If you are a reader of any other ATL food blogs, undoubtedly you’ve seen posts recently about Chay J’s New Orleans Candies. This leads me to believe one thing: this woman (owner/confectioner Channon Powell) knows her marketing. And if a few food blogs aren’t enough for you, her treats have also been featured on BET’s The Mo’Nique Show. I had the chance to try some of Ms. Powell’s creations when she hand-delivered them to campus for me to try (where she was subsequently fawned over by a strange foreign student who was–to say the least–impressed by her 6′ height…but that’s another story ) Ms. Powell dropped off some “Creole Crunch” popcorn and “Creole Pretzels.” I was too busy munching to get any pictures of my treats, but these photos from chayjs.com should give you the basic idea:

Creole Crunch

Creole Pretzels

Mmm. My hands-down favorite was the popcorn, the sweet coating on which somehow made it feel like it was melting in my mouth. For those who love a good sweet/salty combo, the creole pretzels are the way to go. Since these were mounded together by their caramel-y coating, they took a little more mandibular force to crunch into, which was a bit of a turn-off after my meltaway popcorn. But don’t get me wrong–I still finished the bag! You can order Chay J’s treats for delivery all over the country, and can even get personal delivery in Metro Atlanta with a minimum purchase.

Because I enjoyed Chay J’s New Orleans Candies so much, and in celebration of my new-ish Facebook page, I’ll be having….a GIVEAWAY!!!

Become a “fan” of First Bite on Facebook and leave a comment on the giveaway post on what Chay J’s confection you’d most like to win (visit the webpage for a full list). I’ll have a random drawing next Wednesday, Sept. 15 for the winner of some yummy treats! Disclaimer: I can’t promise that you’ll win the product in your comment (I am a grad student on a limited income, after all) but I can promise it’ll be something good Good luck!
www.chayjs.com