Our chocolate making classes were recently covered in the Edmonton Sun. To see what they said, read the article.
Chocolate Making Classes are a hit!
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More Theo!
Many of you have been requesting more of the Theo Salted Caramels we had in the Shop over Christmas, and I am happy to report they have returned!
The Ghost Chile is back, along with two new Spring flavours: Rose and Lavender.
We also received a couple exciting Easter bars from them – a dark, ‘Toasted Coconut‘ bar (this one is Vegan), and a milk, ‘Salted Almond‘ bar. It must be spring when the pink and purple packaging comes out!
And just as a note, all of the Theo caramels and bars listed above are gluten and soy free!
Parisian Packaging
Kerstin brought back all sorts of treats from Paris for us to test at the Shop. My favourite quickly became the mint ganache by Patrick Roger – it was infused with a heavy concentration of mint, and the impact was amazing… it seemed as though I had just eaten a bunch of fresh mint leaves!
While the ganaches I sampled tasted lovely, after travelling halfway across the world, the shells looked a little worse for wear. So instead of taking pictures of the confections themselves, here are some shots of the jewelry box-esque packaging.
While I love the colour of the Patrick Roger, my favourite has come down to a tie between the luxurious, crocodile textured box by Jean-Charles Rochoux, and the cool, sleek, brushed stainless from Jacques Genin… I think the latter is beginning to take the lead however.
While the chocolate inside may truly be what matters, as Kerstin noted in her previous post on Patrick Roger, the gorgeous packaging is often what draws us in.
Chocophilia Packaging wins ACE awards.
Click the photos to zoom in.
The results of the 2009 ACE awards were released today. Our packaging (designed by local Edmonton design superstars Vanguard Works) won two Awards of Distinction for the Cocoa Nib Caviar and the Drinking Chocolate.
Thanks to the Advertising Club of Edmonton for running a great contest!
More Paris Chocolatiers: La Maison du Chocolat, Patrick Roger
And now some heavy hitters:
1. Maison du Chocolat: I loved the experience of visiting this shop. The salesclerk was really sweet and each time we bought a chocolate she gave us the same one to sample on the spot. For the six we bought, we got four for free. You could tell that she was proud to work at La Maison and that she was passionate about the chocolate she sold.
The street scene at Maison du Chocolat
Window display at Maison du Chocolat
2. Patrick Roger: I could tell that this place was special as soon as I walked in. Perhaps it was the care with which the chocolate was presented or the dedication of the salesclerk. Maybe it was the chocolate itself calling me from inside its gorgeous packaging. In any case, I bought a lot of chocolate here without sampling any first, which was a rule that Angie and I established after being disappointed several times. Somehow I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.
The front window, with the big title!
A close up of the titillating window display!
Inside the Patrick Roger store.
On the airplane ride home, Angie and I did a taste test of the two chocolatiers. Here are our impressions:
Taste: Robert Linxe, the founder of La Maison du Chocolat says that ” A successful ganache subtly unveils the flavor of the cacao” and his chocolate did just that! We tried first the dark chocolate ganache, which the salesclerk had recommended. It was perfectly smooth, perfectly fresh and absolutely transcendent in its simplicity. It was so very, very good. What they say about La Maison du Chocolat is true: It is the holy grail of chocolate.
Patrick Roger is quite different in his approach. Whereas la Maison du Chocolat is classical, and subtle, P.R. is bold and adventurous. First we tried the lime and basil ganache. The little square literally erupted in my mouth with tangy flavor. Outrageous and outrageously good. We also tried a chocolate dipped marzipan, which had a great, chewy texture to it. The delicate flavor of orange blossom stayed in my mouth for at least 15 minutes afterwards. Patrick Roger really opened my eyes to what you can do with flavours in chocolate. He manages to concentrate flavours of fruit or nut or spices in order to heighten your taste experience. Brilliant.
I can’t really chose which one I liked better of the two. I guess I would chose La Maison for the classic ganaches and if I am looking for a real burst of flavor, I would chose Patrick Roger.
A Full Shop
It’s lovely and sunny out today, and we just received a bunch of new treats from France! We received a new order of Michel Cluizel’s bars, sardines and nougat mushrooms. Also, the beautiful criollo cacao pod ganaches pictured below, will be out in the store next week!
