5 Valentine’s Day food gift ideas from Tri-Cities shops
Valentine’s Day will look different this year.
But you can celebrate and support a new Tri-Cities business at the same time.
Hot cocoa bombs
Stull Urban Homestead’s hot cocoa bombs give the gift of sweet warmth.
Jessie Stull opened her cottage bakery in October making the hollow chocolate balls filled with cocoa and marshmallows, and says the popularity of the concoction has seemingly blown up overnight.
Stull makes about 15 standard flavors, including peanut butter fudge, dark chocolate raspberry and cheesecake with other rotating and seasonal flavors.
For Valentines Day, Stull has created two specialty boxes including a “charcuterie” box with a mix of cocoa bombs and chocolate dipped cookies, pretzels and other treats for $35. Or grab a six-pack of a mixed of cocoa bomb flavors for $35.
Individual bombs sell for $6 at the Tri-Cities Cider House in Richland, where she is the general manager. She also takes orders though a form found on Stull’s Urban Homestead Facebook page.
Orders for the Valentine’s Day specials are being accepted until Feb. 5 for pickup Feb. 11-13 at Tri-Cities Cider House at 1082 George Washington Way or at Dragon Fire at 219 W. Kennewick Ave. Delivery is available for $10.
Other local makers of cocoa bombs include:
▪ Cupcake Creations, a cottage bakery is West Richland. Contact: 509-713-0089; via Facebook, Instgram or cupcakecreations6@gmail.com.
▪ Frost Me Sweet Bakery and Bistro, 710 The Parkway in Richland. Contact: 509-420-4704, frostmesweet.com, or Facebook.
▪ tsp Bakeshop, 4850 Paradise Way, Suite 202 in West Richland. Contact: 509-392-7733, tspbakeshop.com or Facebook
▪ Desserts by Kelly, 1312 Jadwin Ave., in Richland. Contact: 509-946-4552, Facebook or bykelly@gmail.com.
Party popcorn
The popcorn party company Popped featuring Killian Korn is now bringing the theater experience to your family room.
Ranae Pearce, whose aunt started the area’s well-known Killian Korn decades ago, teamed up with cousin Lisa Killian to create the business to cater to events from weddings to business meetings.
Their popcorn bars are similar to self-serve buffet ice cream but with Killian Korn in your choice of colors and flavors. They also were set to sell gift bags and favor bags for wedding guests.
Then COVID hit and events and gatherings were called off. And their family encountered medical issues, increasing their concern about a COVID-19 exposure, so they paused the business.
But just before Christmas, Popped got back to work.
“It is kind of exciting to keep the family business going but branching out a bit,” Pearce said.
For a movie at home, Popped’s Party in a Box will feed the entire family. The package comes with your choice of three 32-ounce bags of either strawberry, huckleberry, caramel or original — a coconut, vanilla, pecan, almond combination. The box comes with three scoops and 16 bags ready to personalize for $55. Delivery in Tri-Cities is free.
You can also order favor bags filled with 3 ounces of Killian Korn for $2.95 each with a minimum order of 50 bags.
For all flavor and ordering choices go to popcornspopped.com. Popped’s Facebook page. To order, call 509-942-4443 or 509-567-7548.
Designer cookies
Mrs Pros Original Cookies are a visual delight. Mary Probasco, a former cake decorator of 30 years said she burned out on wedding cakes and instead put her talents to cookies.
She used an inherited family recipes and her decorating skills to do custom-order cookies, as well as other seasonal and holiday specials. Prices can range from $1 to $4 per cookie, depending on the size and complexity of the design.
Designs have included graduation cookie bouquets, tea parties and bridal showers. Now she has created a sweetheart special that includes a dozen, 5-inch fancy cookies for $36 with hearts, love letters and beehive with a “Bee Mine” message.
Probasco is no stranger to starting a small business either. Her husband, John, is a retired Pasco police officer who also owns Mr. Pro’s Philly Cheesesteak — a regular vendor at the Benton Franklin Fair and other Tri-Cities events for decades.
Keep an eye on Mrs Pros Original Cookies for updates and current offering. To place a Valentine’s Day or other special orders, call 509-539-3688.
Wine and treats
Wine Social at 702 The Parkway in Richland is taking the at-home celebration up a notch.
The wine and Champagne bar has created the “All the Things Box” for Valentines.
It includes treats curated from local businesses, such as a sweet and savory charcuterie selection from On The Board, a box of macarons from Ethos Bakery, a French sparkling rosè and Spanish Monastrell wine chosen by Wine Social, along with a bouquet from Simplified Celebrations.
Boxes are $125 and orders are being accepted until Feb. 3 by calling or messaging 509-420-4991. Wine Social’s hours are noon to 6:30 Tuesday through Saturday.
Charcuterie boards
On the Board specialty charcuterie business launched in December has endless options for elegant meat and cheese trays.
Kari England, who graduated from Washington State University in hospitality, began On the Board after finding she had more free time from her full-time job at Terra Blanca Winery doing sales for private events after COVID restrictions began.
Various options include The Mini for one to two people for $25, The Date Night Box for $35, a medium for up to six people for $65 and a large for $120 that feeds 10. Some medium and large charcuterie boards include a keepsake wooden board and can be delivered.
Her Valentine’s board comes with two meats, three cheeses and other bite-size goodies served on a pink heart-shaped plate and gift wrapped with a holiday keepsake for $50.
She is accepting orders for Valentine’s Day until Feb. 8. Orders can be made through messaging on On the Board’s Facebook page or by emailing triontheboard@gmail.com.
Holiday orders will be available for for pickup Feb. 13 in Richland a vendor pop-up shop at Simplified Celebrations at 303 Casey in Richland and Feb. 13 at Red Mountain Kitchen at 212 W. Kennewick Ave. in Kennewick. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Email Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com to share news about your restaurant, food truck, drinking establishment or other changes.
This story was originally published January 30, 2021 at 5:00 AM.