Mark Mazzaferro has worn many hats over the years, from restaurant manager to journalist to communications extraordinaire.
But the heart of the Vacaville resident’s ventures has always been family, so it’s no surprise that the retired former city of Vacaville spokesman has started up a family business. And it’s oh, so sweet.
On a recent Saturday, Mazzaferro popped up at the Vacaville Farmers Market bearing a good supply of his homemade “Vince’s Brittle,” which is named for his son. Hoping for a few sales as he introduced his product to the masses, he was surprised to have sold out.
“It certainly was uplifting in terms of a response from the community,” he shared. “People liked it. People bought it.”
The candymaking was never supposed to be a business.
One day, the foodie found a brittle recipe he liked and, over the years, tweaked it to his liking. Making it was time consuming, but he liked it.
“I’d give it away to friends and family at Christmas,” Mazzaferro remembered.
They raved about it, which made him smile. And then he got what he called the ultimate compliment which changed everything.
“The key moment came when my mother-in-law tasted it and said “It’s the best brittle I’ve ever tasted,”” he said.
In 2015, the business was born.
The name, “Vince’s Brittle,” is an inside joke, a bit of family gallows humor, if you will. Mazzaferro’s son, Vince, was a bit of a daredevil as a child and continuously got into scrapes — breaking an arm, then a leg, and so on. Thus, he was “brittle.” Get it?
Anyway, Mazzaferro, his wife, Lori Piccone-Mazzaferro, and Vince began selling at the Napa Farmers Market and elsewhere on weekends. It was tough, candymaking one weekend and selling the next. Plus work and life in general. So, “Vince’s Brittle” went on hiatus until Mazzaferro fully retired last year.
He’s now making candy again, his wife created the graphics for the packaging and his son is the taste tester, otherwise known as the quality control guy.
There’s three tasty flavors — cashew, cashew cacao nib and cashew macadamia nut coconut. Half pound bags will be sold at Visit Vacaville headquarters at the Nut Tree.
Upcoming dates at the Vacaville Farmers Market, each day from 8 a.m.-noon, include June 5, June 19, July 3, July 17, July 31, August 14, August 28, Sept. 4, Sept. 18, Oct. 2, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.
You can also buy the goodies online at www.nvconfections.com.
Because this is a home-based business in Vacaville, the products cannot be shipped. But for a small fee, the Mazzaferros will deliver locally.
The family hopes the community will enjoy their creations for a long time to come.
“My goal is not to be the king of the candy industry,” Mazzaferro joked. “Just provide a good product that people like.”
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May 15, 2021 at 10:32AM
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Sweet business is a family affair - Vacaville Reporter
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