Also new, are Barnier caramels in a very fun lollipop form. We have lots of all five flavours: café, lemon, mint, salted butter and orange. They are all neatly waiting (along with the Cluizel ganaches) to head out into the Shop next week.
There are new tins of Violet and Anise Drops from Les Anis de Flavigny… these little flavoured mints are lovely to hide away in your purse, desk, backpack (or anywhere, really), but the tins alone are just too beautiful to pass up.
Liz and Rebecca have been working hard in the back all week getting Easter treats ready (look for a preview coming soon!). But to ease your wait, they also filled up the truffle case with crème brûlée, mocha, chili caramel, Fleur de Sel, passion fruit, and lavender truffles, as well as two new flavours – Irish Whisky (pictured below) and Lime. There are also lovely, fresh pieces of Lemon and Chili-Lime-Cashew bark right now too.
We are out of the Fleur de Sel bar in the Shop right now, but don’t forget Chocophilia bars are available at Sobey’s Urban Fresh on Jasper, at Planet Organic, and the Italian Centre (South and Downtown), just to name a few spots (check out this link for more locations selling Chocophilia).
And just as a note, Kerstin and Angie arrived back in Edmonton safe and sound last night, with treats and stories from Paris. Watch for posts coming soon!
Paris Adventure Continued: Angelina, Christian Constant
Our adventure in Paris continues! Here were today’s stops:
Angelinas; On Sunday Angie and I decided to visit Angelina’s on Rue Rivoli. The guidebooks say they have the best hot chocolate in Paris. The locals and tourists seemed to agree because we waited 45 min. to get in. Angelinas is located in an incredibly gorgeous buildings with beautifully painted walls and guilded mirrors, columns and plush furniture, in turn of the century style. The smell of hot chocolate enveloped us as we took our first sip. Sweet, unctious and delicious, the hot chocolate was worth waiting every minute for. So yummy, but is it the best? Can’t know yet.
The front counter at Angelina's
A very delicious snack at Angelina's
Angie enjoys a macron at Angelina's.
Christian Constant: There are a few pastry shops that are open on Sundays and Christian Constant is one of them. We arrived to a nearly full house and decided to check next door because that is where the cafe is located and we heard that the hot chocolate is incredible. Sadly it wasn’t open so we headed back to sample some of the yummy things in the shop. Christian Constant is famous for his great chocolate and pastry so we ordered a small box of bon bons or ganaches as they call them here, some of his chocolate bars and a chocolate tart. We waited until after brunch to try the ganaches and discovered that some of them were dry and the shell fell off the centers when you bit into them. We also felt that the flavors weren’t as pronounced as we had hoped. The tea ganaches were so subtle that we couldn’t taste the differences at all. This may be an individual style since many chocolate shops here are quite classic in their interpretation which may not suit the N. America penchant for more powerful flavors. In any case, I returned the box and explained that we thought the chocolate wasn’t fresh. The very kind shopkeeper didn’t agree but gave us another box that he filled up with new stock. Later that night after a couple of glasses of wine, I tried the chocolate tart and fell in love with C.C.
A Chocolate Bear at Christian Constant.
Guilty pleasures back at the hotel.
The Tower at night!
Bacon + Chocolate = Yum
The Edmonton Journal released an article last week on the City’s infatuation with all things bacon… Both the Zotter bars and the chocolate covered bacon, available at Kerstin’s, were referenced in the article, so we thought we’d better clarify the status of our bacon and chocolate treats.
We did get some Zotter Bacon Bits bars in a couple weeks ago, but alas, they are already sold out! We’ll be sure to order some as soon as possible and will let you know when they are in.
Secondly, the chocolate covered bacon, featured last year for Fathers’ Day will be back from June 1st to June 21st. You only have two more months to wait!
In the mean time, I will leave you with this interview from Global TV last year to get your taste buds going:
Paris Adventure: The First Three Chocolate Shops
We arrived in Paris, and went to three of top chocolate shop choices right away.
First stop: Jean Charles Rochoux. A nice shopkeeper let us sample the Paves, which are cubes of chocolate ganache. Yummy and soft and they reminded me of chocolate in Japan. I think that they were meant for Japanese tourists because a whole group came in to the shop while we were there. Haven’t tried the bon bons yet so I can’t comment on the taste.
