Courtesy of VB Chocolate Bar
What’s new: For love birds west of the Missouri River, VB Chocolatier is the place to go. The chocolate shop offers two truffles for Valentine’s Day: One is a strawberry basil lemon, and the other is spiced strawberry with peppercorn. The spiced strawberry was made specifically to pair with a sweet Riesling. VB will host a three- or five-course chocolate and wine tasting February 14–16 that features its spiced strawberry truffle and other sweets, including a burnt orange old fashioned truffle.
The chocolatier recommends: “I really like the spiced strawberry with the wine," owner Conor VanBuskirk says. "As a standalone, the strawberry basil lemon truffle is my favorite because I like the basil with strawberry. We use fresh basil, strawberries, and lemon to make the truffle."
Courtesy of Nathaniel Reid Bakery
The Enzo cake
What’s new: Lovebirds will swoon over Nathaniel Reid’s Valentine’s Day collection. The shop is selling milk or dark chocolate-dipped long-stem strawberries. The bakery also has two Valentine’s Day cake specials: One, “Enzo,” is a heart-shaped chocolate almond cake with layers of raspberry caramel, crispy hazelnut, and milk chocolate chantilly. The second cake, “Jarmo,” also comes in a heart shape and includes pistachio cake with strawberry-raspberry compote on top. In addition to cake, the shop has a fondue set for two, which comes in a big red box. It includes dipping skewers, financiers, homemade marshmallows, a tea candle, a fondue pot, and a stand.
The chocolatier recommends: “I think the Enzo cake is the most striking of them all,” pastry chef and owner Nathaniel Reid says.
Courtesy of RJ Chocolatier
What’s new: Valentine’s Day takes center stage at RJ Chocolatier. Master chocolatier and owner Rick Jordan is making giant, four-inch chocolate hearts with passion fruit confiture, crunchy hazelnut, and toasted coconut praline inside. Jordan is also whipping up a bonbon special that includes strawberry confiture and Grand Marnier ganache bonbons that sit atop homemade organic, single-origin Dominican cacao nib bark (that's 70 percent dark chocolate).
The chocolatier recommends: “The heart is one of my favorite things I do," Jordan says. "That passion fruit confiture and crunchy praline feuilletine is just ridiculous."
Cakesicles
What’s new: Chouquette’s French and New Orleans influences come through in its Valentine’s Day offerings. The shop offers a hollow, molded chocolate box in the shape of a heart that comes in two sizes: A large box holds one dozen macarons inside, and the smaller box has six macarons inside. Chouquette is also selling cakesicles dipped in chocolate, which come in an assortment of three. Cookie lovers will enjoy Oreos with hearts on them. The shop also has chocolate pralines as an homage to chef-owner Simone Faure’s New Orleans roots.
The chocolatier recommends: “I’d recommend the cakesicles because they’re ridiculously adorable and the small chocolate box because you can’t go wrong with those,” Faure says.
What’s new: The French don’t skimp on Valentine’s Day, and St. Louis’s newest French bakery is no exception. Comme à la Maison offers individual cakes with chocolate mousse and raspberry mousse, and six different flavors of chocolate, including chocolate ganache, raspberry ganache, five-spice ganache, passionfruit, salt and pepper, and plain caramel. The chocolates come in boxes so you can grab a gift for your love (or yourself).
The chocolatier recommends: “My favorite is the chocolate," owner Clemence Pereur says. "We’re using really good European chocolate. People need to try the salt and pepper, that’s my favorite."
What’s new: Chef Rob Connoley is selling handmade chocolate in boxes of 10 at Squatter’s Café in the KDHX building. The boxes contain two of each of the following flavors: Fennel pollen and honey; mango habanero; lemon; and 12-year balsamic. The set was inspired by a variety of 19th-century love stories that Connoley has read over the years. Flavors reflect the stories’ different settings: Fennel and pollen is reminiscent of the French countryside; balsamic reflects Milan; and mango habanero stands for Columbian Latin passion.
The chocolatier recommends: “The mango habanero is a great chocolate," Connoley says. "The sweetness of the mango and a little heat makes it a special chocolate, especially for the passionate of Valentine’s Day."
What’s new: Even though Kakao is best known for its chocolate, heart-shaped sea salt caramels take center-stage at the store for Valentine’s Day. Kakao is also selling assorted gift boxes. Visitors can choose between a regular or heart-shaped box. Chocolate-lovers can also find handmade molded chocolates at the store.
The chocolatier recommends: “The caramels are the most popular," owner Brian Pelletier says. "We sell more of those than anything else. We make them all in small batches from the best ingredients, and people love them. We also have adorable conversation hearts, little boxes that have our special pink tuxedo bark. I know they’re going to fly out of here."
Bissinger's / Handcrafted by Bissinger’s
What’s new: Handcrafted by Bissinger’s is a mainstay for Valentine’s Day chocolate and sweets. Chocolate-covered cookies with hearts on them, marshmallow hearts, and mint patties with hearts are a few of the things lovebirds can find at the restaurant. The shop also has small heart-shaped box of truffles and a larger box with 35 pieces of its signature truffles. Couples can also enjoy a wine and chocolate pairing at the restaurant from February 9–17.
The chocolatier recommends: “The Valentine’s truffle collection is one of my favorites," says VP of marketing Amanda Bradham-Little. "It has all four different flavors in a cute heart-shaped box. My favorite is the strawberry merlot. There’s also a hazelnut praline, earl grey blood orange, and double chocolate."
Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company
What’s new: If chocolate-covered strawberries are your heart’s desire, Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company is the place to go. The shop’s other Valentine’s Day offerings include a box of red velvet truffles, a seven-piece box of heart-shaped peanut butter truffles, and a seven-piece box of assorted Valentine’s Day chocolates.
The chocolatier recommends: “Definitely the chocolate-covered strawberries," says vice president Christina Abel. "We make them year-round, fresh every day, but this is their moment. They’re covered in milk chocolate and come in a beautiful box."
What’s new: Still not feeling the love? Head to Merb’s for Valentine’s Day. The South City candy shop is selling fully-encased chocolate-covered strawberries and marshmallow hearts made from homemade marshmallows.
The chocolatier recommends: “I’d recommend the marshmallow hearts," owner Teri Bearden says. "The marshmallow is really soft because we make it here."
