About marianne

9827348562##Aa

The end of a chapter, but not of the story…

Posted on March 9, 2012 by marianne

Dear Customers,

As you probably know, Kerstin’s Chocolates has been bringing great chocolate to Edmonton for the last 8 years, and I would like to thank you, our loyal customers, for your support. I began my journey offering specialty chocolate through chocolate education workshops in 2004 and then began manufacturing my own brand of bars, called Chocophilia which were sold in specialty shops in Edmonton and around western Canada. In 2008 I began selling them along with other specialty chocolates in my downtown shop on 112th st. It has been an exciting ride in which I learned many things and met many wonderful people, but the time has come for me to begin a new chocolate adventure.

It is with a sad heart that I must tell you that Kerstin’s Chocolates will be closing its retail shop on April 14th, 2012. There are several reasons why I had to make this decision. The first one is that due to family circumstances, I will be moving to Germany in September. The second reason is that although I enjoyed many aspects of owning a retail store, I don’t feel it fully expresses my potential as a chocolatier. As my family and I travel around the world this year visiting plantations and chocolate makers, I have been learning more about the sources of great chocolate and the complex web of relationships that exist around chocolate. I hope that I find new ways of using chocolate to make a greater impact on the quality of people’s lives. There are many impoverished cocoa growing regions out there where there is a potential to develop sustainably through cacao.

I feel that this is not the end of Kerstin’s Chocolates but the beginning of a new journey. I hope that you will continue to support us as we grow and evolve. Please stay tuned for updates on our web site.

Yours truly,

Kerstin

Closing Sale

Beginning Tuesday, March 13th, we will be discounting items throughout the shop by 15-40%. Stop by the shop to find out what’s on sale and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for daily specials. Our final day at the shop will be Saturday, April 14th. *Please note that discounts do not apply to Easter items.*

Christmas 2011: From our Edmonton shop

Posted on December 2, 2011 by marianne

We know you love exploring the holiday offerings of our European and U.S. counterparts as much as we do, but here’s what’s coming out of our own kitchen this season:

Our classic offering is undoubtedly the Chocophilia Christmas Trio. Three chocolate barks in either a milk or dark box, all wrapped up in the handsome label created over at Edmonton’s Vanguard Works. In both boxes you’ll find sheets of our favourite Fleur de Sel Toffee on 49% Venezuelan dark-milk. Accompanying this lovely in the dark box is Peppermint on 66% and Orange-Pistachio on 64% Madagascan dark. For milk lovers, we’ve added a Raspberry Linzer Torte on 38% and a beautiful sheet of white chocolate with Fruit and Nibs studding the top.

This year we are excited to add ganache-filled Chocolate Logs to the shelves. Delicate butter ganaches in Peppermint, Eggnog, Orange spice and Gingerbread are enrobed by milk and dark chocolates.

As in the past, Mendiants in milk, dark and white chocolate are also gracing the shelves this season. Two of each of Crème Brûlée (white), Ginger-Sesame (milk) and Fruit and Nib (dark) can be found stacked near the bark, wrapped and ready to share.

Finally, milk and dark Santa Claus lollipops can be found in the “truffle case,” and next week roasted almonds enrobed in our Fleur de Sel chocolate will find their way into the shop.

We must thank our chocolatier, Becca Grant, for this year’s lovelies. Many hours go into this season, and we couldn’t do it without her.

December Bar of the Month: Zotter’s Bacon Bits

Posted on December 1, 2011 by marianne

Before we delve further into this bar, a little background is certainly needed. Firstly, what’s the deal with the bacon-chocolate combo? And next, what’s the deal with Zotter!?

Bacon + Chocolate. It might not seem like a natural fit, but think of the pluses on both sides. Bacon is smoky, rich and salty, whilst chocolate can exhibit a range of fruit, smoke and earthy flavours (just to name a few), as well as a sweetness that wonderfully contrasts ingredients like bacon.

Over the last decade, chocolatiers (especially those in the U.S.) have played with this combo, bringing salty-sweet to forefront. I posted back in October on some of the chocolatiers I encountered in Portland. One of them is Xocolatl de David, and he’s pushing the sweet-salt contrast to the extreme, mixing things like Parmesan cheese, and even foie gras (hello, “Foietella”), with his chocolate. To this day, one of our most requested items is the chocolate-covered bacon we break out around Fathers’ Day.

Zotter, a bean-to-bar manufacturer hailing from Austria, is one of the only European makers we carry playing with salty and savoury ingredients. Their ganache-filled “hand scooped” bars became a quick favourite of customers, with Fig, Walnut and Blue Cheese, Bacon Bits and Rosemary Polenta bars mingling with more classic efforts like Marc de Champagne, Scotch and Coffee. You can browse their many flavours here.

Last month, we appealed to you, our customers, to send us your pick for December’s Bar of the Month. After much deliberation, we decided that Zotter’s Bacon Bits bar (and the spirited nomination it received) was the right choice. Smooth 70% dark chocolate enrobes a cinnamon-infused milk chocolate ganache, studded with crunchy hazelnut nougat and salty pork crackling. The bacon flavour barely hits you until the end, so if you’ve tried the combination before in a more obvious form – i.e. bacon dipped in chocolate – and didn’t love it, there’s still a good chance that this bar will delight. It’s creamy-crunchy texture and salty-sweet flavour makes it a definite favourite among Zotter-lovers, and hopefully you’ll fall in love too.

Christmas 2011: From around the world

Posted on November 23, 2011 by marianne

As promised, items handmade at our Edmonton shop will be out later next week, just in time for the 1st of December. For now though, we thought we’d showcase holiday themed items that have arrived from various parts of the globe. First up, Italy.

