What to do if your Valentine… doesn't like chocolate

by Nicole Weston, Posted Feb 8th 2006 @ 11:42AM

white chocolate fountain Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who simply do not care for chocolate. It can be too bitter or too rich for some, while others don't really like the flavor. It is possible that, while they might enjoy the occasional piece, your Valentine simply would prefer to get something other than a box of decadent dark chocolate truffles for Valentine's Day.

In the candy category, caramel is at least equal to chocolate in richness and flavor. Many caramels are sold covered in chocolate, but the Little Flower Candy Company in Los Angeles, makes unbelievably delicious (and chocolate free) Sea Salt Caramels, which would be an unusual, sweet treat for your Valentine. They also have a wide variety of marshmallows, though most would still think that they are best when paired with hot chocolate. Other candy options might include divinity or even peanut brittle, which is certainly tasty, if not particularly romantic.

Cookies are another option that doesn't necessarily involve chocolate. Nothing beats a homemade cookie and they recipes are usually easy enough for non-professional chefs to pull off successfully. Heartbreaker Butter Cookies are simple and perfectly sweet. If your Valentine isn't as sweet, however, buying a tube of icing to decorate a batch of No-Conversation Hearts might be a better way to go. Cheesecakes, ice cream and fruit desserts are also excellent choices.

If your Valentine has an open mind, you might try to persuade him or her to indulge in some white chocolate. White chocolate isn’t really chocolate, since it only uses cocoa butter and has no chocolate liquor. While it is on the sweet side, since it lacks the bitter undertones of cocoa, if your anti-chocolate sweetie is willing to taste it, he or she will not be disappointed by the smooth, creamy texture. Lindt's White Chocolate Truffles are the perfect way to present this treat, but dipping strawberries into melted white chocolate is even more romantic.

Filed Under: Lists, Food Quest, Ingredients, How To
Tags: candy, caramel, cheesecake, chocolate, cookies, dessert, Food Quest, gifts, hates chocolate, lindt, little flower candy company, love, lust, non chocolate gift, nonchocolate, presents, sea salt caramels, valentine, valentine's day, white chocolate

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-08-2006 @4:47PM Misty said... If I had a Valentine that didn't like chocolate, I'd get a new Valentine...

Seriously though, as my husband is not a huge fan of sweets, this year I'm cooking him a full dinner out of InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook. We'll see how well that goes... ;)

If you're interested in the cookbook there's a few recipes on the website www.intercourses.com to try including Baked Oysters with Chardonnay.

Happy Eating!

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