Chocolate you could eat right off of the page! These elegant delights are from Chocolaterie Wanders of Manassas, Virginia.
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STEPHANIE ZONIS is a Contributing Editor.
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February 2007
Updated March 2009
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Gourmet Chocolate From America’s Artisan Chocolatiers: Part I
Page 2: Chocolate Gods & Gourmet Bonbons
This is Page 2 of a 6-page review. Click on the black links below to visit other pages.
Chocolate Deities
What do you get when you cross best-quality chocolate with spiritual inclinations? In this instance, you get deities molded in chocolate. You have  your choice of the Immortals (including Krishna and a Mayan Mask that must be seen to be believed—it’s at the right and, yes, it’s chocolate covered in edible gold luster), the Mortals (such as the Vision Serpent and a Meditating Buddha), Power Animals (Bear and Thunderbird, for example), the Tricksters (Kokopelli and Loki) and the Symbols (look here for Valentine Hearts, a Star of David or a Celtic Cross). These are great-looking pieces, and they taste wonderful…if you can bring yourself to eat them. I especially like the fact that many pieces are available in a choice of chocolates, and you can even order some hand-painted (my first order from Chocolate Deities was a hand-painted Meditating Buddha, and it was so amazing I couldn’t bring myself to eat it for nearly a month). ChocolateDeities.com
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). ChocolaterieWanders.com
Continue To Page 3: Chocolate Springs & Coco-luxe Confections
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