Our first stop!
Next: Patrice Chapon. This shop has a nice vintage vibe going. The entire back wall is lined with antique chocolate molds and the packaging is very retro also. The sales clerk served us speaking perfect English and offered her recommendations. I bought a box of bon bons, an eiffel tower made of chocolate for my daughter, a fleur de sel bar and their specialty truffles filled with gianduja. I liked that some chocolate were displayed open air, so the shop keeper came out from behind the counter to package items for you. You’re basically surrounded by chocolate. Sorry we forgot our camera attachement so pictures are to follow. Here are some pictures.
Shop window at Chapon
The product display at Chapon.
Last stop: Michel Chaudun. Another old fashioned chocolate shop. I expected a lot of the shops to be super modern and sleek but they are quite classic both in design and in presentation. This one had lots of artifacts on display. Inside there was a statue of an aztec warrior, cocoa pods, maps of cocoa growing regions and on display in one of the windows; notes and textbooks of the chocolatier’s school days! The chocolate shop was tiny. There were 2 shopkeepers(who also spoke English) and the chocolatier himself popped in briefly. His specialty are the same ganache cubes or paves, which I bought. I also purchsed a dark chocolate bar with roasted almonds and a small bag of bon bons. I was tempted to buy the chocolate sausage but it was 30 euros.
The window at Michel Chaudun
Tasting Impressions. Overall, I liked Chaudun’s ganaches. I thought they tasted very fresh with good, flavorful centers. Angie and I both agreed that Chapon’s ganaches were ultra smooth and the ratio of shell to fillilng was perfect, there was a slight aftertaste not totally pleasant. Not as fresh, perhaps. Later we tried his gianduja and praline truffles that the shop clerk recommended and they were amazing! One of the best things I’ve tried thus far.
For that extra citrus kick – Valrhona Manjari Orange
Madagascar chocolate is an easy sell for me – I love the flavour of dried fruits, the slight spiciness, and mostly, the citrus. Of course, Valrhona was the one to step up with this flavoured bar, studded with candied orange rind, to give their 64% Manjari that extra edge. Valrhona’s efforts did not go unnoticed – they were awarded Gold for this one in 2009, at the Academy of Chocolate‘s annual competition.
Valrhona always does a great job in the tempering department, and this one has their characteristic sheen. I also love the light orange-brown colouring on this one, which hints at the citrus flavours to come.
Of course this bar smells as expected – like oranges. But a cinnamon-cloves scent also brings up the rear… definitely worth waiting for.
While I don’t generally select Valrhona’s Manjari chocolate for my Madagascar fix, here its light, crisp fruit flavours provide a perfect base for those flavourful chunks of orange. For me, this is exactly what their Manjari chocolate needs – a big hit of that sweet, acidic citrus that I love in other Madagascar chocolates.
In the end, I think it is this bar’s versatility that carries it a long way – whether you need a mid-day (or morning) pick-me-up, or a refreshing yet decadent finish to a winter meal, this one certainly delivers.
Let us know what you think of this bar! Also, if you have any favourite bars you would like us to post on, leave a note below!
Preparations for Paris Trip
Will leave for Paris on Wednesday. I’m preparing by watching the Olympics. I will post again from Paris and our first stop, “La Maison du Chocolat”!
Mad Orange Pistachio is back!
We know many of you have been waiting for the re-appearance of this bar, and after a long search for orange rind, we now have some Mad Orange Pistachio ready to go! They are sitting pretty along with the other Chocophilia bars once again.
New Zotter bars, more Drinking Chocolate and a few sale items
We’ve been waiting not-so-patiently for our order of Zotter truffle bars to arrive, and they are finally here! Black Cherries with Vanilla, Cheese-Walnuts-Raisins, Marc de Champagne, Pink Grapefruit, Bacon Bits, With Love (a combo of raspberry, almond and coconut) are all waiting to be scooped up.
Last week I reported that we were sold out of Drinking Chocolate, but the shelves are packed once again with both Spicy and Dark versions. And since the snow seems to be returning today, after a week of blue skies, a cup of drinking chocolate is surely in order!
