Tag: ice cream

October – The Month of Chocolate Celebrations: The perfect month for The Happy Chocolatier to celebrate its 2nd Anniversary and give back to the Acton Food Pantry

Hand made chocolates from The Happy Chocolatier

When we opened The Happy Chocolatier in October 2011, little did we know the month is one of chocolate celebrations. So, we are happy to add our anniversary to the many chocolate holidays in October. It appears there are plenty of opportunities (or excuses) to come to The Happy Chocolatier to enjoy some chocolate in this month.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream from The Happy Chocolatier

And, the best reason to come into The Happy Chocolatier in this month of chocolate celebrations: As part of our second anniversary celebration, from October 7th through 21st we are offering a free ice cream cone to anyone who brings in a small or large bag of food for the Acton Food Pantry.

Here are some of the fun holidays to celebrate this month:

  • October is National Dessert Month
    • How about getting some chocolates and ice cream to share with family and friends after dinner
  • October is National Cookie Month
    • Chocolate covered sandwich cookies, s’mores or a chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwich (with your choice of ice cream) are a great way to take advantage of this holiday
  • October 9th is the birthday of Philippe Suchard
    • One of the greatest chocolatiers in Switzerland and inspiration to many candy makers
  • October  10th is National Dessert Day
    • What’s better than ice cream and chocolate for dessert?
  • October 14th is Columbus Day
    • Explorer Christopher Columbus brought the first cocoa beans back to Europe after his fourth visit to the “New World.” One might bring some chocolate treats home or to a friend.
  • October 18th is National Cupcake Day
    • The Happy Chocolatier has candy treats to decorate homemade cupcakes and rich chocolate bars to make your icing
  • October 19th is Sweetest Day
    • The Retail Confectioners Association states that it is: the occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed. And we know the sweetest way to remember someone is with chocolate!
  • Sweetest Day is also the anniversary of the opening of The Happy Chocolatier retail store in Acton where the experience, chocolates and ice cream are meant to bring others a bit (or bite) of happiness.
  • October 28th is National Chocolate Day
    • As a local chocolate company, The Happy Chocolatier offers area residents a family-owned business providing excellent chocolate treats and gifts.
  • October 31 is Halloween
    • The Happy Chocolatier has some fun hand-crafted Halloween chocolate treats for the special kid in your life. From hand-decorated chocolate ghost pops to dark chocolate foiled pumpkins to mini-gift bags, we’ve a Halloween treat sure to bring some happiness to the recipient.

The Need for Nut-Free: What’s Going On?

When I was a kid, I didn’t know anyone with nut allergies. As an adult I hadn’t thought too much about it other than occasionally hearing that a friend’s child had an issue with nuts. Since I have opened The Happy Chocolatier I must admit that I am amazed by the number of customers who have come in looking for nut-free chocolates and candies. My own son was recently diagnosed with tree nut allergies – just about 6 weeks after The Happy Chocolatier opened (there is some irony there). As a result, I now think a lot about nut allergies and consequently, The Happy Chocolatier has nut-free offerings.

My wife and I have done quite a bit of research into nut allergies. And frankly, I am at a loss as to why this dramatic increase. Were our parents just ignorant of nut allergies when we were kids? Doubtful as many of us would have been going into anaphylactic shock. Has something changed the environment? I know there are many theories. I am inviting readers to chime in with thoughts and opinions as to why the spike in nut allergies.

On Chocolate for Didrik’s Dinner Series

Our friends at Didriks, a high-end tableware, glassware and home furnishings store based in Cambridge, MA,  visited The Happy Chocolatier and took some great photos of our store and interviewed us for their blog, Dinner Series. Check out the high quality outdoor furniture, tableware and bamboo offerings on the Didrik’s site as well.  They also took some photos of our Fudge Cubze on the store’s great looking tableware.

Photo by Didriks taken at The Happy Chocolatier

An excerpt from the Dinner Series blog: “You probably can tell how much we love cooking, dining, and dinnerware…but the Dinner Series has one more love. Local business. We love small businesses and entrepreneurs doing new and interesting things, providing personal service and unique products to customers, and getting involved in their communities…Paul McMahon…recently retired from the corporate world and opened The Happy Chocolatier in Acton.”  Read on…

 

New Englanders Eat More Ice Cream than Any Other Region in the Country!

New Englanders have had a love affair with ice cream since colonial days. Ice cream was introduced to the United States by Quaker colonists who brought their ice cream recipes with them. Confectioners sold ice cream at their shops in New York and other cities during the colonial era. Ben Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson were known to have regularly eaten and served ice cream.

My family eats ice cream year round. Supermarkets sell ice cream year round. People have come into The Happy Chocolatier to buy ice cream every week since we opened in mid-October. I know that Reasons to be Cheerful in West Concord is doing a good ice cream business despite “the winter.” So, I can’t understand why many ice cream establishments close down during the winter. Yeah it’s cold – but we hardy New Englanders eat ice cream 52 weeks a year!