Heads up: Katherine Anne Confections truffle and caramel preview

How often do you come across apricot-basil truffles? What about strawberry-balsalmic caramel? If you're Katherine Anne Duncan, these unique flavor combos are just a part of another day in the kitchen.

Since 2006, Katherine Anne Confections has been creating truffles and caramels inspired by Duncan's upbringing on a sustainable farm in Wisconsin. Using products from local farms, Duncan mixes and matches fruits, vegetables and herbs to create these fresh, limited-edition chocolates and caramels. Each flavor is offered for only seven days, with a new truffle and caramel flavor released every week from May through October at Chicago farmers' markets.

Until now, KAC's tastings, previewing the upcoming month's flavors, were only offered to select customers, but next week, Duncan will open the event to the public. The preview will be held in Duncan's production studio (2745 W Armitage) on Wednesday, July 27 from 5:30–8pm. Guests will sample the five truffles and five caramels to be sold during the month of August. There will be two more previews this year for September's and October's flavors, and then the tastings will go on hiatus until Spring.

August's flavors include Duncan's personal favorites: a cilantro, lime and sweet corn truffle made with white chocolate, fresh lime juice and zest and cilantro from Smits Farm in Chicago Heights; as well as a raspberry-vanilla caramel, for those of us not quite ready for cilantro in our dessert.

Space is limited to about 60 guests, so snag your spot at katherine-anne.com/preview or call 773-727-3248 to purchase a ticket for $20. Ticket price includes savory bites from FIG catering paired with wine from LUSH Wines and Spirits.