Pralus ChocolatesOne of our favorite chocolatiers, Christopher Elbow, would like a box of chocolates from France’s great chocolatier, François Pralus. If anyone is passing through Roanne, would you please bring one back for him?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

BETH COLLINS is an editor at THE NIBBLE™.

 

 

February 2006

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Chocolate

Our Favorite Chocolatiers—And What They Want For Valentine's Day


Any serious chocolate lover has a favorite chocolatier (or two, or three, or...). But what about chocolatiers themselves? Sure, they're partial to their own creations, but everyone needs a little variety every once in a while, right? In the spirit of Valentine's Day, we encouraged our favorite chocolatiers to spread the love a bit, asking each of them:

  • Whose chocolate have you never had but would love to try?
  • If you were to receive another chocolatier’s chocolate for Valentine's Day, whose would it be?

And finally, because we knew each of these chocolatiers would be creating his or her own exquisite offerings for Valentine’s Day, we asked:

  • If someone were to walk into your shop looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, what would you suggest?

We hope you enjoy the answers as much as we did!

Chocolatier Wish List

Joan Coukos
Chocolat Moderne

Click here to read our review.

ChocolateModerne.com

   

Christopher Elbow Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates

Click here to read our review.

ElbowChocolates.com

  • Would love to try: François Pralus www.chocolats-pralus.com
  • Would love to receive: Garrison Confections www.garrisonconfections.com
  • Favorite Valentine’s offering from Christopher Artisanal Chocolates: The red faux-crocodile-skin box, custom-made for Valentine's Day, filled with the signature 21-piece collection
   

Mary Leonard
Chocolat Céleste

 

Click here to read our review.

ChocolatCeleste.com

  • Would love to try: Richart chocolates (www.richart-chocolates.com)
  • Would love to receive: “I hope that I don't receive chocolate. I'd love to receive a little LOVE from someone special!” [Someone Special: take note!]
  • Favorite Valentine’s offering from Chocolat Céleste: “My favorite box is the Classic: nine fabulous grand-sized truffles—perfect to share with your sweetie with a great bottle of dessert wine.”
   

Norman Love
Norman Love Confections

Click here to read our review.

NormanLoveConfections.com

  • Would love to try: Pierre Marcolini (MarcoliniChocolatier.com)
  • Would love to receive: La Maison du Chocolat (LaMaisonduChocolat.com)
  • Favorite Valentine's offering from Norman Love Confections: "Definitely the Tahitian Vanilla Caramel Heart"
   

Jacques Torres
Jacques Torres Chocolate & Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven

 

Mr.Chocolate.com

  • Would love to try: chocolate from the Chuao Plantation in Venezuela [click here for information about chuao]
    (ChuaoChocolatier.com)
  • Would love to receive: “Melted chocolate from Criollo-origin beans spread on my Valentine honey!” [Editor’s note: We expect to see this product in the line next Valentine’s Day.]
  • Favorite Valentine’s offering from Jacques Torres Chocolate: The Jacques Torres Heart Box with Kissing Game
   

Jeff Shepherd
Lillie Belle Farms Chocolates

Click here for our review.

LillieBelleFarms.com

 

  • Would love to try: “I think I've tried them all!”
  • Would love to receive: Christopher Elbow’s chocolates (ElbowChocolates.com)
  • Favorite Valentine’s offering from Lillie Belle Farms Chocolates: Belle of the Berries
   

Martine Leventer
Martine’s Chocolates

 

 

Click here to read our review.

 

 

 

 

MartinesChocolates.com

  • Would love to try: “There are so many of them! But I certainly would enjoy having the time to take a trip to California to sample all the artisanal chocolates made with the kind of really fresh produce that’s unfortunately not available in New York.”
  • Would love to receive: “I would like to be able to go and pick one piece (sometimes two) from different chocolatiers across the country.”
  • Favorite Valentine’s offering from Martine’s Chocolates: “My favorite is our ‘Collector's Box,’ which has a hand-painted skyline of New York as a cover (because I love New York and its breathtaking sunsets. If I gave it, it would be filled with the ‘I Love You’ tray of chocolates, the way we sell it for Valentine’s Day. If it were given to me, I’d rather have it filled with my favorite chocolate, the Cherry, a childhood memory.”
   

Michael Recchiuti
Recchiuti Confections

 

 

 

 

Recchiuti.com

  • Would love to try: "I think I’ve tried them all, but I'd love to sample more from Patrick Roger’s chocolates." www.patrickroger.com
  • Would love to receive: Richard Donnelly’s chocolates www.donnellychocolates.com
  • Favorite Valentine’s offering from Recchiuti: Champagne truffles. Take the creamiest dark chocolate truffle, perfume it with 2001 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs from Napa Valley and add a kiss of confectioner’s sugar. Finish it with a crimson satin ribbon and you have our latest creation...with love from San Francisco.
   

                         

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