Gourmet Chocolate Love

Norman Love, of Norman Love Confections, is this month’s speaker at the IMC NextGen breakfast Friday, June 28 at Bay Colony Golf Club. Love, recognized for his entrepreneurial successes, will discuss the challenges and issues he faced growing his business. The mission of the IMC NextGen Speaker Series is to encourage leadership, philanthropic involvement, mentorship and connectivity. A continental breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m., and the presentation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Bay Colony Golf Club is located at 9740 Bent Grass Bend in Naples. Seating is limited to this exclusive event. Reservations are required by contacting Mary Kent at 239-348-1800 or mkent@imcwealth.com.

In case you haven’t already heard, Norman Love Confections gourmet chocolate gifts are an amazing way to say “I love you” this Father’s Day, and we’re having a special one-day sale, tomorrow, June 11, 2013, only! Visit our Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers and Naples during regular business hours, or place your order online at www.NormanLoveConfections.com between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. to SAVE 20% on Father’s Day gifts!*

Also special this week, we are holding our first cooking class of the summer on Wednesday. In this first class, we look forward to teaching students how to make exceptional cookies at the Chocolate Salon in Fort Myers. If Dad lives in Southwest Florida, give him the culinary experience of a lifetime by signing him up for one of our cooking classes. Space is limited and you must pre-register for the following summer cooking classes: http://www.normanloveconfections.com/classes/.

Check out the array of gifts available online at www.NormanLoveConfections.com and if you are in Southwest Florida order a special dessert for pick-up at the Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers or Naples, where a full range of chocolate gifts are also available. If you can, bring Dad in for a very special treat at the Chocolate Salons or Artisan Gelato by Norman Love Confections this weekend. As always, we will have delicious gelato, fresh waffles and crepes and other sweet treats at Artistan Gelato in Fort Myers.

*Discount does not apply to gift certificates, shipping fees, chocolate clubs, gelato or orders previously or currently placed.

Nearly everyone thinks of chocolate as a gift for women on Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, but the facts suggest that most men enjoy chocolate too, making it a perfect gift for guys. Consider the following statistic as you start shopping for Father’s Day.

A UK study by research group Mintel states, “While the link between women and chocolate remains a popular perception, it seems men are catching up. Indeed, today 87% percent of men say they eat it, compared to 91% of women.”

This is great news if you are searching for a Father’s Day gift right about now! Visit www.NormanLoveConfections.com for an array of chocolate gifts for the special men in your life.

To read more from the news release quoted above including many interesting research results on chocolate consumption from Mintel, click here: http://bit.ly/10Ofuc1  

Chocolatier Norman Love was the keynote speaker during a recent Cornerstone Experience class at Edison State College, Collier Campus. The course is designed to help first-year students succeed in college, and then apply their knowledge in other classes and their workplace. Topics include time management, motivation and critical thinking. Norman Love shared his secrets to success including “giving your absolute best” everyday philosophy. Norman Love Confections chocolate salons are located in Fort Myers and Naples; and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love, a Euro-chic gelateria, is located in Fort Myers. For more information, visit www.normanloveconfections.com.

This Mother’s Day, Norman Love Confections has created a line of chocolates that will make the day even more memorable.

The 2013 Mother’s Day collection, featuring eight heart-shaped flavors, includes dark chocolate peanut butter, mint tea, black and white cookie, roasted macadamia, caramel pecan turtle, chocolate dipped strawberry, Mayan chocolate and coffee caramel.

The artisan-designed Mother’s Day flavors are included in every green signature gift box along with an assortment of 36 signature flavors, now through May 12.

This year, NLC has created a special, limited edition all-hearts gift box. This select gift of Love includes all eight flavors from the 2013 Mother’s Day collection as well as two heart confections from the signature collection of flavors for $23 (plus tax and, if applicable, shipping).

The eight special heart-shaped chocolates in limited edition flavors that Mom will simply LOVE include:

Black and White Cookie

The temptation of freshly baked almond cookies, which are blended into a buttery vanilla ganache and held within a thin layer of Swiss white chocolate, is so powerful you will immediately want more.

