Harry London Chocolates

Traditionally, my position on boxes of chocolate has been that they all pretty much taste the same. From Whitman's to Russell Stover, from See's to Godiva, they were all interchangeable. Then last year I was in a Target store picking out a heart shaped box for my valentine (Erin) when I decided on a brand I had never heard of before: Harry London. I figured it was from England and the box was a little prettier than some of the others, no matter, it's all the same. A few days before Valentine's day, my sweet-tooth got the best of me and I ended up opening Erin's chocolates and eating some of them myself. What I discovered was, Harry London is better than the others. I went back to Target and bought another box for Erin. On Valentine's day, she tried them and she thought they were better than average too. I took a closer look at the label and discovered that they were not fine European chocolates, but rather, they were made in Ohio. Near Canton actually.

This year we were eagerly awaiting Valentine's day to get more of these great chocolates, but when we went to Target last weekend to pick some up, we got a scare. There was very minimal Valentine's day candy (save for their own horrid Choxie), and neither one of us could remember the Harry London brand name to search for them elsewhere. We had found the ultimate chocolate, and then lost it!

Fortunately, we had better luck today. Target stores have finally stocked their Valentine's day candy. I instantly recognized the Harry London box on the shelf. We, of course, had to buy a box and eat a few. Yup, still excellent.

And so, if you're wondering what kind of chocolate to get this Valentine's day, Erin and I both recommend that you go to Target and try Harry London. We do not believe you will be disappointed. Also, thanks to this blog post, I will be able to look back and recall the Harry London name should I forget it next February.


The chocolate with the tan circle on top is Harry London's famed Ohio buckeye. It's a peanut butter filled confection. Tasty indeed!


Here is the Harry London story directly from their website:

At the turn of the century, fine confections were associated with the delicate hand-craftsmanship of the Swiss, or the rich, smooth cream and butter used by the Belgians. In Canton, Ohio, unknown to the existing masters of chocolate, Gilbert London was teaching his son Harry the fine art of confections by using recipes and techniques from the family’s strong European traditions.

Harry London learned over time and through the eloquent teachings of his father the true art of making fine confections. He found that in a world where more always seemed to be the norm in creating anything of wonder, the art of chocolate-making broke all traditional rules. He learned that quality was more important than quantity. Chocolate needs to be simple and pure, rich and complex, and filled with blends that are subtle...yet irresistible.

Over the years, Harry London began making these delicious delicacies for his friends as holiday gifts. Friends were finding that resistance to these delights was futile. The gifts were cherished, and soon Harry was receiving requests for his fine hand-made chocolates. In 1922, Harry - a steelworker by trade - soon decided to make chocolate his life’s work and left his job at the mill. Thus, Harry London Candies was born.

Through humble beginnings, where ideas are strong and passion runs through every thought one has, Harry London created a small kitchen in his home. This would be just the beginning of where the finest chocolates in the world would be created. Through the years, his family traditions and recipes are still held to exceptional standards, for only the purest ingredients are used.