When I was growing up, my mother’s favorite chocolates for Valentine’s Day were Russell Stovers. She would open them and let each of us kids choose one. This would lead to a period of excruciating decision making for me, as I studied them and tried desperately to remember what my favorite ones looked like. If someone made a disastrous choice, a sticky, runny cherry cordial for example, you might or might not get a second chance.

And then the box would mysteriously disappear.

As we got older one of us discovered that Mom was hiding her chocolates in a dresser drawer. Even then, I didn’t begrudge her wanting to enjoy her Valentine chocolates, alone, when her four kids, husband, and dog were out of the house, or fast asleep. But that didn’t stop me, every year, from poking around days later and until I found that hidden box. And even though invariably what was left in it by then would be dark chocolates with what I thought were weirdo fillings, I would eat one, anyway. I mean, it was chocolate, after all.

I’m sure Mom always knew when we’d raided her stash.

Nowadays, choosing chocolates is a far more complicated affair. You can buy chocolates with exotic spices, pepper, floral essences, a wide range of cocoa beans, and who knows what else. There are high falutin’ terms like ganache, gianduja, and of course, truffles.

Luckily, there are experts like Clay Gordon around, who can give us a chocolate vocabulary lesson, just in time for Valentine’s Day. You can see one of Clay’s Howdinis, hosted by Lisa Birnbach, HERE.

We send fancier chocolates to Mom now, but I’m not sure they could ever taste as yummy as the Russell Stovers from her secret stash. Anyway, the real high point of Valentine’s Day is that she can celebrate with her heartthrob of 62 years, my wonderful Dad, and it doesn’t get any sweeter than that.

She might even let him have a chocolate or two.

—Shelley