It's been a while since I cut 24 or so hearts free hand to make individualized cards for my kids' pals on Valentines' Day. But there I was today, Saturday, cutting with my very good Whiskars, pink hearts to cover the Gioconda Truffles that are being sold at the Wedge and Hampden Coop as well as here at the Gardens for about $5. It's our gift to you: two each of our traditional Gioconda (That's the Italian, hence International title for what we call the Mona Lisa) dark, brandied chocolate wrapped around a toasted Hazelnut (Filbert if you're from Calie) and then rolled in Greek Coffee and Cinnamon; and the VD special Truffle--wrapped around a sour cherry preserve imported from Greece and then rolled in dark chocolate. I can't decide which one I prefer and have already gone to the next level--maybe for Spring or Pascha--Chocolate and Cointreau wrapped around a toasted almond; and what about Pistachios and mint....ANYWAY, I was thinking quite a bit about those days when I would free-hand the hearts and here I was again....and it didn't seem quite so bad. Why the hearts? I thought it would make our little box more special if, when the chocolate-covering-cellophane was lifted off, the discovery would be make: "it's a heart!" and make someone's day just a bit more special...