Our two favourite Italian manufacturers, Amedei and Venchi, have sent us some great chocolates this season. As per usual, Porcelana, Chuao and ‘9’ bars are on the shelf from Amedei, in addition to their Toscano and Gianduja bars. We’ve also brought back their classic ‘For You‘ drinking chocolate – 63% chocolate combined with finally ground almonds and hazelnuts for a decadent, warm sipping experience. Finally, 70% Toscana Black Napolitans are stacked in the shop, ready to head into dark chocolate lovers’ stockings.

Along with their gianduiotti and White Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, Venchi has sent on festive gianduja nutcrackers, enrobed in dark chocolate for Christmas enjoyment.

More ‘Pyramides‘ from France’s François Pralus have also made it to the shelves, this time with a new addition – the Pyramide Biologique. This version features 75% organic chocolate from Ghana, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Tanzania and Madagascar. Have a serious chocolate fiend that needs to be satisfied? The classic Pyramide de Tropique features all ten of Pralus well loved single origin chocolates, so you can travel around the globe right from the Christmas tree.

For those that may have been relegated to the naughty list, they still deserve a little chocolate, right? We have just the thing, courtesy of Michel Cluizel. Coal is out, potatoes are in… chocolate hazelnut potatoes that is. Adorably wrapped in sacks by our staff, perfect for stockings of all shapes and sizes.

Zotter of Austria has released new artwork for the holidays, and we’re expecting brand new Marc de Champagne with a New Year’s theme, along with fun Christmas caramel bars and familiar favourites any time now.

Our neighbours down south have created some truly beautiful gift boxes and treats this season. From long time favourite, Patric, comes new additions to his OMG lineup – a dark chocolate laced with mint, an aptly named mocha bar, and finally, a cappuccino bar that will have you enjoying its beverage namesake in solid form from now on.

From Askinosie, the most adorable gift box we have come across (and believe me, we see a lot) – the Chalk-late Box. This one is filled with four of their award winning dark single origin bars. Best of all, you get to leave the recipient a message… I think the one Rachel left (above) sums up our feelings…

Finally, we must hand it to Theo for their excellent Christmas creations – a milk Gingerbread bar and a dark Peppermint bar. We’ve been loving the latter, but we’ll let you be the judge.

We know there’s a lot to choose from, so to make it a little easier, we’ve created totes and gift boxes that are ready to go. They’re all available in shop, but for a little preview, feel free to check them out over at Chocophilia.ca.

There you have it. All of these items are sitting amongst the garland and Christmas lights now adorning the shop, waiting to be scooped up. We love helping to create custom gifts for the chocolate lovers in your life, so be sure to ask myself (Marianne), Rachel or Maite for a little assistance if need be. See you at the shop soon!

What is Gianduja anyways?

Posted on November 18, 2011 by marianne

We have lots of gianduja hanging around the shop for the holidays, so we thought we’d better re-introduce this amazing treat so you can get to enjoying it.

Gianduja was first invented in Turin, Italy by Paul Caffarel in 1865. By grinding hazelnuts into a paste and then adding it to chocolate and sugar, he was able to produce a creamy, nutty treat. Originally this confection was shaped into gianduiotti (below) – almost like an upturned boat – then wrapped in foil. Today though, it comes in an array of forms, including bars and spreads.

Which gianduja do we love?

From Venchi, classic gianduiotti wrapped in gold, both in small and larger sizes. They also sent us holiday Nutcracker boxes, with 10 pieces of gianduja festively bound. And finally, jars of white gianduja spread (think Nutella), with a hint of vanilla.

Amedei boasts one of the best gianduja bars we’ve ever tried, combining beautiful hazelnuts with their amazing craft chocolate. They also produce a drinking chocolate that combines finely ground hazelnuts with their 63% dark chocolate – a serious treat to sip during the cooler months.

And finally from French maker François Pralus, Barre Infernales. These beauties come in a brick style shape, and feature a hazelnut gianduja paste, studded with whole hazelnuts, all enrobed with either milk or dark chocolate. We can never get enough of either.

So there you have it. Hopefully you’re able to sit down over the holidays to savour this Italian beauty. We promise you will be hooked forever.

Drinking Chocolate Flights – Saturday, November 19th from 1-5pm

Posted on November 12, 2011 by marianne

Whilst in Portland, I got to visit Cacao Drink Chocolate and taste the most amazing Flight of three drinking chocolates (below). So, as a nod to this Portland shop’s genius (and to celebrate the first snow and cooler temperatures), we will be offering Drinking Chocolate Flights this coming Saturday, November 19th, from 1-5pm. Guests can sample three types of drinking chocolate for $5. Here’s what’s on the menu:

Amedei’s “For You” Classic – This is the ultimate, folks, straight from Tuscany.

63% percent chocolate with finely ground hazelnuts, almonds and a little vanilla bean.

Vosge’s Bianca Couture Cocoa – The lightest of the three, this

concoction contains white chocolate, lemon myrtle and lavender.

Chocophilia Spiced Drinking Chocolate – Our house version of the

Mayan classic, with a hint of cayenne to warm up cold fingers and toes.

We will be putting out a couple tables so you can sit down and savour each elixir. Hope you will join us!

Tell us about your favourite bar…

Posted on November 7, 2011 by marianne

We’ve been choosing our favourite bars over the past few months, and for December’s ‘Pick of the Month’, we’d like a little help.

