The Nibble
America’s Boutique Chocolatiers: Part I
Good Things Come From Small Packagers
Chocolaterie Wanders. These are chocolates of quiet elegance. They’re subtle in appearance, and they’re decorated in an understated fashion. There is an excellent reason for this. Once you taste them, you’ll understand that they don’t need to distract you with gaudy decorations, because the emphasis is right where it should be—on the ingredients, how they’re combined, and the way these pieces are made. Ultra-thin exterior chocolate “shells” reveal deeply flavorful fillings. I love the Espresso piece here, which harbors a dark ganache flavored with dark-roast espresso beans and housemade hazelnut paste. The Cinnamon, too, is beautiful, with its milk chocolate ganache flavored with freshly-ground cinnamon sticks. Too routine for you? Try the Port chocolate, in which a bed of black mission fig ganache supports a layer of dark ganache flavored with a 20 year old tawny Port. The flavors here change frequently to match the season, and I’m pleased to see that the product line is expanding as well (into caramelized almonds and chocolate-dipped dried fruit, among others).