Dancing Bear Chocolate Prepares for Valentine’s Day Rush
There are few treats in life as universally-adored as chocolate.
“Makes us feel really happy,” said Andrea Ackerman of Robbinsdale, who visited Dancing Bear Chocolate with her two daughters on a recent Friday. “These girls have been begging to come here. We wish it was open 24 hours.”
Dancing Bear Chocolate, located on the north side of Minneapolis, opened in May of 2020. The shop sells everything from chocolate to pastries to ice cream.
All the while, they spread joy in the process.
“To have a small business here right in the neighborhood, and one of our favorite treats – chocolate — it’s perfect for us,” Ackerman said.
Joe Skifter owns Dancing Bear Chocolate along with Steven Howard, a pastry chef and chocolatier.
These Robbinsdale residents are busy preparing for one of their busiest seasons of the year.
“It’ll be pretty crazy,” Skifter said. “Valentine’s is one of our three or four major chocolate holidays.”
Valentine’s Day offerings
Their signature item for Valentine’s Day is an assortment of heart-shaped truffles, which they make entirely by hand in their on-site commercial kitchen.
A box of Dancing Bear Chocolate’s Valentine’s Day truffles.
“They’re beautiful,” Skifter said. “When they’re handmade like ours, I think they’re just a work of art.”
These little works of art come in six different flavors for anyone looking for a tasty way to say, ‘I love you.’
“It’s the only time that we do different flavors in the same shape,” Skifter said. “Normally the shape dictates the flavor, but for Valentine’s, people want heart-shaped truffles.”
If you’re not in the truffle mood, they’ve also concocted something for all the peanut butter fanatics.
“Our giant peanut butter cup,” Skifter said, while holding a giant chocolate heart. “We make our own peanut butter filling.”
It’s a labor of love, as they create these decadent desserts that people use to, well, express their love for one another.
And as Valentine’s Day approaches, they’ll be well stocked for the big rush.
“Sometimes you never know what you’re going to be hit with, but we’re ready,” Skifter said.
One piece of advice if you receive a box of chocolates is to keep them out of the refrigerator or freezer. Instead, Skifter recommends people keep them in a cool, dark spot in a sealed container. Properly stored, their chocolate should last about a month.