Leave a comment below (or e-mail us at marianne [at] kerstinschocolates [dot] com) telling us why your favourite bar should be December’s feature. We’ll pick the most passionate response and give the winner their favourite bar on the house.

There are a couple caveats:

Firstly, no Porcelana.

Secondly, we like to use the monthly features to highlight some of our single origin/imported selections that people might not normally pick up. So no Chocophilia bars, please.

Other than that, any bar in the shop is game. We’ve now received all our Amedei, Amano, Madécasse, Askinosie, Bonnat, Michel Cluizel and François Pralus, so there’s lots to choose from. Happy tasting!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Edit: Here’s a list of bars currently at the shop. Madécasse has been left out since they were featured in our November pick.

Amano – Ocumare 70%, Ocumare 30%, Dos Rios, Guayas, Morobe, Cuyagua (Limited Edition), Montanya (Limited Edition)

Domori – Lattesal, Biancomenta, Cappuccino, Latteamaranth, Peperoncino, Biancoliquiriquia

Amedei – ‘9’, Chuao, Toscana Black 70%

Michel Cluizel – Los Anconès, Concepcion, Vila Gracinda

Bonnat – Madagascar 75%, Asfarth (dark milk), Surabaya (dark milk), Java (dark milk)

François Pralus – Indonesie, Tanzanie, Trinidad, Colombie

Askinosie – Del Tambo, Tenende Tanzania, Nibble-bar

TAZA – 60%, 70%, 80%

Patric – 75% Madagascar, PBJ OMG, Mint OMG, Mocha OMG, Cappuccino

Maggie Walt’s Hidden Gems Bazaar

Posted on November 2, 2011 by marianne

We’re excited to be participating in Maggie Walt’s Hidden Gems Bazaar this year! Eleven other local businesses will be on hand at Maggie’s Fashion Underground (11217 Jasper Avenue) to offer up their wares on November 4th and 5th.

There will also be goody bags and door prizes (including a Milk and Dark Chocolate Lover’s Box from us), and fun presentations on both Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Plus, we’ll be handing out samples of our Spicy Drinking Chocolate to take the chill away (it looks like it’s coming this weekend, folks).

We hope to see you there!

Friday, November 4th from 5-9pm

Saturday, November 5th from 10am – 6pm

A Chocolate-y Afternoon Tea Party

Posted on October 17, 2011 by marianne

UPDATE: Cally herself will be in the shop with us for the afternoon! She is preparing 3 different tea blends, and will be selling some of her wares as well. This is a good chance to stock up and hear a bit about her future plans!

Rachel, in particular, has been waiting to host a chocolate-y tea party for quite some time now, and it’s finally here!

We hope you will join us on Sunday, October 23rd, to celebrate fall and chocolate at the shop. Three custom tea blends from Cally’s Teas will be served alongside our sweet and savoury menu:

Pear and walnut tarts with The Cheesiry’s Pecorino, Radish tartines with butter and sea salt and Pickled cucumber sandwiches with Smoky Valley chévre.

On the sweeter side there will be ginger scones with lemon-white chocolate cream, orange shortbread dipped in Valrhona’s 64% Manjari and an assortment of our bark and confections.

Tea will be served at 1pm, and again at 2:30pm. We will have a few tables in the shop for those who would like to take seats, but please note that (due to the size of our space) we encourage mingling amongst other chocophiles.

Tickets may be purchased online, by phone or in shop for $12. All guests will receive a 10% discount off of any purchase.

The Americans – Portland

Posted on October 16, 2011 by marianne

While Portland may only have one bean-to-bar manufacturer (Woodblock), the flavours going on in Oregon are pretty exciting, with the likes of Cocanú, Shagùn, Alma and Xocolatl de Davíd all in the mix. I couldn’t resist filling my suitcase with “a few” bars for Rachel and I to sample back at the shop. Here’s how it went:

Cocanú – Sebastián Cisneros does his best to keep his chocolate ‘weird’. Right on his website it says, “We tinker with chocolate couvertures (from Felchlin) and give them an alternative portrait.” Things like Pop Rocks, Palo Santo wood from Ecuador and Saigon cinnamon can all be found in his beautifully wrapped collection of nine bars. My favourite (and Rachel’s) is easily his ‘Holy Wood’ bar – Felchlin’s 68% Bolivian chocolate infused with incredibly floral, fresh Palo Santo wood.

Sahagún – Two bars from this chocolatier made it back to Edmonton – Oregon Bark and Palomitapapá. The former featured a dark Madagascan base which held rich hazelnuts and fruity sour cherries, both from Oregon. Beautiful. The latter was a bit more complex – Ecuadorian chocolate, exploded corn, chile and fleur de sel. We loved the layers of flavours, though in the end we still weren’t sure about the crunchy ‘exploded corn’.

Xocolatl de Davíd – I wish now, that I would have picked up a few more treats from this company that seems to focus heavily on that glorious salt + chocolate combo with ingredients like bacon, foie gras and Parmesan cheese. I ended up with two bars – 68% Bolivia with olive oil and 72% Ecuador with Parmigiano-Reggiano – as well as his ‘bacon caramel’ Raleigh Bar. Everything was excellent, but by far my favourite is the olive oil. The olive oil gives the bar a great fruitiness, while some smoked salt in the background gives some unexpected texture and savouriness.

Alma – I tracked down Alma at the Portland Farmers’ Market at PSU, after hearing wonders about their confections. I sampled a rose caramel and brought back ginger-almond toffee and Habanero caramel in my suitcase. By far the star was the toffee, consumed by Rachel and I in just one afternoon. Sharp and gingery with perfectly executed, flavourful caramel and a deep, dark chocolate base. I should have bought more.

