Chocolate University Online

My little niece was baptized on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, 2010 in a small church near Covent Garden in London.

Previously I had been told the English didn’t celebrate Valentines Day much, but that’s not what I experienced.  The chocolate shops and patisseries surrounding the church fully embraced the holiday with window displays decked out in red hearts, flower bouquets, and lots and lots of chocolate!

Most of the time I don’t buy chocolate truffles by the box and off the shelf because I don’t know how long ago those truffles were made.  I prefer a really fresh, handmade truffle at the corner shop.

But this day I could not resist the trimmings and trappings so I purchased a box of Thorntons Premium Collection of Truffles, Pralines and light Mousses in Milk, Dark, and White chocolate.

The verdict? Pretty good, and better than I expected!  I couldn’t decide if my favorite in the lineup was the dark chocolate covered raspberry truffle or the milk chocolate covered champagne mousse.  Both very different, yet both delicious.

According to Thorntons’ website, they have been in the chocolate-making business for nearly 100 years, with their first shop opened in Sheffield by Joseph William Thornton.  They go on to say they made a name for themselves by creating “a uniquely rich and chewy ‘special’ toffee.”  Later, after World War II, their product line was expanded to include European style soft-centered chocolates.

You can purchase Thorntons chocolates in stores and online.  Shipping is from the U.K.  If you’re in a different country, international shipping charges are quite high.  For example, shipping to the U.S. starts at £26.75.  That’ll be above $40 at today’s exchange rate.  So put in a big order to make it worthwhile.