l'artisan du chocolat tasting

l'artisan du chocolat tasting
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

fresh rich, chocolates with lots of love and flavor and no preservatives made by the hands of whajung park are what you'll find here. christian alexandre, her husband, runs the business and will make you rethink what you may or may not like with chocolate. my bf & i came here for a tasting and couldn't leave without a box of 12 to savor at home.

here is what we sampled so far:
red bean: sweet nutty

bacon: smoky bbq initial flavor, teensy bits add texture to the smooth ganache

korean garlic: though the garlic flavor is subtle, the garlic enhances the richness of the cocoa flavors, almost making it taste like coffee. small pieces add a crunchy texture.

ginger vanilla: the zippy ginger is great with the deep chocolate

anise honey: a very sweet, licorice-fennel-like infusion

traditional truffle: deep, dark, thick

lavendar: milk chocolate & lavendar

pomegranate: sweet, fruity, tangy

jasmine tea: fragrant & floral, and just like drinking a fresh brewed cup of jasmine pearl tea

their flavor infusions sound wild, but are quite subtle and act more as an accent for the high cocoa content chocolate. by the end, i was wired from all the cocoa, as if i had drank a cup of black coffee.

i have to say, christian is a jovial and funny guy. he told us a story of when a woman asked if he had chocolate for vegans, and he gave her a nicely wrapped box, and when she opened it, it was empty much to the chagrin of the woman. her friends thought it was amusing.