Woodblock – As far as I understand, this is the only company doing ‘bean-to-bar’ in the area (I think Moonstruck imports chocolate for their bars and confections). Rachel and I cracked their 70% Dominican salt and nibs bar at the shop. While we wished there were more salt and nibs, their chocolate is undoubtedly beautiful, with lots of fruity notes throughout.

Two great sources for chocolate in town are Cacao Drink Chocolate in the downtown area, and The Meadow, a shop in the NE that also carries copious amounts of finishing salts, Oregon wines and bitters.

Cacao features drinking chocolate flights, an amazing selection of bars, confections and other chocolate related items. Plus they have a beautiful, rustic space that everything can be enjoyed in. Walking into The Meadow is quite the experience, and thankfully friendly staff are there to help you choose a bar from their wall of single origin chocolates or fill your container with a new sea salt. And I immediately fell in love with their copious selection of bitters, something so rarely encountered in Edmonton.

I recently chatted with some customers at the shop who said they’ve also tried some of Xocolatl de Davíd’s items; they were amazed at the savoury items he was including in his bars and confections (as was I). What about you? Any combos from American chocolatiers that have blown you away?

Say hello to Vosges (and more Domori, Zotter and Venchi)

Posted on October 12, 2011 by marianne

We’re starting to run out of shelving space in the shop, but last week we happily made room for items from Vosges, Domori, Zotter and Venchi.

From Vosges we received Red Fire, Blood Orange Caramel and Black Salt Caramel bars, in addition to their famous Mo’s Bacon Bars in dark and milk. There’s also some of their Aztec and La Parisienne drinking chocolates, plus Peanut Butter Bonbons and their “Sweet and Salt Exotic Caramel Collection.” Tupelo honey + bee pollen + milk chocolate? We’re there.

Domori also sent us some beautiful new bars from their “D-fusion” line. Favourites like white chocolate with mint and their milk chocolate lattesal are back on the shelf. Additionally we ordered their dark Peperoncino bar which has turned out to be a ‘must’ for heat lovers. Finally, we received two new milk bars – a soft cappuccino and a puffed amaranth.

The much loved “Bacon Bits” bar from Zotter is back on the shelf (yes bacon lovers, this is the time to come in), as is their “Strawberry” in-and-out bar. We also received new flavours like Arabian Date, Late Risers (a beautiful coffee bar) and a crunchy caramel nougat. And don’t forget their “Scotch Whisky” bar – a caramel-y scotch ganache, created with Highland Harvest’s Organic Scotch, all enrobed by dark chocolate.

Also new from Zotter are their solid Labooko bars in raspberry (“Himbeer”), milk chocolate made with Muscovado sugar (“Karamell”), and an all cocoa butter white chocolate with crunchy almond brittle (“Gelbe Shokolade mit Krokant”).

Finally, no fall would be complete without gianduja. Venchi sent us a beautifully soft version wrapped in gold. They also sent us some gianduja specially created for Christmas (I know, we thought it was a little early too). Keep an eye out at the end of November for the appearance of gianduja Nutcrackers.

We continue to receive new chocolate each week (very exciting – it’s like Christmas each time an order comes in!). We’re expecting new Theo bars and caramels in the next week or so, and Amedei should re-appear on the shelves near the end of the month. In the meantime, there’s lots of chocolate on the shelves waiting to be enjoyed.

Our October Pick: Michel Cluizel’s Maralumi Lait

Posted on October 10, 2011 by marianne

We were originally wowed by Michel Cluizel’s handling of the Maralumi Noir, made up of beans from his Papua New Guinea plantation. But then he sent us Maralumi Lait.

Cluizel has an excellent record when it comes to dark-milks. Just taste the surprisingly bright and citrusy Mangaro Lait. His Maralumi milk keeps this trend going.

On the back of the bar, Cluizel suggests the following: “The characteristic notes of bananas, red berries and blueberries emanate progressively in an herbaceous harmony and then in salty caramel.” In short, we loved the soft, well balanced fruit notes in this bar that mingle throughout with rich caramel. And certainly at the end, the quick appearance of ‘salted caramel’ is quite endearing, and something much loved in all dark-milk chocolates.

For all these reasons, we chose the Maralumi Lait as this month’s pick. Drop by the shop and mention this post to receive 10% off Maralumi Lait bars throughout October.

Visiting Theo

Posted on September 25, 2011 by marianne

After scooping up their salted caramels and Phinney bars in our shop, I was quite eager to make a stop over at Theo‘s factory whilst in Seattle.

Walking through Fremont towards their brick building is quite something. You think you can smell chocolate when you walk through our door? We could smell the acids being released through the conching process nearly two blocks away. If you get lost on the way to the place, you can easily follow your nose.

For $6 we were able to tour the the factory with about a dozen others, and a guide describing each step of the bean to bar process. Though I discuss the steps of ‘bean to bar’ in tastings and with customers all the time, it was quite lovely to see it all being done.

And so, I give you our tour of Theo Chocolate:

The Roaster: First the beans are washed and then they end up here. This is where the beans begin to take on their final flavour.

The Winnowing Machine: From the roaster the beans go into this machine, where the husk is removed and the beans become nibs.

After the Winnowing machine things got a bit more complicated as machines began work within their green casings. In these machines it seemed that the cocoa butter was being separated from the solids, and then added back together before heading over to the ‘mixer’ just behind us. This was where flavourings were added. From there the chocolate worked its way through the water-heated pipes to the Conche, just on the other side of the tour guide, where the particles were refined and some of the acids released. This was the smell that filled the factory and beyond.

