My name is Herman Mittelholzer and I have been married to Gail, also my business partner, for over twenty years. I have been making fudge ever since my grandmother taught me how when I was just eight years old. Now, considerably older with children of my own and a career as an Internet consultant, I began to find the past catching up with me.

My grandmother was quite a character and spent much of the latter years of her life traveling and staying with relations, there were plenty, in just about every continent on the planet. She had a very strong personality and usually managed to outstay her welcome in double-quick time, but wherever she went she took with her a real passion for cooking, savoury food and sweet, that she was more than happy to find students for. When I was eight years old my grandmother descended on my family in Mill Hill, north London, to stay for the summer.

It became obvious to my grandmother that I was not going to be interested in cooking chicken in the French style, but having discovered a potentially interested student, she determined that I should learn something. Perhaps I should mention here that, although as thin as a rake, her lifelong overindulgence in all things sweet had resulted in her getting diabetes in her latter years, and she had to watch her sugar intake very carefully. Her sweet specialties were coconut ice and fudge, and, what better way to get an eight-year-old into the kitchen to keep her company, than making fudge and getting me to test it. And, who was I to argue!?

My summer long apprenticeship began. I became the official family fudge tester, and, with a child's unlimited capacity for sugar I made sure my days were well spent. After all, my grandmother would be leaving to go and bless our relations in Manchester with her presence in the Autumn, making it imperative that I absorb as much knowledge as I could in the limited time available. So, with a childlike zeal for all things sweet fully engaged, I became a very fast learner.