Chocolate + Flowers: This Valentine’s Day, show love the local way
Lisa Toon of Carolina’s Chocolates
When Lisa Toon has a taste for chocolate, she likes a little kick.
Almost all of the treats she makes for Carolina’s Chocolates include spicy ingredients like cayenne, chipotle, ancho or jalapeño.
Toon, a former history teacher, also uses her chocolates to honor her family’s past.
She credits her grandmother, Carolina, as a major influence in the kitchen and says her grandmother’s flavors are “expressed” in her recipes — which, according to her, demonstrate a blend of silky and sultry heat.
Of course, Toon’s nod to history doesn’t end at the labels she affixes to her chocolates, which pay homage to her ancestors, from her dad to her grandmother to her grandfather.
Her use of spice, cinnamon and chocolate, she notes, dates back to the Mayan and Aztec cultures.
If you’re looking for an unexpected way to spice up your Valentine’s Day, Carolina’s Chocolates might be the gift for you.
Find her confections online at shop.localfirstaz.com/store/carolinas-chocolate or carolinaschocolate.com. Or at wine, spirits and specialty grocery stores in Chandler, Cottonwood, Mesa, Pinetop, Phoenix, Prescott, Scottsdale, Sonoita, Tempe, Tucson, Tumacacori and Wilcox. A full list of locations is on her website.
Looking for something else for your sweetie?
Here are a few places – from Tubac to San Tan Valley – to show love for local businesses and your valentine:
Untamed Confections (Tubac)
Online: shop.localfirstaz.com/store/untamed-confections and www.untamedconfections.com
In store: 2221 E. Frontage Road, E-101, Tubac
What about giving your honey a taste of treats sweetened only with local honey? Untamed Confections, based in Tubac, does just that. The couple behind the business started it more than a decade ago with an idea that brought together mesquite beans and honey. Now their menu includes a selection of treats that have been infused with an earthy sweetness that never includes refined sugar. From chocolates to mallows to caramels, Untamed Confections offers a tempting alternative.
b Naked Chocolates (Scottsdale)
Online: www.bnakedchocolates.com
In store: 7375 E. Stetson Dr., Suite 102, Scottsdale (call 480-947-3900 for hours)
Chocolate is always a no-no, right? Sue Berliner saw it that way before she launched b Naked Chocolates. Historically, endurance athletes like her would steer clear of such indulgences, so chocolate didn’t align with her work as a publisher of a fitness magazine. But “clean” chocolates – treats that don’t include dairy, gluten, soy, refined sugar, grains and eggs – are different, she learned. From truffles to macarons to brittles and other assorted desserts, b Naked offers an abundance of guilt-free treats.
Blue Corn Custom Designs (San Tan Valley)
Online: www.bccdofficial.com
By creating personalized, eco-friendly gifts with indigenous influence, Blue Corn Custom Designs brings a spirit of beautiful southwestern authenticity to Valentine’s Day gift-giving. Located in San Tan Valley, the shop features juniper ash, blue corn and corn-shaped cookies, jewelry, tea and cornmeal.
Zak’s Chocolate (Scottsdale)
Online: zakschocolate.com
For pickup orders: 6990 E. Shea Blvd., Suite 116, Scottsdale
An award-winning, Scottsdale-based chocolatier recognized by Food & Wine, Zak’s Chocolate is a craft chocolate factory with a flavorful tasting room. At Zak’s, the shop’s single-origin chocolate is made from ethically sourced cocoa beans to create bonbons, truffles, bars and brownies. Using local cream, Zak’s makes milk, dark and white chocolates with organic cane sugar and house-pressed cocoa butter. They even offer a selection of vegan treats.
The Candy and Chocolate Company (Phoenix)
Online: candyandchocolateco.com
In store: 702 W. Dunlap Ave., Phoenix
If your sweetie has a sweet tooth for caramel apples, make sure to visit The Candy and Chocolate Company in Phoenix. They make hundreds of them every week, using a variety of different toppings to finish them off — from sprinkles to M&Ms to Oreo cookies to coconut and almonds — in addition to their one-of-a-kind candies. Find The Candy and Chocolate Company at their location, on shelves at local retailers and at local farmers markets.
Olive and Penelope (Tempe)
Online: oliveandpenelope.com
Offering small-batch confections that are primarily organic and locally sourced, Olive and Penelope is a woman-owned business that makes the rounds at local festivals and markets in addition to handling online orders. From toffee to candied nuts to peppermints, Olive and Penelope has tasty local treats for Valentine’s or any gift-giving occasion.
Eric’s Flower Market (Tucson)
Online: ericsflowermarket.com
In store: 2458 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson
Serving the Tucson area, Eric’s Flower Market is a traditional florist offering an abundance of varied bouquets for every occasion, including Valentine’s Day. If you want to channel your inner Romeo, Eric’s offers flowers by the bunch — so you can put your own touch on the arrangement.
Baseline Flowers (Phoenix)
Online: baselineflowers.com
In store: 3801 E. Baseline Road, Phoenix
A Phoenix mainstay, the family-owned Baseline Flowers has been making Valentine’s Day bouquets for 70 years. In fact, it is the last remaining flower shop from the historic Japanese flower farms in Phoenix. Offering same-day delivery, a little Phoenix history and vivid arrangements, Baseline Flowers is still bringing joy to locals, one bouquet at a time.
R&M Creations 3:16 (Mesa)
Online: rmcreations316.com
For a bouquet that doesn’t have a shelf life or require watering, R&M Creations 3:16 in Mesa creates a unique arrangement with its wood flower bouquets. Hand-painted and handcrafted, the arrangements are set in one-of-a-kind vases and give true staying power to a bold Valentine’s Day statement. If you’re feeling crafty, the shop even offers DIY kits.
Form Floral (Phoenix)
Online: www.formfloral.com
In store: 1215 E. Missouri Ave., Suite 1, Phoenix
The founders of Form Floral insist they aren’t making “your grandma’s bouquets.” They build artistic arrangements, living for “weird and inventive” creations that turn heads and make a true statement. As a bonus, their Phoenix shop features flowers — yes — but also cool gifts and plant care products.
To find other local businesses near you, check out the Local First Arizona Business Directory at www.localfirstaz.com/directory.
