Don't Mess With Valentine's Day

There's been a fair amount of grousing on Facebook about Conversation Hearts, those chalky/sweet/molar-busting candies from NECCO. First, they've changed the texture (from a roux of chalk and concrete), brightened the colors, taken the brand NECCO off the box and rewritten the sayings on the hearts.

See Ya, My Hero, No Way, Luv Me, Yes, Email Me, U Go Girl, Hey You, First Kiss, Get Real.

Frankly, I can't recall what they said last year, though I usually do make a point of reading them before chomping them. They ARE softer now, so that satisfying explosion of god-knows-what when you first crunch is gone, baby, gone.

The NECCO (New England Confectionery Company) website is very proud to add that it has added Spanish, chocolate and "dazzled" tarts. And then, there's this:

To meet the demand for its Conversation Hearts, New England Confectionery Company produces them from late February through mid-January of the following year. The entire production -- about 100,000 pounds a day -- sells out in just six weeks.

There's even an Iphone App so you can customize your own heart. That part I like. The chalk part is definitely missed.