A wise woman once said, “Chocolate is the first luxury.
It has so many things wrapped up in it -
deliciousness in the moment, childhood memories,
and that grin-inducing feeling of getting
a reward for being good.”
True chocolate afi cionados can tell when they taste handmade chocolates versus
mass-produced, store bought pieces. If you are a fan of the handcrafted kind
there are several places in the area that have them available.The closest business
is less than an hour away in Punta Gorda.
PUNTA GORDA CHOCOLATE & WINE
Patti Haley-Herndon, a former banker for 15 years, started
experimenting with making candy 25 years ago, but it
wasn’t until about four years ago that she decided to
pursue the dream of becoming an entrepreneur. She decided
to open a chocolate, wine and cheese shop with her husband,
Steph. She had given her chocolates as gifts, but hadn’t thought
about chocolate making as a profession until about fi ve years
ago.
Patti’s father was a self-proclaimed “chocoholic,” and every birthday
and holiday in the Haley household was celebrated with sweet
treats.