It would seem to me that to receive the gift of handmade petits fours trumps attempting to make them oneself.

The sweet variety of petits fours is generally a bite-size layered cake filled with buttercream frosting or a fruit filling or both. The name is French meaning “small oven.” Petits fours were first made in the 18th century by placing them in an oven that was cooling down, because at the time ovens didn’t have controls to adjust the temperature. By doing this, the heat of the coals would cook small individual treats, thus creating petits fours.

Carolina Confections in downtown Tryon offers us just that opportunity. Owner Julia Calhoun is taking orders now for beautiful, delectable Valentine’s petits fours. In fact, as In Good Taste publishes today, she asks that interested readers order by close of day Wednesday, Jan. 18. Valentine’s Day and Feb. 14 may seem a ways away, but it’s no time at all for this handful of artisan chocolatiers she partners with to fill her store.

Julia explains, “Because these very detailed handmade sweets are time intensive, our chocolatiers need a good deal of lead time to prepare and get them to us in time for us to share with that special Valentine.” 

As sweet petits fours come, one or two layers of cake are involved, yet the petits fours at Carolina Confections offer a four-layer cake process with each, buttercream and fruit filling between every layer. 

Stop in the Jackson Building at 17 S. Trade Street in downtown Tryon to find Carolina Confections and leaf through the color picture offerings to place your order by end of business day, Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Your delicate treats will be beautifully packaged in lovely gold boxes in fours, sixes, eights and twelves — whatever size you choose. While there, consider stopping in with Manna Cabanna, also operating in the building, and ask about the Prix Fixe Local Foods Valentine’s Dinner for Two, to go!