Have you had your daily recommended servings of sugar and butter today? Never!

About halfway down Charlotte Street, tucked inside an alcove between Spinner's and some place called SODA, you'll find the delightful little shop named The Cape Breton Fudge Company. This locally owned confectionery establishment has been making fudge in Sydney for about seven years now, and to the casual onlooker, appears much like many other fudge shops, albeit with a bit more plaid. You'll find all the flavours you've come to expect at your local fudge shop, including highland chocolate, gold maple, and celtic mint.

But not everything in The Cape Breton Fudge Company is as it appears to be. For late at night, after the "Open" sign is flipped and the lights come down, the experiments begin. This is because Duane Nardocchio, the owner and chief fudge artisan at The Cape Breton Fudge Company, is the closest thing Sydney has to an Alchemist.

I don't care what anybody says. That says SODA.

"The jalapeno fudge was good. It was interesting," says Duane, with equal amounts of amusement and defensive persuasion. "We made it during the Charlie Sheen meltdown. We called it Tiger Blood Fudge." I had no idea fudge could be so topical. 

This isn't my first run in with Duane's eccentric fudge. He makes custom recipes for nearly every theatrical production staged at The Highland Arts Theatre. For the play "The Lieutenant of Inishmore", a charming production where nearly every character suffers a horrible and violent death, the signature fudge resembled chunks of human carrion, with embedded bone and blood for enhanced realism.

"We crushed up peppermint to make the bone fragments, and added some dyed chocolate for the blood." Blending the wholesome tradition of fudge crafting with the preverse act of human dismemberment does not happen often, but when it does, it's truly magical.

Photo Credit goes to Rory Andrews, because I clearly suck at this.

Other unconventional flavours of fudge you might find at The Cape Breton Fudge Company include Watermelon, Creamsicle, and Honey-lemon Tea. But recently, through his late night experiments, Duane might have created the most Cape Breton product ever conceived. You see, Duane's been pouring beer in his kettle. Cape Breton beer. And he's created a blend of sugar and hops only this island could inspire.

Photo credit goes to Not Rory, because this picture is actually good.

The Cape Breton Fudge Company and two of Cape Breton's finest microbreweries, Breton Brewery and Big Spruce Brewing have teamed up to make the fudge and beer lovechild you never even knew you wanted. The fudges are based on Big Spruce's "Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout" and Breton Brewing Company's "Red Coat". 

"You just pour beer in instead of water" says Duane, explaining how to make his beer fudge and a Saturday night better. "It evaporates a bit quicker than water, so you have to add more beer." As if he needed an excuse.

As of now, the fudges are "in development" for the upcoming Beer Fest this Autumn down at the Joan Harris Cruise Pavilion. The flavours aren't for sale, and currently the only way to get your hands on them is to promise Duane to write a story about him. I've also heard he might give you samples if you're not a jerk. 

If you can't possibly wait until Autumn for some alcohol inspired delicacies, The Cape Breton Fudge Company has a Glen Breton Whiskey fudge that I would take a picture of, but I already ate it.

It's really not that fragile. I threw some at my brother just yesterday.

But this raises an important question. If Cape Breton is going to make beer fudge, isn't it also important to make a fudge beer? I'm seeing a creamy chocolate stout in my near future!

Oh, and The Cape Breton Fudge Company will be at Saltscapes Expo this weekend with free samples. You could drive to Halifax for some free fudge, but I'm pretty sure it's not an economically sound strategy.

And if you're looking for something to pair with your new beer fudge, might I suggest beer.