The History of Chocolate Covered Strawberries

While both chocolate and strawberries have been around for thousands of years, chocolate covered strawberries are a surprisingly recent creation. Most sources credit the creation of these beloved treats to a woman named Lorraine Lorusso, who was running a small gourmet candy shop called Stop N’ Shop in Chicago in the 1960s. Reportedly, she decided to melt some of the gourmet chocolate she sold in her shop and then dipped some fresh strawberries in it. After allowing the chocolate to harden and form a shell around the strawberries, she displayed the new treat to her customers. Her creation caught on and chocolate covered strawberries became a popular offering at many upscale chocolate shops. After Lorusso popularized chocolate covered strawberries, many people began giving them to romantic partners as gifts for special celebrations such as Valentine’s Day and anniversaries. People also began making them at home along with other types of chocolate-covered fruit. (It's worth noting that in some cultures, making chocolate-covered fruit at home is a long-standing tradition.) Today, chocolate covered strawberries remain a favorite of many people and they are eaten not just for romantic occasions, but also as tasty summertime treats in many households.