Valentine’s Day has always been synonymous with one candy for me: Conversation Hearts. Since my first experiences of exchanging valentines in kindergarten, I could always count on taking home a couple boxes of the classic multicolored pastel Sweethearts. The tradition of this candy has been a part of our culture for hundreds of years and will remain a nostalgic part of the celebration of love for years to come.
The legacy of Sweethearts dates back to 1847, the year Oliver Chase founded NECCO, the New England Confectionary Company. Originally, brief sayings were printed onto colored paper and tucked into thin candy shells, but in 1866, Oliver’s brother, Daniel Chase, invented the technology that lead to the creation of the candy’s signature printed sayings we still know today.
If you have eaten the similar pastel colored NECCO wafers you might have recognized the familiar taste. Sweethearts Conversation Hearts are made with the exact same ingredients. According to Necco.com, the batter consists of “90 percent sugar, a dash of corn syrup, gelatin, gums, and artificial colors and flavorings.” After mixing everything together, the dough is rolled out, stamped with phrases, and cooled with a special technique ensuring the unique texture.
Several of the phrases date back to the first round of candies, including “Be Mine,” “Kiss Me,” and “Sweet Talk,” but every year the company introduces 10 new sayings. The website says, “This year, NECCO will introduce 10 new sayings that pay tribute to pet-loving ways with sayings that include ‘Cool Cat,’ ‘Puppy Love,’ ‘Love Bird,’ and ‘My Pet.’” Last year, Conversation Hearts got on board with the social media craze when they included “Text Me” and “Tweet Me.” How romantic! (Or not?)
The NECCO website shared the amazing statistic that they “manufacture eight billion Sweethearts Conversation Hearts each year, the majority of which are sold during the six-week period between January 1 and Valentine’s Day; making Sweethearts the #1 selling non-chocolate Valentine’s Day candy.”
