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| L.A. Burdick’s miniature chocolate penguins have wings made of almonds. |
Your childhood chocolate was a kiss or a chunk, a drugstore bar or a bunny at Easter. Like you, chocolate’s all grown up and is far more interesting now. We tested the confections for you (no need to say thanks!) and recommend these greats.
Whimsical and Shapely
L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates, Walpole, New Hampshire ($24 for a package of nine mice)
The wow: tiny mice with colorful silk tails, boxed in a wooden case with sealing wax and a ribbon closure. Inside the critters are rich fillings such as mocha and cinnamon. Almond ears on all.
Our choice: the freshness of the orange fillings
To buy: www.burdickchocolate.com, 1-800-229-2419
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Pure Art
Norman Love Confections, Fort Myers, Florida ($18.75 for 10-piece box)
The wow: handcrafted, hand-painted, novel shapes. The 36-piece selection comes in a 4-tier jewelry box ($58.30).
Our choice: white chocolate ganache pieces with real banana or pumpkin pie flavors within
To buy: www.normanloveconfections.com, (239) 561-7215
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Tantalizing Truffles
The Truffle Shop, Nevada City, California ($38 for nine-piece box)
The wow: bombe-shaped confections big enough for two connoisseurs. Ganache fillings with strong coffee and bittersweet chocolate laced with bourbon and cognac.
Our choice: Raspberry Cream Truffle with dreamy, sweet puree inside a Belgian milk chocolate shell
To buy: www.chocolategod.com, 1-800-366-3538
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Classics
Holl’s Swiss Chocolatier, Vienna, West Virginia ($24 for a 32-piece box)
The wow: comfort-zone approach without bending to trends--yet still deeply delightful
Our choice: milk and dark chocolate truffles, timeless and rich
To buy: www.holls.com, 1-800-842-4512
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Red Carpet Appeal
Moonstruck Chocolate Co., Portland, Oregon ($33 for a 10-piece Crescent Moon Box).
The wow: Celebrities love to see Moonstruck’s divine boxes in crescent shapes and others with satin ribbons in their gift baskets during the Oscars and Emmys.
Our choice: Razzleberry and Cookies and Cream-flavored French butter cream-filled cones
To buy: www.moonstruckchocolate.com, (503) 247-3448
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Exotics
DeBrand Fine Chocolates, Fort Wayne, Indiana ($20 for a nine-piece Connoisseur Collection box)
The wow: DeBrand’s Connoisseur Collection featuring ancho chile powder, jasmine tea, sesame seed, and passion fruit in a flat, square, minimalist presentation
Our choice: Cassia--milk chocolate fresh crème with honey and cinnamon
To buy: www.debrand.com, 1-800-482-4373
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Bang for the Buck
Bochner Chocolates, Iowa City, Iowa (about $1 per piece)
The wow: variety--raspberry, hazelnut, dark chocolate, and more adventurous pure lime and Earl Grey tea flavors
Our choice: Apricot Mendiant selection
To buy: www.bochnerchocolates.com, (319) 354-7900
Candlelight Delights
Chocolat, Fredericksburg, Texas (around $6.25 for a six-piece box)
The wow: This is your after-dinner drink. Pop the whole piece at once to avoid dribbling the liqueurs stored inside the rich chocolate exterior. Nonalcoholic coffee, espresso, and peach nectar available too.
Our choice: California Cabernet Sauvignon Chocolates, a magnificent mingling of chocolate and wine
To buy: 1-800-842-3382
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WHAT'S TRENDY
Fillings: The inside story surprises--from peanut butter and banana to after-dinner liqueurs encased in chocolate. Among our picks, you’ll find infusions of lime, Earl Grey tea, brandy, pistachio, Valencia orange, ginger, and even rich Cabernet. Some are oozy, some are creamy.
The Look: Art form that goes way beyond square. Revel in hand-painted, embossed pieces, some with designs, dusted with cocoa powder, encrusted with rich nuts, in shapes from hearts to pyramids. Eat or merely admire?
The Fun: Pull a sweet mouse by its ribbon tail, nibble a miniature ice-cream cone, or take a bite from a chocolate cigar. A giggle before you gobble.
Bean Scene: Cocoa beans from deep in exotic jungles imbue each bite with strength and direct flavor. The trend: Let the chocolate speak, without extra sugar or distraction. Natural flavors--from Tasmanian honey to Mexican vanilla--enhance the chocolate experience.
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This article is from our 2005 Weekend Living special issue, on newsstands now!
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