These stuffed fruits are among the finer things of life. The figs used are the imported Smyrna macaroni figs; the dates the Halawy from Iraq; from California's Santa Clara Valley come the prunes and apricots, the largest size available. The prunes are stuffed with their own meat and so fat, so packed with solid eating they run but 8 to the pound. The apricots are steamed, madhed, and formed into little bundles of delight. The figs and the dates are nut-filled, the price ＄1.75 a pound.
A galaxy of inspired candies has come from the Plumbridge kitchen over the years. Some say that here you buy the best chocolate caramels in the wide world. We wouldn't go that far looking for argument. But they are indeed excellent, made with heavy cream and a quantity of butter. The spiced pecans, the salted pecans, cashews, and almonds are made by a secret process that keeps the coating hugging tight to the nuts. Spiced pecans and salted almonds are ＄2.75, to give you a tip-off on prices. The nuts are prepared daily and often three times a day to keep up with the orders.
Along a low wall shelf the freshly made chocolates are arranged in card-board sampling boxes. First the creams, maple, Italian, coffee, and the coconut royals. There are chocolate-covered filberts, and the chocolate-covered marzipan that nobody can improve upon, and we say so, fearing not a single word of back talk. Luxuriously, indulgently nibble your way down the row. Try the prune piece, sample the nougat, have a chocolate chip. The mints are strongly and truly mint-flavored.
Fifteen years ago Charles Plumbridge died and his wife continued the business, a great share of which she handled by mail. late last summer Mrs. Plumbridge, then seventy, decided she couldn't take another Christmas with its deluge of orders and sold her shop and candy secrets to Madelyn C. Hoey, who has pledged to carry on in the Plumbridge tradition. With the shop she inherited the candy-maker who has been making these good things for eighteen years.
Every box leaving the shop is packed to order, a custom-made box, the fruits foil-wrapped, the candies, the nuts each in separate drawers of the chestlike boxes. After the contents are gone, use the cabinet for jewelry. The boxes are priced at ＄6, ＄7, and ＄8. Bon voyage containers lavishly beribboned have 5 or 7 drawers and sell for ＄11.50 and ＄13.50, respectively.
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