There are a few things from around the Shop on sale this week:
Our remaining selection of Patric 67% and 75% bars, as well as Pralus Colombie, São Tomé e Príncipe and Ghana bars are all 25% off. Also, 40g tins of Japanese Sencha Tea (reg. $27) are 50% off.
The Shop is open until 4PM today… hope to see you soon!
Three Chocolatiers, One Event
Laurie Blakeman will be hosting ‘Chocolate Fusion‘ at Rutherford House (11153 Saskatchewan Drive) on Thursday March 4th, from 7-9pm.
The event will feature presentations from three of Edmonton’s chocolatiers:
- Jacqueline Jacek of Jacek Chocolate Couture
- Dennis Yurkiwsky of Chocolate Exquisite
- And, of course, Kerstin Roos
Ed Fong of deVine Wines and Spirits will also be there, with what I’m sure will be some fantastic wine selections.
So if you can handle three of Edmonton’s chocolatiers in one evening (and we know you can), please come enjoy! Further event info and tickets can be found here.
More Amedei and Domori just in!
We have just received a new shipment of Amedei bars and hot chocolate! More Porcelana, Gianduja, Toscana Black (63% or 70%), Toscana Red (with raspberry, strawberry, and cherry… lots of these have been scooped up already), and Toscana Blond (with pistachios) are on the shelf. And we still have the Chuao and the award winning “9” bars in as well.
There is also new Domori! We’ve stocked up on Javablond, Porcelana, Lattesal and a new white bar with mint, Biancomenta, that is divine!
The Michel Cluizel “Sardines” are also back in store! And no, these are not sardine flavoured, they are very deceiving solid milk chocolates that make for a surprising gift, or a treat for yourself.
We are running a bit low on Chocophilia Drinking Chocolate at the moment (after the Olympic order!), but we should have more in the Shop later next week. Also, a bit of an update on our Mad Orange Pistachio Chocophilia bar – we are having problems sourcing the appropriate orange rind needed to complete the recipe, but we will be sure to let you know when the bar is back in stock!
Kerstin’s truffles now at Da Capo
Our Fleur de Sel, Passion Fruit and Crème Brûlée truffles are now available in singles at Da Capo (8738 109 Street). A little chocolate is certainly the perfect way to finish off your cappuccino… or espresso, or latte, or anything else, really. Enjoy!
*Cappuccino by Mark
Interact with your cacao: tastings and chocolate making
We’ve got new dates scheduled for tastings and chocolate making workshops!
Chocolate tastings are a great way to introduce yourself to the world of chocolate, or to find a new bar to fall in love with. Find out about the history of chocolate, the mystery behind single origin bars, and what to look for when buying your chocolate. Best of all, you get to sample some of the best milk and dark chocolate we have to offer!
If you are looking for something a little more adventurous, we still have tickets available to the wine + chocolate tasting, coming up this Saturday evening.
You can find dates and buy tickets or gift certificates for all our scheduled tastings here.
Chocolate making workshops include information on tempering, making ganache and creating your own confections. And you get to take home everything you make!
Dates and tickets can be found here.
Private tastings for groups of 12 or more, and chocolate making workshops for groups of 4-6 are also available. These events are a great way to spend an evening with your friends, family or co-workers. E-mail or call (780.990.0011) for pricing and scheduling.
Second Anniversary Bash
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the Shop’s second anniversary with us! We had a great time, and hope you left with all your chocolate cravings satisfied.
Thank you also, to all those who gave us input on the new Saffron-Rose bar. We ended up making versions in both white and dark chocolate, and asked everyone attending to vote for their favourite, as well as names for the new bar. We’re still tallying the votes, so keep an eye out for the results.
Kerstin was busy in the back of the Shop all evening whipping up Mint Chocolate Martinis and they were a hit! You all looked so chic shopping for chocolate with martinis in hand! Lots of you asked for the recipe to re-create the drink at home, so here it is:
Mint Chocolate Martinis
This recipe makes two martinis
Ingredients:
4 ounces Valrhona Dark Chocolate pistoles (we were using 64% and 72% throughout the evening)
8 ounces water, boiling
12-16 mint leaves (or a couple drops of mint oil)
3 ounces Vodka
Bit of Kalhua to taste (optional, but we added it for some sweetness)
Ice cubes
Method:
Muddle the mint in a cocktail shaker or pint glass.
