Here at Etsy, we believe that the story behind an object is often just as fascinating as the object itself. Short Stories is our series dedicated to telling the tales behind extraordinary pieces found or created by Etsy seller.

Here’s Andie, the creative mind behind edible chocolate seashells. (Truly worthy of a Willy Wonka mention.)

Most of our candy inventions are born of necessity. Many are developed by predicting what our customers might ask for next. All are given special treatment. This is often accomplished with a touch of realism, more complex designs and special ingredients — which makes the manner in which we discovered our edible chocolate seashells all the more fantastic.

It is a little known fact that, just north of the chocolate-filled candy nut trees, before you arrive at the forested coast of peeping sugar fern, there lies a sheltered lagoon of the most curious sort. A peculiar quirk of nature has left the sweetest variety of marine, tropical, and even some freshwater shells with deposits of a distinct pleasure: organic, fair trade, and 72% dark chocolate.

We’ve learned not to speak of this phenomenon in mixed company; instead, we’ve quietly harvested these specimens from their pristine marine habitat and present them only to those who might appreciate such palatable and decorative rarities. And when our children ask, “Mom, Dad…didn’t you create these shells out of candy?”, we quickly remind them that’s just what we tell those easily disposed to skepticism. “The truth,” we remind them, “is hard to swallow — until you taste it.”

More Short Stories

Have you created or come across an object with an extraordinary story that needs to be told? Email us!