Caramel Pecan Turtle

Complete indulgence, worthy of Mom’s private stash, this vanilla caramel and candied pecan ganache is sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon and enrobed in milk chocolate.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry

This special occasion treat is dipped in dark chocolate and bursting with the flavor of ripe strawberries in every dainty bite, worthy of being served to you on a silver platter.

Coffee Caramel

Immerse yourself in some quiet “ME” time and savor the taste of this luscious coffee caramel ganache wrapped in a smooth milk chocolate shell.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter

Classic and perfect, just like Mom, creamy peanut butter and decadent dark chocolate swirled together to make you smile with each bite.

Mayan Chocolate

Like the true elixir of the Mayan gods, this rich dark Venezuelan ganache is gently stirred with a touch of chipotle for an enchanting effect that will leave you feeling like a queen.

Mint Tea

As delicate and refreshing as a sip of freshly brewed mint tea, this sweet and creamy white chocolate confection entices you to slow down and savor the moment on even the most hectic of days.

Roasted Macadamia

Be swept away by the flavors of exquisitely roasted Hawaiian Macadamia nuts blended into a creamy white chocolate ganache, a perfect vacation in a thin white chocolate shell.

You can now Pre-order Easter Gifts from the 2013 Easter Collection by Norman Love Confections. Our artisan chocolatiers have created an array of opportunities to help you celebrate the season including delicious chocolate Easter eggs, solid chocolate bunnies, chocolate-covered marshmallow bunnies, brownie pops, chocolate-covered jellybeans and MORE!

The 2013 Easter Collection is available now through March 30. Place your order online today and indicate the delivery date of your choice during this exclusive sales period. Shipping begins March 18.

Our Signature Green Gift Boxes
Featuring an assortment of artisan confections from our 36-flavor collection, our Signature Green Gift Boxes also contain Easter Eggs from the 2013 Easter Collection. These lovely soft pastel polka dot eggs come eight special flavors: Caramel Crunch, Creamy Peanut Butter, Butterscotch, Vanilla Pudding, Coconut Almond, Mint Chocolate Cookie, Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Drop.

Festive Polka Dot Pail
This adorable keepsake sand pail contains an assortment of hand-crafted Easter treats including: a 5-piece gift box, a solid milk chocolate bunny, chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies, chocolate Easter eggs and a decorative Easter ornament.

Easter Specialties
Fill your basket with gourmet specialties such as Solid Chocolate Bunnies (available in white, milk and dark chocolate), Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Bunnies, Chocolate-Covered Jellybeans, Brownie Pops and MORE!

And MORE!
Our year-round favorites make excellent Easter gifts as well. Try these popular gifts: Norman Love Confections BLACK™ Confections and Sipping Chocolate, S’more Love, Gift Cards and Chocolate Clubs.

Festive Desserts
If you are in Southwest Florida, celebrate spring with a special dessert at your next gathering. Special Easter Desserts are in bloom at Norman Love Confections Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers and Naples, Florida. Please order your fresh desserts at least 48 hours in advance to ensure availability when you pick them up. To order, call 239-561-2715.

Pictured: The Passion of Love Gift Package

We know from experience that many men wait until the last minute to determine what they need to purchase for Valentine’s Day to make their loved one feel cherished, and we want to make shopping for a Valentine’s gift easy and successful for the gift-giver.

Having perfected the box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, we decided to partner with the jeweler Mark Loren Designs and Signature Florals to create stunning gift packages that make showing your love oh-so-easy on Valentine’s Day.

