Summer Chocolate: Shipping to You No Matter the Weather
Maine has great summers, and Maine has great chocolate (see why here.). But if you add chocolate and summer together, with temperatures reaching the 80s and 90s even in Maine, you may, if you’re not careful, end up with a less-than-ideal mess of melted sweetness.
Temperatures Across the US
For eight or more months of the year, we don’t have to worry too much about melted chocolate in Maine or the northern half of the country for that matter. The fall, winter, and spring temperatures cooperate with us so we can make, sell, and ship chocolate as a regular part of our business.
In the southern half of the country, however, and especially in Florida, Texas, and Southern California, where we ship frequently, that’s a different story. As I’m sure you know if you live there, these states can have temps in the high 80s even in December.
No Matter the Temps, Chocolate is Essential and Available
Let’s all agree: A minor thing like warm weather can’t stand in the way of your chocolate! If we stopped production in July and August just because it’s too hot, that’s like saying it’s too cold for ice cream in January and February. Um, no, that wouldn’t do. Happily, we have the technology. We can get you chocolate when and where you need it.
So, if the season is warming up where you are, what can be done to keep the chocolate in its best form during shipping? Here are a few rules of the road:
Warm-Weather Shipping
If you live in a warm climate part or all of the year, the first and best option is to choose “warm-weather shipping” when ordering your chocolate on our website. Right at checkout, just click the warm-weather-shipping box, and we’ll take care of the rest. That way, we ship your chocolate in an insulated box with a cool pack so that it arrives in two to three days in its best form. When taking phone orders, we typically ask about the need for warm-weather shipping too. Yes, it adds $10 to the order, but the cost of not shipping wisely is a box full of melted chocolate when it arrives. No one wants that.
Choose Non-Meltable Items
Even when it comes to chocolate, we do offer a few items that you don’t need to worry about when shipping. Those items include:
- Hot fudge sauce
- Maine sea salt caramel sauce
- Hot chocolate (which can be served over ice for an amazing summer drink!)
Be Aware of the Package Arrival Date
Just to be extra careful, it is helpful to know when your chocolate will arrive, or to inform the recipient when to be on the lookout for a gift box in the mail. That helps so that the box, even when insulated, doesn’t sit in the sun on the front porch. Once your order has shipped, you’ll receive an automatic notice so you can easily track the arrival time for yourself or as a gift to others. It’s not necessary to stay home from work that day to watch for the mail truck, but if you’d like an excuse to take a day off, we can support you on that!
Public Service Announcement: Never Leave Chocolate in Your Car
Do you know that lovely warm feeling when you get into your car on a cold day? The sun has heated the interior to just the right cozy temperature. And I’m sure you also know those days in August when the car is too hot to even touch and you have to turn on the AC and wait. Your chocolate can tolerate the first scenario but just barely, and the chocolate will melt almost instantly in the second.
If you’re here in Maine in the warmer months, and you come into one of our stores, we try to regularly warn our customers not to drop the chocolate in the car and leave it. We too have done it and forgotten and come back to a puddle of chocolate. So, if we make that mistake, we assume others might too. We want to help you avoid that.
Summer in Portland, Maine
When walking around our lovely city, we recommend keeping the chocolate with you, just like you would a pet. The same holds true for when you’re driving. If you and your driving companion(s) are comfortable, the chocolate is too.
Chocolate Storage
For storage at home, you don’t need to worry about refrigeration. As long as the chocolate isn’t sitting in the sun, it’s fine! Keep it in a dry, cool place, and of course, as a serious sidenote, you don’t want the dog to get to it either. (If you have a dog, you probably already know that chocolate can be toxic to our four-pawed friends!)
We Can Ship It!
Take comfort – wherever you are, whatever you need, we can get it to you. The weather may be an element to consider for best results and we know how to handle it. Worst-case scenario: Melted chocolate still tastes good. But with beautiful, hand-dipped truffles, caramels, and buttercreams, we want the chocolate to arrive in perfect form. So, with a little care we can always arrange to get your chocolate shipped whether in July in Maine or during a heatwave in Arizona. Have no fear, chocolate is near.