Earlier this school year, the art teacher at my school did a unit on the cocoa trade that really opened my eyes. I had known that stuff like that went on, but had not known that it was so widespread that all the major candy companies were complicit. (I would have expected that sort of behavior from Nestle, but Hershey's? Sigh.) Now I know. To know and do nothing is really not acceptable so I am trying to change my ways and avoid buying (I'll still eat it when it's offered, though) chocolate that is not either fair-trade certified or at least organic (it is my understanding that no organic cocoa is currently being grown in Ivory Coast). It isn't easy to remember all the time - the mochas and the ice cream, etc. I'm getting a lot better, though. (The one thing I am still buying and selling, of course, is Girl Scout cookies. I'm in too deep to get out of that one. I have no idea where they get their chocolate but the news is unlikely to be good, given the major possibilities. I will research it soon and start trying to persuade from within if needed.)
And then - Valentine's Day. I hated to forgo the chocolate hearts and strawberries of Valentine's Day for the children, but felt it was the right thing to do. Every bit of fair-trade certified and/or organic chocolate that I could find in candy form was cross-contaminated with nuts, so that was a no-go for us. I e-mailed the Divvies lady to ask if their chocolate was slavery-free and she didn't reply, which I'm going to take as a no. I settled on putting some nut-free, fair-trade certified chocolate chips in little valentine muffin cups sealed up in baggies on top of the girls' Valentine gifts at their place settings instead - odd, perhaps, but tasty. Their gifts were books (plays for the Girl), which I have claimed as a Valentine tradition. I gave my students fortune cookies instead of chocolates. I suppose I should start looking for safe, humane chocolate bunnies now, but I'm none too hopeful.
The Lone Star Girl didn't want to take any valentines to her friends this year except for sending a candy-gram to one of them at school - she is apparently too old now. The Lone Star Baby took valentines to school for her friends on Friday and her school was out on Monday so she took valentines to the babysitter's house, too. Monday evening, we went to Storytime for old times' sake and took valentines to the librarians. We do love the librarians.
I hope your Valentine's day was filled with love and friendship, if not chocolate.
xxoo
9 comments:
awwww MANNNNNN!!!
I know.
I can get nut-free fair-trade chocolate for when you need it and keep a look out for humane bunnies. :) Just let me know. Seattle is the home of Theo's Chocolate, fyi.
Yesterday, my husband and I had delicious bagels at Eltana Bagels (with yummy savory spreads), then walked over the High 5 Pie and shared a piece of lavender cream pie. It just so happened to be Valentine's Day. :)
P.S. I cannot believe I injected two smiley faces into one comment post. Geez Louise.
Sounds fun.
Theo's Chocolate sounds like an amazing company but everything I have found on their website is nut-contaminated. Do let me know, please , if you find I am missing something. Thank you.
Yay for smiley faces.
Sounds like a great business opportunity--allegen-free fair-trade organic chocolate company.
My husband eats chocolate chips for a snack all the time anyway (though I tell him they are not food; they're an ingredient!), so I'm sure they were a nice treat for your girls.
My boys each got a "bug bite" organic chocolate (along with all the usual school crap), but I never thought of looking at the allergen labeling on the package...I'm sure the wrappers are stilly lying around the house; I'll check them out when I get home.
Confound it. Blogger ate my comment. (I did delete that last one.) Anyway, yes, I did look at Theo's and everything has potential traces of nuts. However, I've found something else that might be nice. Stay tuned.
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