and seem to cater for all dietry needs.
I have to mention the fudge counter. The Treat Kitchen have a total of 30 fudgetastic (I apolgise for my failed attempts of being witty) flavours, Martin's dad who is a retired chemistry teacher actually hand makes the fudge in store. I was lucky enough to try some fudge, all the flavours looked amazing but I opted for Salted Caramel, it was delicious
Finally, Jodie kindly said I could take some sweets away with me. So I happily left the shop with a jar of the 'Crunchy Rhubarb Crumble' boiled sweets from the dessert range.
I highly recommend you check out the Treat Kitchen for your sugar fix...you will not be disappointed!
However, if you don't live in Nottingham don't feel disheartened by the sheer fact that you aren't close to the Treat Kitchen you can actually order online!!
(thetreatkitchen.co.uk/)
The Treat Kitchen will be opening a new store in Derby soon located in the Intu Centre. The Treat Kitchen will be hosting their grand opening on
Saturday the 12th of September. The shop will be open from
9am - 7pm but there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Mayor of Derby at
11am. Jodie tells me they will be handing out
75,000 sweets on the day to celebrate! So make sure you all go and check it out :)
Finally I just want to say a big thank you to Jodie for showing me around and thank you to the Treat Kitchen for letting me sample all those lovely sweets!
See you next time for more of my ramblings!
xx
*I received gifts from The Treat Kitchen for the purpose of this review, however all views are my own.
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