St Valentine was executed in 3rd century Rome for performing secret Christian weddings for soldiers. During his arrest, Valentine performed a miracle, and cured his jailer’s daughter of blindness. 200 years later St Valentine’s Day was declared (to replace a pagan fertility festival in February). Since the 18th Century, the day became an occasion for people to express their love for each other through gifts of confectionery, flowers and cards.
Australia spent about $936 million on Valentine’s Day in 2013, but there has been a recent shift in how this money is spent. Instead of flowers and chocolates from the local shop, Aussies are showing their love by sharing an experience, or gifting a little luxury. Chocolate will always be part of Valentine’s Day, but many are choosing higher quality products. Bean-to-bar chocolate is infused with the passion and love of the chocolate maker, as well as a gift with a story (where the beans come from and how it was made).
If you’re looking for a high quality craft chocolate gift for Valentine’s Day, why not support one of Australia’s bean-to-bar chocolate makers:
– Bahen & Co (Margaret River, WA) have a gift set of 5 beautiful bean-to-bar chocolates
– Bright Chocolate (Bright, VIC) have beautiful ceramic chocolate tasting accessories, such as platters and fondue bowls, as well as chocolate giftboxes.
– For a shared experience, why not head to Charley’s Chocolate Factory (Mission Beach, Qld), for an Australian tree-to-bar chocolate experience. They have farm tours on Thursdays and Sundays.
For a full list of Australia’s bean-to-bar chocolate makers, check out our blog post: Australian bean to bar producers, or why not give a Bean Bar You subscription – a shared experience of great chocolate that keeps on giving!