Introducing our four Love & More! Valentine’s packages, ranging in price from $37 to $3,500 (tax not included):

Blooming Love ($37)
• A single red rose
• 15-piece box of Norman Love Confections
Bouquet of Love ($99)
• A half dozen boxed red roses from Signature Florals
• 10-piece all heart box of Norman Love Confections
• Mark Loren Designs pendant.
Passion of Love ($150)
• One dozen arranged red roses from Signature Florals
• The pink collector’s gift box (20 pieces) from Norman Love Confections
• Mark Loren Designs pendant.
Forever Love ($3,500)
• 50 red roses from Signature Florals
• Norman Love Confections’ 50-piece box per month for a year
• A custom piece from Mark Loren Designs

Quantities for Love & More! Valentine’s packages are limited; so advanced orders are recommended. Packages will be available Thursday, Feb. 14 at the Norman Love Confections Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers and Naples, Florida as well as Mark Loren Designs in Fort Myers. Call 239-561-7215 to place an order.

Valentine’s Day is one of the most highly anticipated days of the year at Norman Love Confections, where chocolate and love collide into harmonious bliss daily. Celebrating with the world on a special day dedicated to the two is our idea of pure heaven.

Each year, we create a special collection of gourmet chocolate confections and a variety of beautifully packaged premium gifts designed to honor this occasion. The eight gorgeous heart-shaped confections of the 2013 Valentine’s Day Collection include:

Berry Kiss
Rosy red strawberries pureed into a white chocolate yogurt ganache and covered in smooth creamy white chocolate.

Cookie Kiss
A surprising luscious combination in a dark chocolate shell, cookies blended with white chocolate and a puckering touch of tart Black Currant berry purée.

Dreamy Love
Rich and smooth dark chocolate fudge ganache in a dark shell is a dream come true for passionate chocolate lovers.

Peachy Keen Kiss
This French inspired Peach Melba confection features a white chocolate shell filled with a layer of raspberry vanilla jam and a layer of fresh peach ganache.

Red Hot Love
A enticing combination Swiss milk chocolate, cinnamon and a touch of habanero for a wonderfully warm sensation.

Sunset Kiss
Be whisked away to the tropics by the delicious combination of pineapple, orange, banana, coconut and a touch of lime, all blended into a creamy vanilla ganache in a white chocolate shell.

Sweet Love
Fall in love with the sweet taste of perfection in this rich vanilla caramel and honey roasted peanut ganache embraced in a milk chocolate shell.

Wild Love
The adventurous combination of white chocolate marshmallow ganache and creamy peanut butter in a milk chocolate shell will drive you wild.

As always, each of these chocolates is handmade with the finest ingredients, no preservatives, using only the best quality of chocolates, butter, spices, nuts, purees and flavors. Our famous green gift boxes feature the eight 2013 Valentine’s flavors along with an assortment of our 36 signature flavors with prices beginning at $13.25 for a five-piece box.

If you want a gift that is “all heart,” our special Love & Kisses gift boxes are a great choice. For the 4- and 8-piece Love & Kisses gift boxes we selected four heart-shaped chocolates from the 2013 Valentine’s Day Collection – Wild Love, Peachy Keen Kiss, Dreamy Love and Berry Kiss. There is one of each flavor in the 4-piece gift box and two of each in the 8-piece gift box. We also have a 10-piece all-hearts gift box for your Valentine that includes one each of our 8 Valentine’s hearts plus 2 heart-shaped confections from our Signature collection.

Also, just for Valentine’s Day, the ultra-premium dark chocolate collection, Norman Love Confections BLACK™, comes in heart shapes, and the price begins at just $15 for a five-piece box. This year, we will also offer a custom-designed heart-shaped Valentine’s gift box, filled with 20 pieces of ultra-premium chocolate, including flavors from the 2013 Valentine’s Day Collection and our 36 signature flavors, for $45.50.

While the Valentine’s Day Collection officially debuts on Jan. 28, you can pre-order gifts beginning Jan. 21. Just place your order at www.NormanLoveConfections.com, and it will be shipped on the date of your choosing, between Jan. 28 and Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The collection will also be available at the Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers and Naples, Fla. beginning. Jan. 28.

Opening a box of Norman Love Confections is always a treat but this holiday season it could be even sweeter. Custom jeweler Mark Loren and gourmet chocolatier Norman Love have once again partnered for the 12 Gems of Christmas.

