Secret love lives of chocolatiers Winnipeg chocolate makers share their ideal valentine celebration By: Eva Wasney Posted: 7:00 PM CST Friday, Feb. 10, 2023

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This article was published 10/02/2023 (939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Roses are red and soon to be dead,

Cards are tossed once they’re read,

Chocolate is a sweet and widely beloved treat.

In the holy trinity of Valentine’s Day gifts, chocolate may have the upper hand.

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. 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.

The sweets remain a February staple for many lovebirds. 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 holiday also represents about $4 billion in confectionery sales in the United States annually.

Locally, Valentine’s is one of the busiest times of year for Winnipeg chocolate makers. 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.

Constance Menzies

Owner of Chocolatier Constance Popp,
180 Provencher Blvd.,
constancepopp.com
Favourite love song: Sing Me a Song by William Prince and Serena Ryder

Constance Menzies is all about Valentine’s Day. Every February, her St. Boniface storefront is transformed into a haven of red hearts and staff get prepared for an onslaught of shoppers — Feb. 14 is the business’s single busiest sales day of the year.

Menzies sees chocolate as a versatile, accessible gift that can be given to lovers, friends and co-workers alike. 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.

“Our staff come up with really cute or fun or silly ideas, but people still want the heart,” Menzies says.

Despite 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”). 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.

“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. “When it gets dark, go to Thermea, have a meal there and end with a nightcap somewhere.”

A surprise box of chocolates would be the cherry on top. “That, to me, is the epitome of romance,” she says.

 

Helen Staines

Owner of Decadence Chocolates,
70 Sherbrook St.,
decadencechocolates.ca
Favourite rom-com: Dirty Dancing

A chocolatier for 15 years, Helen Staines is well-versed in the ebbs and flows of the chocolate-shopping calendar. Valentine’s ranks among the top-three busiest seasons at Decadence Chocolates, alongside Christmas and Easter.

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. Rich, fruity notes tend to be popular among customers.

Over the last seven years of operating her own shop, Staines has seen a somewhat stereotypical pattern emerge around Valentine’s Day.

“We get the women in (early) and then the 13th and 14th is when all the guys come in,” she says with a chuckle.

After a whirlwind month of peddling romantic goodies, there’s nothing Staines looks forward to more than decompressing with a quiet night at home with her wife.

“We’ve had a real busy few days and it’s quite nice just to chill out,” she says. “For me, that’s usually cooking a nice meal at home with a nice bottle of wine.”

And what goes with wine? “Wine pairs so well with chocolate,” she adds.

 

Amanda Green

Owner of Melt Chocolate Company,
600 Clifton St.,
meltchocolatecompany.com
Ideal Winnipeg night out: drinks and dinner at Langside Grocery or One Sixteen

Amanda Green is not a “Hallmark person.”

“My husband and I, we’re not the gushy, lovey, lovey type of couple,” she says. “We don’t plan a dinner or a date night or anything… I’m not even sure if I’ve ever purchased a gift for my husband for Valentine’s Day.”

That said, Green still gets excited about making seasonal products for customers of her small-batch, artisan chocolate company. This year, she’s created solid chocolate hearts made from her signature 73-per-cent dark chocolate and dulce de leche, strawberry balsamic, raspberry honey and cinnamon flavoured bonbons.

Despite her personal ambivalence towards romance, a classic love story played a role in the creation of Green’s business.

The former principal dancer for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet turned to chocolate after sustaining a career-ending injury. Her last performance was as Juliet in a local rendition of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

“A little piece of me died onstage that night,” Green says of her final bow. “But it’s also a really special moment for me too.

“My dance career ended there and then I started into another sweet career.”

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

Twitter: @evawasney