Add the chocolate pistoles and boiling water. Stir until the chocolate pistoles have melted and let cool to room temperature.
Add the vodka, Kalhua and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glasses.
Garnish with a fresh mint leaf and serve immediately.
You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe and make it in advance if you’re entertaining a large group. Simply make the chocolate-mint base in a pitcher or blender, refrigerate until ready to use, and strain it before serving.
Enjoy! And please let us know how they go over with your guests (and you) below.
More Valentine’s Day Necessities
In addition to the beautiful truffles in the post below, we also have The Valentine’s Chocolate Collection in the Shop. This year’s installment features an assortment of our sensuous Valentine’s truffle collection, lustrous Valrhona Pearls, and candied orange and lemon rind, hand dipped in dark chocolate.
There are lots of Bark Bouquets, filled with salted caramel, raspberry and pistachio ginger bark, and we’ve put out all our tins of Kusmi’s Sweet Love tea – an “exquisite spicy blend that stimulates the senses!”
Shop hours tomorrow (Saturday) are 10am – 4pm, so stop by and pick up these delectable goodies early!
Our Second Anniversary Party!
This Saturday, Feb 6th, 2010 will be exactly 2 years from the date of our grand opening in 2008. We have enjoyed meeting many of you and learning about chocolate together. We appreciate all of your support and in your honor we will have a party on the evening of Saturday, Feb 6th from 4pm-7pm. Come meet the rest of Edmonton’s chocophiles! At the party there will be:
- An instant-Win Truffle for each attendee that will come with a valuable mystery bonus inside.
- The unveiling of our newest Chocophilia Bar flavor: Saffron Rose (Be the first to taste it!)
- Chocolate cocktails (if you had the chocolate martini at our grand opening, pictured above, you know what we can do). (Non-alcoholic drinks for kids and non-alcoholics too!)
- Live music by local musicians Trevor Rockwell and Kris Schindel.
To get tickets to this event, subscribe to our monthly newsletter immediately!
For the one you love: our Valentine’s Chocolate Box
They are all delicious!
What should you give the chocolate lover in your life for Valentine’s Day? How about a selection of our sensual line of Valentine’s Chocolates? This beautiful box contains 25 chocolates, 5 each of the following flavors:
- Passionate Passionfruit
- Sweet Roses
- Popping Champagne
- Venus de Milo
- Sultry Chili Caramel
This box will be available from Feb 4th onwards at Kerstin’s Chocolates and online on our web shop.
We’re going to the Olympics!
Well, I’m not sure if anyone from the Shop will make it out, but our Chocophilia Drinking Chocolate is off to Vancouver!
From February 12-28, Alberta House in Vancouver will be serving Kerstin’s drinking chocolate, along with other food and drink from Alberta, to represent the diverse cuisine the Province has to offer. There will also be free nightly performances of music, dance and theatre, along with an exhibition of visual art from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts’ collection.
If your off to the Olympics this year, be sure check out Alberta House to see what the Province has to offer… and don’t forget to pick up a cup of Chocophilia! You can find more details here.
New Shop Hours
Our new shop hours are posted here. If you have any thoughts about the hours, please comment below!
Valentine’s Treats
Need some chocolate for your loved one? We’ve got just the thing…
Milk and dark Lollipops, Bark Bouquets and Chocolate Chili Lime Cashews are definite winners. And if you’re looking for something a bit more fun, how about some Pop-Rock studded truffles?
The truffle case is well stocked for creating custom mixed boxes, and we’ll even take care of the wrapping for you. Look for more Valentine’s flavours coming next week.
On the Chocophilia side of things, we’ve got lots of Hazelnut Crunch and Fleur de Sel back on the shelves. And don’t forget about Meltaways – lots of all four flavours (Mocha, Cinnamon, Praline and Mint) in the shop right now. And of course, we can always whip up a Chocolate Lover’s Gift Box with a selection of imported bars and other treats from the shop.
So stop by and pick up a treat for your special someone… and don’t forget to grab a little something for yourself!
Claudio Corallo featured in Sunset magazine.
Click me to read me….
One of our favorite chocolates, Claudio Corallo was featured in Sunset Magazine, where they called the 75% dark chocolate “pure pleasure.” We heartily agree!