![]() Wine pairs well with chocolate on Valentine’s Day, points out Decadence Chocolates owner Helen Staines. Rich, fruity notes tend to be popular among customers. This time of year, she offers specialty molded products and gets creative with thematic flavours, such as cinnamon chili, raspberry lychee and cherry and white chocolate ganache. Valentine’s ranks among the top-three busiest seasons at Decadence Chocolates, alongside Christmas and Easter. “That, to me, is the epitome of romance,” she says.Ī chocolatier for 15 years, Helen Staines is well-versed in the ebbs and flows of the chocolate-shopping calendar. “When it gets dark, go to Thermea, have a meal there and end with a nightcap somewhere.”Ī surprise box of chocolates would be the cherry on top. “If I could not be at my shop on the 14th, this is how my day would go: sleep in till eight or nine… start the day in Bird’s Hill with a little ski, then have a nice lunch or brunch at our place and read by the fireplace,” Menzies says of her ideal Valentine’s itinerary. Menzies can expect a delivery of red roses on the day and the duo try to carve out quality time together around the busy holiday. “Our staff come up with really cute or fun or silly ideas, but people still want the heart,” Menzies says.ĭespite working with cocoa beans day in and day out, chocolate often factors into her personal Valentine celebrations with her partner, Tim (the couple refers to each other as “playmates”). ![]() While she’s experimented with different styles and forms over the last 16 years in business, heart-shaped chocolates and boxes in hues of red and pink are reliable top-sellers.Ĭonstance Menzies says her staff at Chocolatier Constance Popp come up with lots of fun ideas like this one, but mostly ‘people still want the heart.’ ![]() Menzies sees chocolate as a versatile, accessible gift that can be given to lovers, friends and co-workers alike. 14 is the business’s single busiest sales day of the year. ![]() Boniface storefront is transformed into a haven of red hearts and staff get prepared for an onslaught of shoppers - Feb. Constance Menziesįavourite love song: Sing Me a Song by William Prince and Serena RyderĬonstance Menzies is all about Valentine’s Day. The Free Press checked in with several independent chocolatiers to get their take on the holiday and find out how they celebrate the season of love after weeks spent toiling over melted chocolate and gift wrap. Locally, Valentine’s is one of the busiest times of year for Winnipeg chocolate makers. The holiday also represents about $4 billion in confectionery sales in the United States annually. A recent poll by the National Confectioners Association indicates 92 per cent of Americans plan to celebrate Valentine’s this year with chocolate and candy. The sweets remain a February staple for many lovebirds. Cadbury introduced the special packaging - decorated with satin, lace and ribbon - in 1868 and the Ganong chocolate company brought the trend to Canada in the 1930s, according to an in-depth history of Canadian candymaking written by David Carr. While cocoa-based confections have been linked to love and passion for centuries, British candy magnate Richard Cadbury is credited for turning chocolate into a popular Valentine’s gift with the creation of heart-shaped boxes. In the holy trinity of Valentine’s Day gifts, chocolate may have the upper hand. Chocolate is a sweet and widely beloved treat.
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