With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s worth mentioning that Hilliards Chocolates is celebrating its 100th anniversary. With a flagship store in Easton, and locations in Hanover and Mansfield, the centenarian milestone is a testimony of the business’s adaptability and love for the craft. “It’s a great honor to be part of a strong family legacy, one that continues to thrive and bring joy to the community as we celebrate our 100th year,” says Erin McCarthy, 43, the creative director and fourth generation in the business her great-grandparents, Perley and Jessie Hilliard, started in 1924. Erin and her younger sister, Maegan Dec, now the president, followed in their family’s footsteps after their parents retired in 2021. It’s no wonder the two remain surrounded by sweet treats. As little girls, they were truly kids in a candy shop; they lived upstairs from the store. The candies are familiar to them but also contemporary. “Many of our chocolates are original recipes from 1924, and we also constantly come up with new confections with a more modern sensibility and taste profile,” says Erin. For the holiday that centers on giving your beloveds a sweet gift, Hilliards offers a treasure trove of seasonal choices: truffles with lemon and lavender that are covered in dark chocolate and others rolled in sweet crunchy pink coconut, homemade marshmallows dipped in chocolate, bark crafted with dark and white chocolate and enhanced with peppermint oil, chocolate hearts, and lips. And, of course, heart-shaped boxes of bonbons filled with creams and caramels. The store also sells a bouquet of solid milk or dark chocolate roses fastened with a bow ($49.95). You can’t go wrong with this gift. 316 Main St. (Route 138), North Easton, 508-238-6231. For addresses of the other locations or to order online, go to hilliardscandy.com.
ANN TRIEGER KURLAND