From here we were taken to the confection kitchen, where all their caramels and ganaches are created. While we were visiting, they were prepping for Pear-Balsamic ganache while another person was creating the ‘jam’ part of PB&J truffles – the smell was amazing.

Finally, we took a peek at the bar makers before heading into the retail space again. The chocolate moves through the pipes and into bowls, where it is poured into the moulds. After that a machine vibrates the moulds to make sure no air bubbles make it into your bars.

And then back into their beautiful retail space.

Theo clearly has their bar and confection making down to a science, and they have become a well known chocolatier throughout the U.S. We saw their bars in grocery stores and in almost every chocolate shop we visited. Our tour guide said to keep up with the demand, they recently added a third shift to their lineup, which means they are making chocolate 24hrs. a day. Crazy, but it means more of their caramels and coconut curry bars for me… and you.

Eat, bake, repeat.

Posted on September 23, 2011 by marianne

As Kerstin heads out of Edmonton, many of our bars and other treats have found their way to the shop. We promised to keep you all updated, so here’s a peek at what’s new on the shelves.

TAZA

We love Taza‘s stone ground, organic chocolate in many forms, but particular favourites are drinking chocolate discs and chocolate covered almonds. In the former we’ve received cinnamon, chipotle chili, almond, coffee and one we are particularly excited about – ginger. There will certainly be some warm cups of that one as the weather cools. In addition, we’ve also ordered some chocolate covered cocoa nibs from Taza; you can find them right next to the almonds.

From far away ‘Maralumi’

Michel Cluizel’s use of beans from his Papua New Guinea ‘Maralumi’ plantation in a 64% bar had us wowed – fruity, spicy and just a little bit floral at the end (think honey), but these beans in a 47% dark-milk are even better. The milk brings forward all the caramel notes these beans have to offer and softens the tart fruit flavours for a smooth, luscious finish. Even Mike, one of our regular customers who rarely opts for anything but Cluizel’s Mangaro Lait, took one of these bars home yesterday instead. A definite stamp of approval.

In the ‘truffle’ case

Though we no longer carry truffles, we’ve stocked our case with some other lovelies – hand dipped orange and ginger pieces, mocha and mint Melt-Aways, milk and dark fruit barks, mushrooms and peanut butter cups. And just steps away, we’ve boxed up some beautiful Francois Doucet ‘Cherry Love’ pieces for easy and efficient enjoyment.

To bake

And finally, we have received some brand new, single origin baking chocolate from Switzerland’s Felchlin. You can find 500g blocks in the ‘Home Chef’ section in 38%, 65% and 72%.

38% Maracaibo – From Venezuela, you’ll find notes of caramel and honey in this milk chocolate.

65% Maracaibo – From the same plantation as the above milk, Felchlin’s dark treatment of this bean yields flavours of coffee, plum and orange. Use where “semi-sweet” chocolate is called for. May we suggest a flourless chocolate cake that allows this one to really shine?

72% Arriba – Felchlin has really taken the time (72 hours of conching) to refine the flavours of this chocolate. Your kitchen will quickly smell of coffee and liquorice, and your taste buds will be greeted with floral-berry notes. Beautiful.

We’ll be in shop this Saturday from 11-5 ready to assist you in eating and/or baking adventures. See you then!

September 2011: Trips and Changes

Posted on September 8, 2011 by marianne

September 2011 Newsletter

We were going to start this month’s newsletter by wishing you all a happy fall, complete with scarves, jackets and copious amounts of chocolate. But instead we’d like to help everyone enjoy the summery weather (that has finally arrived in Edmonton) by continuing to offer our Valrhona chocolate ice cream. We’ve got pints ready to go in the shop, and Rachel will be creating milkshakes and her lovely ice cream sandwiches over the next couple weeks. Is there really any better way to cool down than with Valrhona’s 80% Coeur de Guanaja in ice cream form?

Whirlwind adventures

After years of planning and preparation, Kerstin and her family are departing this month for a one year trek around the world to explore the world of cacao production. The voyage will take them from the Salon Du Chocolat in Paris to the cacao fields of Madagascar and the ancient cacao cultures of Meso-America. A rough map of Kerstin’s path around the world shows her stops in Europe, Madagascar, Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. Kerstin will be blogging and posting on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so stay tuned!

Your chocolate shop afficionados

While Kerstin tracks down chocolate in its raw form, Marianne Stover and Rachel Pereira will be heading up things at the Edmonton shop. Expect more great chocolate tastings, events and of course, great chocolate on the shelves. Marianne is off to Portland and Seattle over the next couple weeks, so keep an eye on the blog for details on her trips to Cacao Drink Chocolate in PDX, and to Theo and Marie and Frères in Seattle.

More shop news

After a quick summer break we’re back at the shop working on Christmas details and dreaming up new bark flavours. We’re still waiting on many of our European beauties, but bars from Cluizel are back in stock. On our side of the world, bars from Madécasse, Askinosie, Patric and Taza have arrived and the shelves are full. We are, however, anxiously awaiting new bars from Theo. Keep an eye on the blog, our Facebook page and Twitter for news on arrivals.

Tastings

A new tasting has been scheduled for Thursday, September 29th. This is the original – an hour and a half of chocolate history, bean to bar discovery and sampling. The perfect intro to the world of fine chocolate. Tickets can be found here or can be purchased in shop or via phone.

As always, we will continue to offer private tasting events at the shop for up to twelve people. Feel free to call or e-mail us for available dates.

