Those silver balls (I'm not sure what they're called). People often use them with the "quilted" look on cakes. I have looked at every grocery store, Wal-Mart, Michael's and Jo Ann's, and I can't find these things anywhere! I don't have a cake decorating store in my area. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Globalsugarart

They are called dragees and they come in all kinds of colors. As the previous poster stated you can find them on global sugar art and many other online sites.

I'm not sure where you are located, but I'm pretty sure that dragees can't be shipped to California. I think that is the only exception.

i think i heard that the reason they couldnt be shipped to ca was because of the silver, not sure though. i copied the bottom part off a website for a local store for me here in fl that i always use for everything "cake"


Dragees are classified as non-edible and for decoration only by the FDA in the United States because they contain minute quantities of heavy metals. However, they are non-toxic and safe for use on food and are considered edible in many countries outside of the U.S. where they are consumed on a variety of confections. Please note: These cannot be shipped to California.

Ingredients: sugar, wheat starch, rice starch, wheat meal, arabic gum (gellatin agent), gelatin, Natural Colors, gold (Curoumin) E/10, Silver (Pure Silver) E/174


the link to the webpage is:
http://dandgoccasions.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=488&zenid=09b9501hqsi68rnp97vkn5pe41

Yes, dragees. They are not to be sold and shipped in California, like already mentioned.

You can search in dragees on Google and find many places.

That's very interesting. Is it the "Governator" that won't allow them in?

You can also purchase them online at www.sweetnfancy.com They are outlawed in CA because of a lawsuit, filed a number of years ago, claiming that the silver coating was dangerous to children when eaten. The lawyer who filed the suit was convincing and therefore NO DRAGEES FOR YOU! if you live in CA. The above mentioned site sells them in silver and gold in various sizes.

OMG.. I had no idea these are not to be eaten. When I was a child my mother decorated some cakes for me and my sisters with these.

I didnt know they couldnt be shipped to CA. i just ordered some and it didnt say anything to ma about not being able to be shipped to me . thats so weird . Does anyone know where i can find black dragees? i need them by friday of next week .

don't know if she sells the ones that lawyer goes after.


PM me if you want a store.

I don't know if Doug's link to the story about that lawyer are the same links I have posted on earlier threads about dragees (they are buried so far back in my posts archive I don't know where they are!) but anyway - yeah to sum it up, it's all because of him!

Note that they are NOT "illegal" to sell or use in California, as many sites state. That is a misunderstanding that vendors tend to perpetuate. But because the guy went after EACH AND EVERY person he could find selling dragees to CA, 99.99% of companies will not sell to CA because he WILL go after them, if he finds 'em. What happens is: he claims that they are selling a toxic product that people will put on edible items, and takes them to court, leaving the burden of proof on them - meaning they'd have to hire lawyers to prove that dragees won't harm you. Since nobody wants to take on that mountain of an assignment, they all settle out of court...from the articles I've read, a small store can expect to fork over $3-6K if he ferrets them out. So people who sell them usually do it quietly.

And yes, it's due to the silver content, because silver accumulates in your body throughout life; it is not flushed out of your system. But as Doug mentions, the amount consumed is considered SO negligible, that is why many countries do NOT consider them to be a health hazard in any way.

Sox-n-Pats if the person you're referencing sells silver ones can you please do her a favor and go back in and edit your post and remove her information? Then PM it to the OP. Because I have no idea if that guy is still active about dragees or if he figures his work is done, but if he canvasses sites like this for info, then she will get sued by him. You can only edit your post for a short time, otherwise her info will be "out there" for him to track her down any time.

Chef Rubber will sell dragees to California residents. Paul, the owner, has already won a lawsuit over it. You can also make your own if you take the naked sugar beads, spray them with a good dose of sugar laquer and then dust them in the luster/disco dust of your choice.

Thanks for that info, that is good to know and I am pleased to learn that someone has fought that guy and won! I'm all for people protecting my health, but IMO it should have been an awareness campaign set out to require warning labels so that people could decide for themselves whether or not to use/eat them, not an outright ban.

what's funny about all this...

silver is used in water purification systems.

it has bioreactive properties that kill all kinds of bad bacteria.

---
so for humans I guess it would be death by purification.

It makes us just too sterling?

thanks so much for the info...i went to one the sites listed, and they have them in 4 mm, 6 mm or 8 mm...what size should i get? what size have you used (if you typically use these on your cakes)?

thanks again!

You could make some fondant pearls and dust them with silver luster dust.