The “Delicious” French-Inspired Hosting Gift Ina Garten Gives Everyone (I’m Getting 3 Boxes Just for Me!)

If there’s anyone I trust to know how to host a good dinner party, it’s Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa not only knows her way around the kitchen, but she’s also the go-to expert for many home cooks’ entertaining and cooking questions. And with holiday parties filling up my schedule, I checked out Ask Ina, where the celeb cookbook author answers fans’ burning questions, to prep for the season.

When Molly from St. Louis, Missouri, asked Ina what her favorite hostess gifts are, I knew I had struck gold. Contrary to the typical suggestion of a bottle of wine or a fancy appetizer that the “host feels obliged to serve for dinner,” Ina gave a few unorthodox suggestions. At the top of her suggestions was a box of Fran’s Chocolates’ caramels — which just so happens to be my favorite type of candy, so I was quickly on the hunt to try them myself.

Fran’s Chocolates was started in 1982 in Seattle by Fran Bigelow, who was inspired to create her own patisserie and chocolate shop after traveling to Paris. In the 41 years since its creation, Fran’s Chocolates has gone on to win prestigious awards in the world of chocolate, like best overall chocolatier in the U.S. by The Book of Chocolate, and Outstanding Fine Chocolatier in North America by the Fine Chocolate Industry Association. Feats that would make even Wonka jealous! 

But just like a golden ticket, I had a hard time getting my hands on Fran’s artisanal chocolates. They’re only sold at select retailers, and there aren’t any official Fran’s stores in California where I live (they’re mostly in the Pacific Northwest and Japan). Unbeknownst to me, the closest Sur la Table (a Fran’s retailer), had closed down a few months ago, so my hunt for Fran’s Chocolates sent me to a fancy butcher shop by the beach that said they had the chocolate caramels in stock when I called. 

Also unbeknownst to me was that each individual chocolate caramel was marked up to $6 apiece at this shop — almost twice the price of the $20 pack of seven at Sur la Table online. I bought two — one with dark chocolate, caramel, and almonds, and the other with dark chocolate, caramel, and macadamia nuts — and headed home with the queen’s go-to “little luxury.”

The anticipation was killing me as I cut both pieces in half and prepared to decide whether or not Ina’s hosting gift was worth the $12 I had just spent. But with my first bite, I was transported back to Paris, standing on a cobblestone street eating a crepe doused in caramel sauce. Not to sound cheesy, but there’s something special about the caramel sauce in France — it has a sweet and salty complexity that tastes almost like burnt toffee.

The caramel in Fran’s Chocolates perfectly replicates that same taste and complexity of French caramel in my opinion, and the contrast of the dark chocolate and crunchy nuts perfectly complement the sweet, salty flavor. I never thought I’d say this, but I’d drive 20 minutes to a fancy butcher shop just to get my hands on one of those $6 chocolate caramels any day of the week.

That being said, if you do plan on gifting Fran’s Chocolates to someone, or bringing them to a party as a hosting gift, then you’ll probably have to plan ahead and make sure they’re in-stock online or available at a store near you, as they do seem to sell-out on online retailers like Amazon. Luckily, Fran’s has a list of retailers that sell their chocolates readily available on their website — and if you live near a Sur la Table, they offer same-day delivery on Ina’s favorite treats. Fran’s also offers shipping on all items.

Although Fran’s Chocolates are pricey, I definitely think they are delicious and would make an incredible hosting gift — especially if you need a creative gift for all of those holiday parties coming up. They come in tons of flavors that are sure to wow the crowd. You might just want to grab a few boxes for yourself, too!