The particle accelerator might be an ingenious tool for recreating the Big Bang, but it makes tasteless and oddly vortex-like chocolates. Enjoy old-fashioned treats with today's Groupon: for $5, you get $10 worth of candy at Hercules Candy Company in East Syracuse.

Founded more than 95 years ago, Hercules Candy daringly rescues distressed dessert-cravers with their handcrafted chocolates, barks, chocolate-covered marshmallows and assortment of other classic confections. These gentle giants flex their candy-making muscles with an array of indulgent cocoa-caked concoctions, such as raspberry-chocolate-covered oreos ($.99 each or $17.99/lb.), or chocolate-covered potato chips, individually hand-dipped in milk chocolate or both milk and white chocolate for the truly duplicitous secret agent (both $17.99/lb.). In time for Valentine's Day, Hercules Candy offers all manner of heart-shaped chocolate boxes ($6.75+), as well as chocolate spoons complete with mini-marshmallows that can be stirred directly into frothing mugs of hot milk or hurled at a hoped-for paramour ($1.75). Devoted to maintaining their personal, hands-on approach to candy, Hercules Candy roasts nuts on the premises for sweets like their homemade peanut butter cups ($11/lb.) and hand-dips chocolate in a variety of molds such as flowers, sports gear, vehicles, and life-sized presidents.