From Nov. 30 through Dec. 24, 2012, customers of Norman Love Confections could discover a Mark Loren Designs’ rare and precious gem, or an NLC or MLD $50 gift certificate hidden in a box of chocolates. Twelve gems and 40 gift certificates (20 each from Loren and Love) will be randomly placed in signature boxes of Norman Love Confections.

Lucky customers or gift recipients have the opportunity to find one of the following gems in an NLC signature box this holiday season:

-12.16ct natural oval-cut Zircon from Africa

-7.81ct pear shape Orange Citrine from Brazil

-1.21ct emerald cut Orange Sapphire from Sri Lanka

-13.8ct millennium-cut oval Lemon Quartz

-.53ct fancy green round brilliant Sapphire

-6.14ct Pink Topaz fancy round cut

-4ct fancy shape Aquamarine from Brazil

-10.52ct Crystal Opal double sided

-oval-cut large faceted oval golden Amber

-14mm Large Black Pearl from Tahiti

-3 pieces/3.14cts total weight radiant-cut matching Peridot from Pakistan

-Matched pair oval-cut Imperial Topaz 1.49cts from Brazil
The NLC 2012 holiday flavors are:

Apple Cider: Filled with slow cooked pureed granny smith apples, this milk chocolate confection is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and sweet cream butter.

Candy Cane: Creamy white chocolate ganache and cool peppermint are swirled together in this beautiful holiday classic.

Cranberry Orange: Tart cranberry puree and fresh orange juice blended into a Swiss white chocolate ganache bring cheer in its sweetest form.

Cup of Cheer: The dark chocolate “cup” is filled with milk chocolate ganache featuring coffee, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua, cream and butter.

Egg Nog: Toast the holiday with a traditional spiced egg nog ganache, covered in white chocolate and infused with freshly grated nutmeg and a hint of brandy.

Gingerbread: Fresh baked gingerbread cookies are blended into silky milk chocolate ganache and a delicious mix of grated fresh ginger, spices, cream and butter.

Hot Cocoa: Inspired by a sweet cup of warm cocoa made with rich dark chocolate, a touch of Habanera makes this confection truly unique.

Mint Patty: A cool mint cream sits atop intense dark chocolate ganache, capturing the wonders of winter with each bite.

S’mores: Delicate white chocolate marshmallows, toasted graham cracker and milk chocolate combine for a modern twist on this childhood favorite.

White Christmas: A traditional blend of crunchy hazelnut praline and creamy cinnamon ganache are layered inside a beautiful milk chocolate shell.

Prices range from $13.25 for a 5-piece box to $95 for a 50-piece box. The 12 Gems of Christmas boxes are available at the Fort Myers and Naples chocolate salons, online at www.normanloveconfections.com, as well as at Mark Loren Designs showroom at 13351 McGregor Blvd., between College Parkway and Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers.

This offer is available for local purchases only. The 12 Gems of Christmas boxes aren’t available through online purchases/shipping.

Spice up the holidays with this free recipe for Gingerbread Men by Chef Nathaniel Reid of Norman Love Confections. If you love baking, these gourmet gingerbread cookies make excellent gifts for family, coworkers and neighbors. Enjoy them around the Christmas tree or serve them at your next holiday party. The chocolate-dipped version is also available for purchase at the Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers and Naples, Fla.

GINGERBREAD MEN
Chef Nathaniel Reid
Norman Love Confections

Servings: 50 cookies

1 lb. 2 oz. unsalted butter
1 lb. 5 oz. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
6 oz. molasses
1 lb. 12 oz. all purpose flour
1/8 cup baking soda
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. cloves

1. in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together
2. slowly add the eggs and the molasses to the creamed butter
3. sift the dry ingredients together
4. add the dry ingredients to the butter mix and blend until mixture comes together
5. wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours
6. on a lightly floured surface, roll dough out with a rolling pin to ¼ inch thick
7. use a gingerbread man cutter and cut out the shapes
8. place the gingerbread men onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
9. bake in a 360’F oven for approximately 10-14 minutes