Confection Central

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 | 9:15 a.m.

Satin Cremes.

Silk Truffles.

Creme Liqueurs.

The names evoke images of richness that set Ethel M Chocolates apart from the confectionery world of mere candy bars for the masses, whose palates are insensitive to exquisite tastes.

Forrest Mars Sr., the companys founder who died last year at age 95, became wealthy as a young man by catering to those masses with Snickers bars and other treats. But in his final years he focused his sweet tooth on the elite those with discriminating taste buds whose craving for chocolate couldnt be satisfied by a bag of M&Ms.

After he retired from M&Ms/Mars in 1980, Mars moved to Henderson and started Ethel M on a 4-acre site on Sunset Way, where he also created a botanical and cactus garden that has the worlds largest collection of succulents and cacti.

Free, self-guided factory and cactus garden tours are available daily from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Free chocolate samples are offered in the retail shop.

This time of year the shop is filled with chocolate Christmas trees and Santas and gaily-wrapped boxes of assorted sweets that remind one if one needs to be reminded that the holidays are almost here.

Company spokeswoman Karen Thompson said holiday-candy shoppers include everyone from individuals to corporations. Singer Ricky Martin recently ordered enough chocolate gifts for 200 of his friends.

But the Macadamia Salutes, Pecan Caramel Raptures, Cherry Cordials and dozens of other candies are too splendid to be thought of as mere stocking stuffers unless they are silk stockings.

The most recent creation to be unwrapped by the company is called Fudge Bundle, and its perfect for Santas waistline: three flavors of fudge (chocolate, chocolate walnut and maple pecan) covered in a layer of chocolate.

You wont find any of the 60 varieties of Ethel M candy in a candy dispenser. Its sold at about 70 retail outlets around the country, by mail order and at the local factory.

Making Ethel M candy is labor intensive. Almost every step is done by hand. "Enrobbing," the process of coating the core of the candy with chocolate, is the only mechanized procedure.

There are no preservatives in Ethel M products, so the chocolate is best if eaten soon after opening. Those are easy instructions to follow and unlike other assembly-required holiday gifts, you likely wont have any pieces left over.