Sweet Treats for Trying Times Gourmet Gifts at Candy Stores

By June Allan Corrigan

Gourmet chocolates number among the top gift selections at Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe in Longmeadow, Mass. Customers clamor for all kinds of chocolate covered toffees, creams, truffles and even dipped Oreos, most of which are made right on the premises. “Especially in times like these, people like to go to comfort foods and chocolate is probably one of the number one comfort foods out there,” said store Owner Maureen

Basile

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In business since 2009, Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe has added a lot to its product line over the years. Recently, the 1,200-square-foot store has been experimenting with new twists on truffles and spins on the salted caramel trend. “We just take what we have and build on it,” said Basile. For instance, instead of traditional truffles which are chocolate-encased, staff layers thick and incredibly decadent ganache into a mold along with a featured flavor. “At Christmas, we did a peppermint bark version of a truffle. It was so popular we barely kept up with demand. Right now, we have a layered peanut butter truffle that’s like a peanut butter cup without the shell.”

Suggestions from customers and taste trends influence the experimentation that goes on in Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe’s kitchen. They already featured a caramel coated Oreo for example but thought to try a salted caramel version. It’s been a big hit. Shoppers favor the products made in-house versus something brought in, Basile noted. It’s a continuing theme of the pandemic that she welcomes. Currently, the store is working on developing some Keto-friendly treats.

“It’s not as easy as it may seem but many people are so sugar-conscious now, we’re trying to come up with alternatives to keep them as customers,” Basile concluded.

At The Chocolate Lady in Mesilla, N.M., the top selling gourmet gifts tend to revolve around the same group of confections. “We call them the three T’s – turtles, toffee and truffles,” said Owner Linda Ramirez Jackson . Ninety-five percent of their product is made in-house in small batches so it’s guaranteed fresh and always beautifully packaged. During February for Valentine’s Day, the cozy retail space is known for its chocolate-dipped strawberries. “We make them fresh every morning and we take pre-orders.”

Jackson bought the business in 1999 from the previous owner who had run it for 13 years. She renamed it The Chocolate Lady. The establishment just marked its 35th anniversary, making it one of the oldest on the historic Old Mesilla Plaza. After 22 years, Jackson knows the peak periods for selling chocolate – and summer isn’t one of them. “So, we came up with the idea of chocolate-dipped bananas, chocolate-dipped cheesecake, frozen chocolate-dipped strawberries to get us through the hot months. It works!” Homemade ice cream even appears on occasion, especially during strawberry season.

The Chocolate Lady is flirting with the idea of making bark with chilis. “We get requests for jalapenos dipped in chocolate, bacon too. But I keep telling people these

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Valentine’s Day gifts at The Chocolate Lady. During February, the store is known for its chocolate-dipped strawberries, which are made fresh each morning.