TOP PICK: America’s Best Artisan Chocolatiers ~ Part IV
Bonbons and truffles from Bespoke Chocolates. Bespoke is a British term for custom-made, applicable to all of the lovely chocolates in this article. |
When we were a New York City teen with a palate for good chocolate, we enjoyed Teuscher and Corné de la Toison d’Or, two classic Belgian brands that served a discriminating population. Then came the Godiva revolution—the real Godiva, imported from Belgium, made for Europeans. It was a very different experience before it came to be manufactured here and was Americanized. In its luxurious gold ballotin, for many years, to many Americans, Godiva meant “fine chocolate.”
Then, along with the rest of the food revolution that began in the 1970s, young American chefs and other culinary artists developed a new American cuisine. Along with it came artisan baking, cheesemaking and confectionary. In 1973, amid the Belgian chocolate shops on Madison Avenue, Tom Krön opened Krön Chocolatier with a new American vision of fine chocolate. Other young chocolatiers followed, melding European technique with American flair. Today, America is much like Europe, with numerous cities and towns boasting a notable artisan confectioner. |
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The chocolatiers in this article are a joy for chocolate lovers. Thanks to the internet, you can visit stores across the country and sample their wares. In Part IV of her sampling excursion, THE NIBBLE’s chocolate sleuth, Stephanie Zonis, presents her latest favorites for your consideration—and in enough time to order them for Mother’s Day gifts. Read the full review, and enjoy her chocolate discoveries. |