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Be Local: Chocolate lovers celebrating national holiday across area

By John Sacco for The Observer-Reporter newsroom@observer-Reporter.Com 3 min read
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Editor’s note: This is a weekly series focusing on the importance of buying local.

For Bill Sarris and Canonsburg-based Sarris Candies, every day is a chocolate holiday.

“It’s my favorite day,” Sarris said.

National Chocolate Day is observed annually on Oct. 28. While there are many specific chocolate related holidays throughout the year, National Chocolate Day celebrates all things chocolate. What many consider to be America’s favorite flavor, chocolate is well deserving of its own day of honor and celebration.

“Pretty much every day is chocolate day at Sarris,” the longtime owner said.

Other local chocolate makers include:

  • Paradise Confectionary, Washington;
  • Behanna Chocolate Candy Co., Washington;
  • Gene and Boots Candies, Charleroi and Perryopolis.

Chocolate is also a part of donut-making as well. Padiddle Donuts and Coffee, in Beallsville on Route 40, makes use of chocolate on a handful of their gourmet donuts.

From, chocolate brownie donuts, to German chocolate donuts to chocolate peanut butter donuts, the use of chocolate has been an integral part of Padiddle’s success.

“Our peanut butter donuts are one of our best sellers,” owner Gina Startare said. “We have people coming in specifically for the German chocolate donuts as well. Customers come in asking for them all the time.

“We did a chocolate pack, including the German chocolate and it was a huge hit.”

Startare said to celebrate National Chocolate Day, Padiddles will bring back its double chocolate with sprinkles donut and feature the chocolate milk it carries.

She added prior to opening, chocolate was being counted on to be one of “the staple, go-to flavors” for the business.

“I know that I’m a big fan of peanut butter chocolate, so it was definitely important to me,” Startare said with a laugh. “We even have the chocolate peanuts.”

With Halloween and Trick or Treating just around the corner, kids are dreaming of the chocolates they may haul.

“Chocolate makes you happy,” Sarris said. “Chocolate just makes you happy. And then it just makes you want to taste some more.”

Those interested in joining the Be Local Network can contact Chris Slota at 724-225-1326 or by email at chris@belocal.net. Discount cards are available at the Observer-Reporter and Almanac office, 122 S. Main St., Washington.

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