Barack Obama's Favorite Sweet Treat Is Ina Garten-Approved

Ina Garten and Barack Obama aren't exactly culinary birds of a feather. For starters, Obama orders his steak medium-well, while Garten shares grilling hacks for a perfect rare or medium steak. However, there is one sweet little treat that the former president and famous chef are totally in agreement on: smoked salted caramels. Specifically, Smoked Salt Caramels made by the Seattle-based company Fran's Chocolates. Obama reportedly fell in love with these gourmet sweet-and-salty delights during his first presidential campaign, and as legend has it, the milk chocolate-covered treats were always kept on hand during his time in the White House.

Garten's love for Fran's Smoked Salt Caramels stems from the fact that they make a perfect gift for a dinner party hostess. The chef noted that she likes to bring something the host can choose to serve as a post-dinner treat, but won't feel pressured to serve with the meal (unlike Jell-O salad, which Garten urges others to never bring to a dinner party). Obama also appreciates their value as a gift – presidential gift boxes of Fran's Chocolates, complete with the presidential seal, were presented to Oval Office guests during the Obama administration.

The reason both Barack Obama and Ina Garten adore this superlative smoky-sweet treat is pretty clear. The luxurious confection consists of buttery, slow-cooked caramel enrobed in milk chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of Welsh oak-smoked sea salt. If the description alone wasn't enough to convince you, Fran's Smoked Salt Caramels won the Specialty Food Association's Outstanding Confection Award in 2005. Plus, their petite size makes them the perfect indulgent two-bite treat to add some pep to your step in between interminable Zoom calls (or high-stakes meetings with global leaders, if you're Barack Obama).

If you're skeptical of milk chocolate, (first of all, consider broadening your horizons – milk chocolate definitely doesn't deserve such a bad rap), you can opt for Michelle Obama's Fran's Chocolates favorite, the Gray Salt Caramels, which are enrobed in dark chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of French gray salt from the Brittany coast. Whether you're gifting these smoky salted caramels or enjoying them as a little treat (with big benefits), you can rest assured that they have both the presidential seal of approval and the endorsement of culinary royalty — that's pretty darn sweet.