Retail consultant Virginia Carnohan of Kailua had never made fudge in her life until her husband suggested she buy a fudge kettle and go into business (he's a fudge fanatic). She needed another outlet because her consulting gigs had dried up along with the economy after 9/11.

So, the Christmas of 2001, Carnohan found some retail space at Windward Mall and began making a creamy-textured fudge that did well. "Everyone likes comfort food," she said.

Carnohan kept that space for six years, expanding her line with gifts, music and accessories. Then, in 2006, she moved to Kailua and a shop of her own, The Cottage, at 315 Uluniu St., across the courtyard from Cinnamon's restaurant.

She uses a "top secret" commercial-grade chocolate from a New York supplier and branches out into flavored fudges throughout the year: pumpkin at Thanksgiving; chocolate rum nut for Christmas. (The cooking is done off-site in a commercial kitchen.)

Throughout the year, there's chocolate, chocolate walnut, vanilla chocolate swirl, maple walnut, mint chocolate swirl, peanut butter chocolate, amaretto chocolate swirl and coffee chocolate swirl. From time to time, she makes vanilla praline, chocolate caramel nut, key lime and lemon meringue. She also makes up gift boxes.

Carnohan's fudge is well-flavored, creamy-buttery and comes both in small packs of molded chocolate-size pieces and in thickish slices. The other night, my husband and I sat on the couch like a couple of greedy children, our cheeks bulging as though we were squirrels in nut season, saying, "Did you taste the maple walnut yet?" "Oooh, try this pumpkin one."

Given the difficulties of home candymaking in our humidity and without a climate-controlled atmosphere, and at the cost of ingredients now, buying your comfort might make sense.

Retail has not been easy this year, Carnohan said. But at The Cottage, it's always sweet.