What’s Sweet, Brown and Made Utah Famous?

Many of us celebrate the month of romance by giving our loved one's chocolate. Maybe this year instead of grabbing a random heart-shaped box from some drug store you could purchase some of Utah's world famous chocolates.

Utah chocolates you ask, since when did Utah become known for making chocolates?

I don’t know. Maybe you should back out of my face with these questions, oh, sorry, I might be facing some chocolate selection stress for the big day.

The chocolate-making business has been flourishing in Utah for years. I remember being invited to descend into the basement of my sister-in-law's home to select chocolates made by her mother-in-law. There were a lot of in-laws in that memory. This fine chocolatier ran a small farm and used all fresh ingredients to make locally famous Aunt Ella chocolates.

Utah made its mark globally when in 2009 Art Amano who founded Amano Artisan Chocolate took home gold and silver in the dark chocolate category for his Madagascar and Ocumare bars at the Academy of Chocolate Awards in London. This accomplishment attracted the eye of the chocolate world to Utah Which helped launch a new era of craft chocolatiers who create their product from the cacao bean. Since then the population of Utah chocolate makers has grown to record heights. Last measurement there were about five candy or chocolate shops for every 100,000 Utahns.

So, this year look around for chocolate made locally and make that chocolate box a little more special. It might get you a little extra snuggle from your loca Utah chocolatier.