My Secret Santa knew I love cooking and kitchen chemistry but currently live in Japan, where my apartment has no oven and therefore no baking capabilities. So she sent me "Candy Making for Dummies," which has all sorts of delicious candy recipes that up until now I thought were impossible in the home kitchen. I am super excited to expand my cooking repertoire into the candy realm - and just in time for Christmas! Maybe I'll send some chocolate-dipped mints to my Secret Santa as a thank-you present.

Now I just have to find the proper ingredients in Japan...

I hope there will be some finished-product candy pictures to post, soon!