Truffles
While Kerstin is away from the shop, we have decided to discontinue our in store truffle line. This will allow us to focus on our single origin and Chocophilia collections, as well as our tasting workshops and other events. We will still be offering Melt-a-ways, our Chocophilia line, coconut, dulce de leche and peanut butter cups in addition to monthly bark flavours all made in house. If only truffles will do, please contact us via e-mail or phone, and we will forward the request to our chocolatier.

Did you say Vosges?

Many of you have been calling and e-mailing us about Vosges chocolate and their incredible Mo’s Bacon Bars (Applewood bacon + alderwood salt). We’re happy to say we’ve placed an order and are keeping an eye out for their arrival. We’ll be sure to keep you all updated. Along with the much loved milk and dark bacon bars, expect Black Salt Caramel (black Hawaiian Sea salt + burnt caramel), Red Fire (Ancho + Chipotle chiles + Ceylon cinnamon) and Blood Orange Caramel (blood orange + campari + caramel + hibiscus flowers) along with minis of the Amalfi (white chocolate with lemon and pink peppercorn) and Creole bars.

Hours

Throughout September the shop will continue to operate Thursdays and Fridays from 10-6 and on Saturdays from 11-5. Look for new fall hours in October with extended hours in December.

See you soon for ice cream!

The Kerstin’s Chocolates Team

‘For Easter Bunnies’

Posted on April 17, 2011 by marianne

Well, it’s that time of year again. I know there’s snow on the ground, but I suggest we all go on like it’s spring. A little chocolate doesn’t hurt the cause…

First of all, we’ve had a shipment of Zotter recently. These Easter bars are quite something, and I can’t resist the art work and title that inspired the name of this post:

Raspberry and Coconut

Advocaat and Chili

And not really Easter-y, but check out this ‘Peanuts and Ketchup’ bar. Perfect to pair with their ‘Bacon Bits’ bar.

As per usual, the shop is full of chocolate eggs in all shapes, sizes and flavours. New this year are Peanut Butter and Jelly eggs and Caramel filled eggs in either milk or dark versions. Rebecca has also hand decorated hollow eggs and filled them with a ‘surprise’ for the lucky recipient. And finally, large eggs made from our Fleur de Sel and Lemon Dream Chocophilia bars are also on the shelf and there are bunnies and other animals hanging around the shop as well.

Fleur de Sel

Rebecca has created some beautiful spring truffle flavours this year, including Grand Marnier with candied violets, Honey-Rosemary and Saskatoon Berry with toasted walnut. We’ll have some beautifully wrapped for your ‘Easter Bunnies’ next weekend.

Grand Marnier and Violet

Honey-Rosemary

Happy Easter!

David Lebovitz visits Patrick Roger

Posted on March 17, 2011 by marianne

Many of you likely read David Lebovitz’s blog. He does a lot with chocolate – specifically sharing information on all the wonderful chocolate shops in Paris, along with tips for eating and baking with chocolate at home.

This past fall David paid a visit to the workshop and Paris retail shop of Patrick Roger. You might recognize the name from Kerstin’s tour of Paris’ chocolate shops last spring. He recorded the following video whilst exploring the shops and garden of Roger’s operation:

A Visit to Patrick Roger Chocolate in Paris from David Lebovitz on Vimeo.

The Valentine’s 2011 Line-up

Posted on February 2, 2011 by marianne

This year’s Valentine’s collection is a combination of Kerstin’s favorite bars and items from around the Shop, some amazing packaging and Rebecca Grant’s always inventive truffle flavors. And of course, there will be tastings for those of you who like a little wine with your chocolate.

Gift Boxes

Maybe a little variety is the way to your Valentine’s heart? We’ve created several options to fit the bill.

If the person in mind strikes you as Dark and Mysterious or Hot and Spicy we think one of our aptly named boxes may be the way to go. The Dark and Mysterious combines a tin of our Chocophilia Dark Drinking Chocolate with a Grand Noir 85% bar from Michel Cluizel, a bag of chocolate enrobed cacao beans and a silky red heart filled with two truffles from Rebecca’s Valentine’s selection. Feel free to indulge and thank us later.

The Hot and Spicy brings together chili treats from around the Shop to excite the palette (and warm all you frozen Edmontonians up!). This one includes a tin of our Chocophilia Spiced Drinking Chocolate, a Chocophilia ‘Hot Chocolate’ Bar, a bag of Chili Lime Cashews and two of Rebecca’s chili caramel truffles.

For those looking to go all out, we’ve put together a few other boxes that include Kusmi teas, Melt-a-ways, dark chocolate hearts, sumptuous chocolate reads and soft, smooth Zotter bars. Also be sure to check out our ‘Around the World’ Chocolate Tasting box below. Chocolate Lover’s boxes are still in the Shop as well and we’re always willing to help you customize if you you’re looking for something a little more particular for your Valentine.

Truffles, Bark and Chocophilia

Rebecca has spent the past few weeks coming up with truffle flavors that will win anyone over. Here’s what’s on the shelf: Huckleberry, Raspberry, Chili Caramel, Lavender and Passion Fruit. We also tracked down some incredible heart shaped boxes that hold about 17 confections – just enough to share in front of a warm fireplace.

Back by popular demand are milk and dark chocolate Bark Bouquets in some sweet and savory new flavors: Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Roasted Almond on 49% chocolate, Cinnamon milk chocolate with a dark chocolate mocha swirl and finally, Dark chocolate with raspberries and a raspberry white chocolate drizzle. It goes without saying that these flavors are a treat to eat, but the contrast of colors this year is making for some truly beautiful bouquets.

