Whetstone Chocolate a ‘Must See’ for Chocolate Lovers, Says the Food Network

Whetstone Chocolates has been named by the Food Network as one of “the best spots” in the United States for traveling chocolate lovers. 

The prestigious designation appeared in the March issue of Food Network Magazine’s The Chocolate Issue.  The magazine’s United States of Chocolate article, featuring Whetstone, provides chocolate devotees with a guide to the ultimate chocolate road trip.

The Food Network calls Whetstone’s hour-long factory tour “a tasting tour” because visitors get to try so many treats along the way.  “Among the samples: 72 percent cacao chocolate (it’s intense); roasted cacao nibs and Whetstone’s famous chocolate seashells.”

The only Florida chocolatier included in The Food Network’s exclusive tour, Whetstone’s was begun in 1966 by Sunshine State natives Henry and Esther Whetstone based on a homemade fudge recipe created in their family kitchen in St. Augustine.  By 1967, they were selling 13 different flavors of fudge along with an assortment of hand-dipped chocolates.  In the 1970s, they opened a full production chocolate factory at 51 Cordova Street in St. Augustine.

Following her graduation from Vanderbilt, the Whetstone’s daughter, Virginia, entered the family business and soon became president of Whetstone Chocolate.  Her love for chocolate formula development led her to explore the world to select the very best cocoa for the company.  Because of Whetstone’s production quality, creativity and innovation, the firm has become highly sought after by giants of the chocolate industry including Nestle’s, Hershey and M&M Mars.

Today, Virginia focuses on teaching consumers about chocolate while educating their palates to the delicate and flavorful varieties of chocolate and adding unique and exciting artisan chocolates to the Whetstones line of quality products.

Whetstone chocolates are available at three retail locations in St. Augustine — the Factory Store at 139 King Street, the Historic District Store at 42 St. George Street, and the Anastasia Island Store at 13 Anastasia Boulevard. Their outstanding chocolate products are also available online. The Original Factory Tour featured by The Food Network takes place Tuesday through Saturday at The Factory Store.  Tickets are adults $8; children 5 to 17 $5.50; and children under 5 are free.  Suggested reservations may be made by calling904.217.0275. For the complete story of Whetstone Chocolate and to shop online, go to www.whetstonechocolates.com.

Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, 42 miles of pristine, Atlantic beaches – the same beaches that greeted Ponce de Leon in 1513 when he discovered and named La Florida, an area whose boundaries encompassed what would later become the eastern United States.

For more information on events, activities, holiday getaway and vacation opportunities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com, become a fan on Facebook or call 1.800.653.2489.

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