"box of chocolates" news and stories

Since we have been focusing on Valentine's Day for the past week or so, I asked a few friends and family members what their favorite treat of the season was. I was surprised to find out that almost everyone had a different answer. Those that are chocoholics didn't even hesitate - give them a box of chocolates and they have never been happier. Cookies were also a very popular answer. Some claimed that they love the conversation hearts, though they wouldn't think to buy them at any other time of the year. A number of people said they just liked anything that happened to be red, pink, or heart-shaped, even if it wasn't food. I think the best answer I received was: "Anything that just seems romantic, regardless of what it is. We need to have this holiday more than once a year."

My favorite treat by far are the little cinnamon candy hearts. I stock up in February and have them lying around in bowls for months afterwards. I like them so much in fact that I've tried crushing them up in icing to go on top of brownies (very good) and tossed a dozen or so into a cup of hot coffee in an attempt to give it a cinnamon flavor (not so good).

What is your favorite treat of the season?

How can you tell when a celebrity is doing something just for the money? It is easy when they don't even attempt to conceal the fact that they dislike the product that bears their name. Gordon Ramsay, for example, doesn't seem to think that his new line of chocolates, called Just Desserts, are anything special. He said "I don't think you are going to be blown away at £3.99-odd for a box."

While it is true that price can be an indicator of quality, shouldn't Ramsey have tried to get the product to be a really superior one for its price range? A random chocolate from a relatively inexpensive box obviously wouldn't stand up to a single, carefully-crafted truffle that costs as much as that whole box, but with an endorsement from Ramsay, consumers are at least expecting to get something worth what they paid.

The chocolates, if you are interested, are available in the UK at various major retailers, including Sainsbury's.

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Though it may be a touch to late to order for Valentine's Day unless you live near a purveyor of fine chocolates, I have never yet heard of someone refusing to accept a belated Valentine's Day box of chocolates – particularly not if it is an exceptionally good box. Consumer Reports published ratings of their best chocolates picks, ranked into categories of excellent, very good, good and fair. Among those receiving Excellent ratings were Candinas and Jacques Torres, followed closely in the Very Good category by confections from Frans Chocolates, Godiva, Leonidas Chocolate and See's.

Every time I see See's Candies ranked lower than some other chocolate makers - though I do like the choices that CR has made here - I can't help but feel that it is because they are both widely available (here on the West Coast, anyway) and reasonably priced. Their products are excellent and, unlike some "higher end" confections, are sure to be a hit with anyone you given them to, since they mainly stick with classic flavors instead of following the arbitrary whims of flash-in-the-pan taste trends. They may not have curried truffles, but their caramels and buttercreams are definately the way to any candy-lover's heart.

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I know I disrespected Whitman's Samplers in favor of See's Candies. But I received an assortment, and guess what? I'm devouring those chocolates right now and I couldn't be more thrilled to engage in the ancient practice of guessing what's inside each morsel, so I can eat only my favorites. (It's only fair: I'm the true chocoholic in the family. My kids are too young to quibble and my husband's happy as long as he has a nice bottle of wine.)

My favorite fillings, in order of how devious I'll be to make sure I get them:

• Toffee, especially the variety with big chunks of almonds and pecans;
• Coconut cream, a la Mounds bar;
• Caramel, most delicious when it's coated in creamy milk chocolate; and
• Nutty nougat