Roses are Red… that’s really as far as you need to go on Valentine’s Day, isn’t it? We’re re-releasing this white Chocophilia bar flavored with raspberries and saffron for a couple weeks, so be sure to get your fix. And be sure to keep an eye out for a new Chocophilia bar coming soon… Kerstin’s been busy in the kitchen testing out new flavors for another addition to the lineup that’s sure to win Edmonton over.

Chocolate Tastings

As usual we’ll be hosting wine and chocolate tasting evenings this Valentine’s weekend, and although Saturday the 12th is sold out, there are still spots left for Friday the 11th. You can find tickets here.

If you can’t make it to the Shop for a tasting, we’ve put together an ‘Around the World’ Chocolate Tasting box to help you create your own session at home. Flavor profiles from Venezuela, Ecuador, Madagascar and other spots are included in both milk and dark versions, and Kerstin’s tips for tasting chocolate are tucked in along side for an adventurous, flavorful evening at home.

Can’t make it into the Shop? Have no fear. Just head to our online Shop and check out our Valentine’s collection here.

The Baker

Posted on December 4, 2010 by marianne

Many of you have been raving about our newest addition to the Shop – dense, chocolatey baked goods… especially those walnut and cacao nib brownies. If you had a chance to stop by our Customer Appreciation event on Saturday afternoon, you’ll also know that a few cookies – Chocolate Covered Mint Cookies, Spicy Chocolate Shortbread and Chai Infused Chocolate Ginger Cookies – have been added to the line up for the holiday season.

The person behind all these delectable treats is Rachel – baker extraordinaire. She’s been baking up a storm the last couple months, and the Shop is likely to smell permanently of ginger (in addition to chocolate) as we get closer to Christmas. You all gobbled up those cookies on Saturday, and although we didn’t have time to package any for this weekend, we hope you’ll stop by in a week or so to pick up a few to test out at home.

I suggest some Dark Drinking Chocolate with your favourite ‘special something’ added to enjoy them with, and, as an ultimate luxury, a fireplace, cozy blanket and a good book (unfortunately, we cannot provide either the fireplace or cozy blanket, however, we did receive a shipment of some excellent books on chocolate last week, and reading about chocolate while eating it is always a good thing). Enjoy!

A chocolatey Christmas preview

Posted on December 1, 2010 by marianne

Hopefully you are all starting to get into the Holiday spirit! We are really excited about our Christmas collection this year, featuring some old favourites as well as some new treats to put under the tree, in stockings, or really, just to sit back and enjoy.

Rebecca (one of our fabulous chocolatiers), has created some beautiful seasonal truffles for your enjoyment. Flavours include: Gingerbread Linzer Torte (Gingerbread ganache with raspberry compote), Sugar, Apple and Spice (Soft caramel and apple-milk chocolate ganache), Glühwein (German mulled wine) and White Christmas (Cranberry and orange in a pearly, white chocolate shell). We’ll have deep-red boxes of twelve waiting to be opened and enjoyed.

We are happy to have our Chocophilia Christmas Trio back again this year, featuring five kinds of dark and milk bark: Gingerbread and Orange Spice, Chai Crunch, Fleur de Sel and Toffee, Nibs and Fruit and Ginger Spiced Nuts. Three of the five flavours are wrapped up in each box, with the beautiful packaging designed here in Edmonton by Keith and Judi of Vanguard Works.

Chocolate dipped orange, apricot and ginger pieces are wrapped and ready to go, with milk or dark Chocolate Santas sitting on the next shelf over, waiting to be taken home. And for those who may deserve that lump of coal, we think you should be a little more kind and give them a Sack of Potatoes… really good chocolate ones, made up of hazelnuts and creamy milk chocolate by Michel Cluizel of France. It is the holidays after all.

And while we’re sad to say we will no longer be carrying Kusmi Teas, we’ve got some beautiful new teas in from Dammann Fréres of France, that pair with some of the chocolate around the Shop wonderfully, and come in some incredible packaging.

As per usual, we’ll have gift boxes and totes made up for those of you who need a quick gift to go, and of course, if you’d like to linger and make up your own customized gifts, we’re very happy to help there too. There’s still a bit of time to pre-order gifts of confections, bars, etc. for home, office or other events. Send us some details at xmas@kerstinschocolates.com.

We hope you have an excellent holiday season! We’ll be hanging around the Shop trying not to eat all of Rebecca’s truffles. Hope to see you soon!

The Annual – not to be missed – Winter Customer Appreciation party

Posted on November 30, 2010 by marianne

We’re ramping up for a busy holiday season, but first, we’d like to spend a little quality time with the rest of you Chocophiles out there. With that in mind, we’re hosting our Winter Customer Appreciation party this coming Saturday, December 4th, from 2-5pm. There will be chocolate eggnog, mulled wine, and without a doubt, copious amounts of our Drinking Chocolate. You’ll also get first dibs on our 2010 holiday line.

Please let us know if you can come by printing a ticket at this link. If you’d like to bring a friend or two, just make sure you get them to grab a ticket as well… we don’t want to run out of eggnog!

We hope to see you there, but even if you can’t make it, please pop by the Shop and say ‘Hi’ this season! Thanks for your support everyone, we couldn’t do it without you.

Thoughts: Escazú Roasted Pumpkin Seed and Guajillo Chili

Posted on November 10, 2010 by marianne

The recent Escazú shipment was long anticipated, and happily, the bars I’ve sampled have been living up to expectations. Thoughts on their EZCA Goat’s Milk bar coming soon, but first up is the pumpkin seed and chili.

