CityView: Sweet Dreams— Celebrate Valentine’s Day With a Chocolate Splurge

Fayetteville

Oct 15

Feel the Burn

As the manager of Burney’s Sweets & More on Raeford Road, Gabrielle Gustafson leaves the baking to her staff. Her focus is on customer service and the business angles in the shop where she has worked since 2017.

“It takes more patience to cook,” Gustafson says. “You have to follow the recipe exactly. It’s a lot more complicated than the business end.”

But she’s familiar enough with baking that she knows what tastes good.

Chocolate. Rich and luscious. Satisfying a craving as only chocolate can.

Burney’s regulars are people on their way to work, some looking for a treat at lunchtime or the after-school crowd picking up something for the kids.

Fresh-baked croissants are the big draw for Burney’s. Add a chocolate drizzle or chocolate filling, and they’re something more than brunch fare.

Other fillings range from apple to raspberry, lemon to Bavarian cream.

And if you’re looking for something like grandma used to bake, there is always the 15-layer chocolate cake. With ever-so-thin layers of yellow goodness, there’s always more room to spread that mouthwatering chocolate.

For Valentine’s Day, Burney’s can cook up chocolate cupcakes and brownies, but the chocolate strawberries always are a favorite. A dozen packed in a heart-shaped container will run you about $25.

Christmas is a “woman’s holiday,” Gustafson says, so orders come in early.

“Valentine’s is a ‘man’s holiday,’” she says. “And they usually wait until the last day to buy something.”

But no worries, Burney’s will be prepared. The shop usually is closed on Mondays, but since Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday this year, it will be open on Feb. 13.

Got you covered, stragglers.