[Caramels by Sam has received quite a bit of attention lately, via a Roanoke Times article and a mention on local TV. I met with Sam before the pandemic to get the story behind her business. While a few others beat me to it, I still want to share what I found out about this popular confectioner.]
“It knocks you in the face”. That sounds ominous, but it really isn’t, as the speaker is referring to the mouthwatering aroma of cooking caramel. The speaker is none other than Synethia Nichols, AKA the “Sam” in Caramels by Sam. A while back, I was fortunate to be invited to Sam’s caramel-making workspace—the kitchen of her home in South Roanoke County. Now retired from a career as a school psychologist with Roanoke City Schools, Sam enjoys a slower pace, relaxing at home with her husband, Fletcher. But don’t worry, she’s committed to her caramel business, creating several batches a week of rich caramel goodness in sea salt (a customer favorite), and her own favorite, vanilla. Other flavors include butter rum, coffee, Godiva chocolate, eggnog, amoretto, and orange creamsicle; they are available for the holidays, or for special order the rest of the year. (Eggnog in July sounds wrong, but Sam will make that flavor for you if you ask.)
Sam discovered the joy of handmade caramel over fifteen years ago when she tried some handmade candies a coworker had brought to work. Up until then, “the only caramel I had ever had was Kraft”, she says. Sam got a basic caramel recipe, which typically calls for brown sugar, cream, corn syrup, kosher salt, and butter; she tweaked the recipe, adding extracts and flavorings until she got it just right—and down to a science.
At first, the caramels were intended as gifts, but as demand increased, Sam decided to try selling them. They were a huge hit, and sought after as holiday gifts. Sam embraced this side gig, using the extra income for Christmas and to help her son with college expenses.
When I arrived at Sam’s house, she already had a batch of caramel on the stove. While her ingredients are standard, she has preferred brands that she declines to disclose.
I noticed a TV on the kitchen counter; that’s so she doesn’t get bored while standing at the stove—caramel must be stirred constantly until it reaches the proper temperature. Sam can tell when it is ready just by looking, but she still uses a thermometer, just to be sure. When the temperature is right, she adds the flavorings, stirs, and pours the mixture into her favorite 9 x 13 pan. She normally makes 2.5 pounds at a time, except from mid-October through the end of the year when she has a lot of orders to fill (although the most she will do at a time is a double batch---even when a local sheet metal company ordered eighty pounds to give to their customers, she made it in small batches).
After the pan of caramel “rests” for at least a day, it is time to cut it into individual pieces, a chore that Sam admits is her least favorite due to the redundancy. Next, the caramels are wrapped in clear plastic wrappers that she orders online and are packaged according to the order.
Sam takes her business seriously; she is licensed, and her kitchen undergoes regular, thorough inspections. The packaging includes an allergy warning because of the dairy, as well as storage instructions. She’s serious about her equipment, too; she buys a new pan and a new thermometer every six months due to the wear and tear incurred during the cooking process. There is even a refrigerator dedicated solely to caramel storage.
In spite of being surrounded by all that sugary goodness, Sam claims that she doesn’t eat that many caramels. She will eat one from every batch to ensure that the quality is up to her standards, but then will only nibble on the leftovers, or scrapings, from the pan (although she shares with Fletcher, who is happy to help scrape the pan---an enviable job). What Sam relishes the most is connecting with other people and seeing their reactions to her caramels. She loves it when she is recognized as the caramel lady, and when her appearance elicits an excited “She’s here!”
So, how can you get some of Sam’s caramels? They are sold at She’s International Boutique (101 Market Street SE, Roanoke), Crystal Spring Grocery Company, and Brighter Image Day Spa (5720 Williamson Road, Suite 102, Roanoke). If you are lucky, there will be some available at the Annual Holiday Bazaar at Colonial Presbyterian Church in November (3550 Poplar Drive, Roanoke), and maybe even some for sale at The Stocked Market. You can also check out Facebook and her website www.caramelsbysam.com and place your order via email, Facebook/Messenger, or phone/text at (540) 797-1060.
Sam is looking into adding on-line ordering, and is happy to ship orders, but be aware that the caramels contain no preservatives—which she says are in all lower-end, store-bought caramels. And Sam’s caramels are not cheap, mass-produced junk food. At $17 per pound, Sam hasn’t raised her prices much since she first started selling her caramels, even though the price of her preferred brand of vanilla has increased over 100%.
When her caramel business started taking off, Sam was encouraged to try out for the popular reality television show, Shark Tank. She was not interested, because she knew what the judges’ conclusion would be: she would need to increase production and do it at a quicker pace. Sam is not a shark. She is an artisan, and she knows that quality caramels take time. As to when when she's going to retire from this job, Sam told me that she will "make them like I like making them until I don't want to make them anymore".
The story's not over! Check back tomorrow for some anecdotes.
Comments