Of all this bar’s notable aspects, the smell is quite something to behold, and I encourage you to linger a bit. The roasted pumpkin seeds come through beautifully, giving a slightly smoky depth. And the chile is right at the surface, hinting at the spicy notes you are bound to find in this blended bar.

As you snap the bar, its pale pumpkin seeds are immediately revealed amongst the smooth chocolate. Although subtler than expected, fruity, nutty notes given by the pumpkin seeds are the dominant first impressions with this one. Next is cinnamon and a welcome sweetness that holds through to the subtle heat of the Guajillo chile at the end.

A beautiful, nutty spiciness is the lasting note in this bar, leaving the pallet refreshed (and in my case, ready for more). The crunchiness expected from the pumpkin seeds is, like other aspects of this bar, subtle – not quite as delicate as crystals of sea salt, yet far less intense than cocoa nibs. The time, care and passion Escazú puts into their bars and relationships with cacao producers (similar to Amano) certainly comes through in this bar, and I encourage to give it a try.

Combined with their flavourful single origin EZCA line, featuring beans from Venezuela and Costa Rica, Escazú is certainly ready to step up with the likes of Theo, Amano, Patric, and other bean to bar makers coming out of the U.S. And we are happy to give them a shelf in the Shop.

Full Again

Posted on October 30, 2010 by marianne

The Shop is fully stocked once again in anticipation of our expanded hours beginning November 9th. All four Bonnat bars are back, as well as Cluizel, Pralus, Valrhona Manjari Orange, and Corallo. Our Chocophilia section is fully stocked once again (including the Fleur de Sel milk and Hot Chocolate bars), and there are lots of Coconut, Dulce de Leche and Peanut Butter cups waiting for you in the truffle case. And now on to some new treats.

We’ve just received a brand new shipment of Coppeneur of Germany. Single Origin Ecuador, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar and a Trinidadian with Habanero and Lavender are all waiting for tasting. We also received some of their truffle bars (think Zotter style with these ones). Flavours include Saffron and Orange, Panna Cotta and Red Berries, and one which is certainly my favourite – Black Beer (notes of coffee and toasted malt balance Coppeneur’s beautiful chocolate incredibly well here).

We also received a much anticipated shipment of Escazú blended bars, as well as their EZCA single origin bars. The talk of the Shop has certainly been the hand-crafted Venezuelan 60% with Goat’s Milk – a dark bar with the creaminess of milk and a slight goat’s milk tang just towards the end.

$EZCA Goat\'s Milk$

More fall truffle flavours are certainly making their way into the Shop, but the S’more Cup has been the hit of the week, flying out of the truffle case all day today. Home-made vanilla marshmallow in a dark chocolate cup, with crunchy graham wafer at the base and top makes for a perfectly decadent fall treat.

$S\'more cups$

Also back by popular demand, is chocolate dipped ginger. We’ve also added chocolate dipped apricots to the collection for a bit of fall sweetness.

Speaking of truffles, we have recently started carrying Jacqueline Jacek‘s truffle collection. Based in Sherwood Park, she has gained quite the reputation this past year for her beautiful fashion inspired collections. Currently in the truffle case is the LouLou Belle collection (picture below: Pink Grapefruit Sherbet).

And finally, Rachel is still whipping up fresh flourless chocolate cakes and brownies throughout the week and we’ve received many excellent comments (and sometimes just strange moaning noises) on their deliciousness when sampling them in the Shop. But we’ve recently given the packaging a makeover, so these little treats are now perfect for fall gift giving, or taking home yourself to unwrap and enjoy.

I hope you enjoy the last little bit of warm fall weather this week. And keep in mind that snow means two excellent things – more drinking chocolate evenings, which are absolutely essential for keeping warm, and our Christmas collection in the next month or so. We’ll keep you posted. Until then, enjoy your chocolate.

Dessert with Domori

Posted on September 3, 2010 by marianne

Although almost every restaurant has a chocolate dessert that promises to shine, I’ve eaten many disappointing flourless chocolate cakes, ice creams, puddings and the like, that did not make for a brilliant ending to the evening. So while wandering around Québec City a couple weeks ago, I was happy to stumble on Restaurant l’Échaudé, a bistro in Vieux-Port that utilizes chocolate beautifully in their desserts.

First up, a chocolate tasting using three types of Domori Grand Cru. This dessert was a nice twist on three classics – dark chocolate ice cream with crunchy roasted peanuts, a smooth and decadent pot du creme and a truffle studded with cacao nibs and a single cherry that complemented the chocolate’s citrusy notes well.

Next, a chocolate and pistachio ice cream sandwich with a sandy cacao based cookie, and a rich, flavourful, complex chocolate ice cream studded with pistachios.

So while l’Échaudé keeps up the good work in Québec, I will leave you with the link to the decadent chocolate recipes featured on Valrhona’s website. Have fun!

PS. After a short break the Shop is open again Thursday through Saturday. Don’t forget to check the website for our new fall hours. See you soon!

Fall Hours at the Shop

Posted on August 19, 2010 by marianne

As we head into Fall, we’ll be making some changes to our hours of operation:

Beginning September 2nd, the Shop will be open Thursday through Saturday for all your chocolate needs. As we head into December, we will once again extend Shop hours to allow ample time to find the perfect gift for all those chocolate lovers in your life.

The new change in hours will give Kerstin a chance to focus on new creations in the back, so expect lots of new, exciting chocolate in the Shop come Fall. We are also heading into our greatest Holiday collection ever, so keep an eye out for details.

Hope to see you in the Fall for some great chocolate!

Kerstin's Chocolate Blog

Chocolate News and Views from Kerstin Roos and Angie Roos

Author Archives: marianne