Guys — did you know that July has the coolest holidays?
I’m not talking about Independence Day or Canada Day.
I’m talking about Chocolate Day (July 7). National Ice Cream Day (July 19). National Blueberry Month.
You better believe I’ll be celebrating all of the above! First up: Chocolate Day. Now, there are actually three official “chocolate days” each calendar year: Chocolate Day (July 7), International Chocolate Day (September 13) and National Chocolate Day (October 28). Unofficially, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas also celebrate this creamy, dreamy confection.
There are a number of local chocolatiers in Cincinnati where one can score a piece of high-quality, hand-crafted chocolate:
Aglamesis – try their salted caramels for a sweet/salty treat!
Divine’s European Chocolates – their truffles are hand-made using the best Belgian chocolate.
Esther Price – you have to get one of their famous gold boxes of assorted milk and dark chocolates!
Graeter’s – homemade chocolates are only available September – April — but their bittersweet chocolate sauce is available all the time. Drizzle it on ice cream, dip bananas or strawberries into it, or eat it by the spoonful — this stuff is to die for!
Haute Chocolate – their buckeyes are an iconic Ohio treat.
Maverick Chocolate Co. – if you’re feeling adventurous, try their Fahrenheit 513 Bar, a dark chocolate bar with a chili-infused kick! Otherwise, the Milk 60% Dark Chocolate bar is the best of both milk and dark chocolate worlds!
Schneider’s Sweet Shop – famous for their opera creams!
There are lots of ways you can celebrate chocolate day with your kids! Here are 5:
1. Make a Cincinnati s’more!
- 1 piece locally crafted chocolate of your choice
- 2 Grateful Grahams graham crackers (these are a must — they’re soft and chewy and just perfect for little mouths!)
- 1 homemade marshmallow from Hello Honey
You know the drill: sandwich a marshmallow and piece of chocolate in between two grahams, nuke for 10-15 seconds, and enjoy!
2. Watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
3. Have a hot fudge sundae from Graeter’s.
4. Visit one of the above chocolatiers and let your kids handpick a box of chocolates.
5. Follow this recipe for homemade buckeyes, a classic Ohio treat!
If you’re craving more, mark your calendars for October 11, when Xavier’s Cintas Center becomes the stuff of chocolate lovers’ dreams during the Cincinnati Chocolate Festival. You know I’ll be there with Julian, who may be even more of a chocolate connoisseur than his mama.
Happy Chocolate Day, Cincinnati!