Valentine's Day
Sweets for the Sweet? Valentine's Day
By Sarah Lane
Jan 21, 2008, 15:00 PST

Gimmee Candy!

This Valentine’s Day people will spend over one $1,590,000,000 on candy! Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold which probably comes as no surprise given our country’s obsession for the confection. Chocolate is the number one favorite flavor in America according to the Chocolate Manufactures Association (CMA). The second most popular candy for Valentine’s Day is the tiny pastel hearts inscribed with messages called ‘conversation hearts.’ These say things like “Luv U” or “Go Away” giving people a taste of your opinion of them.

So why do we give our sweethearts candy on Valentine’s Day? It’s hard to say. Sweet-making developed rapidly into an industry during the early nineteenth century through the discovery of sugar beet juice and the advance of mechanical appliances. Homemade hard candies, such as peppermints and lemon drops became popular in America during that time. For a timeline of the history of confections click here.

Ever since cavemen used to eat the honey out of bee hives people have craved sweets. It was in pre-Revolutionary New England - 1765, to be exact - that the first chocolate factory was established in this country. People exchange sweets especially during winter holidays, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. In 2001, the United States consumed about 3.1 billion pounds of chocolate and spent $8.5 billion dollars in the process! So who are you giving candy to this year?

Source: Candy. U.S.A.

Chocolate Delights for Valentine's Day

Gold Chocolate Tower Go for the gold with this gift tower filled with rich, tempting chocolates and individually hand-dipped candies. Three gold gift boxes are tied with a decorative ribbon to send your sweetest regards for any occasion. They'll enjoy an 8 oz box of assorted chocolates, an 8 oz box of Peanut Clusters, and a 4 oz box of assorted chocolates. Each item is made of only the finest gourmet ingredients including real butter, cane sugar, and world-reknowned Guittard chocolate. So rich, so creamy, so good! The fine quality of chocolate used in this gift requires a controlled climate during shipping. Overnight shipping will be necessary.

Chocolate Paradise This elegant wire basket is filled with a paradise of delicious chocolate delights including 24 rich gourmet cookies made with Guittard Chocolate. The cookies are made with only the finest ingredients and baked at higher than usual temperatures to create a crunchy cookie with a moist center. Mackenzie's Chocolates, famous for intricate shaped chocolates, provides the rest of the sweet confections: a 16-piece box of chocolate covered toffee, a 32-piece box of flower-shaped chocolates, a 4-piece box of filled truffles, and a unique heart-shaped chocolate box which opens to reveal 3 more perfect truffles. The wire basket, which holds this heavenly collection of 80 chocolate delights, makes a great centerpiece for fruit or holiday decorations after the treats disappear. A yummy chocolatey treat! Gift is 16" x 16" x 4.5" and weighs 11 lbs.

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