Say “I love you” with the sweetest of the sweets
Switch it up this year and impress your sweetie with goodies whipped up in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.
These local chocolatiers are churning out the sweet stuff right here in the hills of West Virginia:
1. Holl’s Chocolates
Holl’s delicately crafts authentic Swiss chocolates in a tiny family kitchen in Vienna. Their retail shops in Vienna and Charleston still offer the same authentic chocolates Fritz Holl whipped up in the 50s when he immigrated here from Switzerland, in response to an ad placed by Broughton’s dairy company for a Swiss-trained chocolatier.
Holl’s ships their creations with extra care, so you can share the love with the rest of the world.
You should try:
- A Deluxe Collection– If you’re still getting to know your new love and you’re unsure what his or her favorite candies are, Holl’s has you covered. The Deluxe Collection is a variety box that contains up to 4 layers of Holl’s most popular truffles, caramels and nut butters.
- A Custom Box– If you know your loved one like the back of your hand, the custom box is a great way to show your allegiance. Handpick a mixture of 16, 32, 48 or even 64! Pictures, descriptions, ingredients and allergen information for each of their unique creations are online, so you can study up before making your selections.
- Milk Chocolate Almond Bark– Not really a box-of-chocolates type? Try this addictive snack. Freshly toasted vanilla-sugar almonds are drenched with sweet Swiss milk chocolate to create this perfect combination.
2. DeFluri’s Fine Chocolates
DeFluri’s got its start in historic downtown Martinsburg in 1998 after moving their operations from Vienna, Va. The family-owned chocolatier uses pure, natural ingredients to bring traditional artisanal candymaking practices to life. Fresh whipping cream and real butters line their kitchen shelves. Each chocolate is crafted, decorated and inspected by real chocolate makers.
You should try:
- Dark chocolate ginger– For the adventurous candy lover in your life, this sweet treat is the perfect pick. Candied ginger root is smothered in dark chocolate— delicious and daring, but definitely not for timid eaters.
- Puppy Paws– These sweet little treats are adorably named and marketed as a surefire way to get you out of the doghouse. Yes, they’re adorable, but their exceptional flavor is more than enough to carry them. Fresh cream caramel, premium pecans and creamy milk chocolate work together to create irresistible clusters.
- Spirited Celebration box– For someone who enjoys the finer things in life, this collection filled with Champagne, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, peach brandy and wine truffles is sure to impress. Each chocolate is beautifully decorated and wrapped in colorful foils using Defluri’s antique foil-wrapping machine.
3. ChiamMaya
ChiamMaya Chocolate was born of a Huntington man’s trip to Mexico, where he discovered the centuries-old Mayan tradition of custom-crafted chocolate. He brought the craft back home with him, where he now stone grinds fresh organic cacao beans to create custom-blended chocolate made to customer specifications.
ChiamMaya chocolate can be used for delicious baked goods like fudge or brownies, or you can simply enjoy it in a cup of decadent hot chocolate.
You should try:
- Chocolate Lovers Blend– This flavorful recipe is a great pick for the American palette. It takes the sweetness down a notch, combining freshly roasted and ground organic cacao beans, pure cane sugar, almonds and cinnamon to create a powerful punch.
- Sampler pack– If this is your first encounter with traditional Mexican chocolate, you can’t go wrong with this sampler pack. ChiamMaya specializes in 3 blends, and this package lets you enjoy a 4-ounce bar of each.
- Create your own recipe– If you dream up your own recipe, ChiamMaya can bring it to life! As sweet or as bitter as you’d like. No almonds? No problem! Extra cane sugar? Sure thing. Loads of cinnamon? You got it!
Which sweet is perfect for your sweetie?
This post was last updated on July 21, 2020