Taking Their Sweet Time
Cape Cod Life / August 2023 / Food & Dining
Writer: Lindsey Friel
Taking Their Sweet Time
Cape Cod Life / August 2023 / Food & Dining
Writer: Lindsey Friel
Legendary Murdick’s Fudge celebrates 45 years in business on Martha’s Vineyard bringing smiles with their tasty treats.
“Just one more piece…”: the phrase heard around the world. A seaside town necessity, fudge has become a cornerstone of simple American tradition. From the large marble showcase tables to the glass cases of mouth-watering treats, people can’t help but indulge themselves. We concur, “just one more piece,” might just be the biggest self-told lie when it comes to these sweets.
Sugar, cream, tradition, love, and community. These five ingredients have carried the tradition of Murdick’s Fudge for the past 136 years. What started as a small Mackinac Island family business, Murdick’s has transformed into a household name known for their irresistible confectionery delights. Indeed, Murdick’s has all the basics: marble showcase tables, glass cases, smiling customers, and entranced children. So, what makes it different? A story of a family that dates back to 1900.
The namesake, Murdick comes from the father-son-duo Henry and Jerome “Rome” Murdick. In 1887, after tourism became a pillar for Mackinac Island, the family opened the first Murdick’s Candy Kitchen which specialized in fudge making. Large marble tables set the stage for Rome to craft fudge using his mother’s coveted recipe—a scene that remains today in all Murdick’s Fudge locations. When the 1920s brought the Great Depression, the tourism industry was heavily impacted. Thus, the demand for Murdick’s fudge sharply decreased, leading Rome’s oldest son, Gould, to sell the business. However, in 1957, Jerome Murdick (Gould’s half-brother) began selling the original recipe fudge at his own business, Murdick’s Luncheonette, and eventually converted the restaurant into Murdick’s Candy Kitchen—a nod to...Want to read this article and more?
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