NECCO unveils Valentine’s candies

REVERE – Exactly one month before Valentine’s Day, the NECCO company on Wednesday announced its 10 new phrases for its Sweethearts heart-shaped candies, all of which have a food theme.”Each year, NECCO introduces 10 new new Sweethearts phrases that relate to current American trends and culture,” said Jackie Hague, vice president of New England Confectionery Company (NECCO). “For 2009, our ‘Menu of Love’ sayings embrace the role that both romantic dinners and family dinners play in celebrating love.”The 10 new sayings are: Recipe 4 Love, Table 4 Two, Stir My Heart, My Treat, Top Chef, Sugar Pie, Sweet Love, Honey Bun, Spice It Up and Yum Yum.”It has often been said that the path to a loved one’s heart is through their palate,” Hague said.The low-in-calories Sweethearts have been a Valentine tradition for more than a century and the sayings have a new twist each year. The concept of conversation hearts dates back to the 1800s when printed sayings on colored paper were placed in “Cockles,” small crisp candies formed in the shape of a scalloped shell.Some of the original sayings include, “Be Mine,” “Kiss Me” and “Sweet Talk.”NECCO produces approximately eight billion candies every year and 100,000 pounds of candy every day.