Though exceptionally commonplace for the purpose, chocolates can (and maybe should) be a part of almost any Valentine's Day celebration. Exceptionally good chocolates, though, are anything but commonplace on the most romantic holiday of the year, and they can be found not too far away from Knoxville for anyone wanting to give their loving partner the very best. Chocolate can be fabulously rich and sumptuously delicious, particularly when it is put together by experts in the chocolate-making craft -- like Jael and Dan Rattigan, the owners of the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, located a convenient day-trip-distance away from Knoxville in Asheville, North Carolina.
French Broad Chocolates is so incredibly good, interesting, and diverse in what they can do with gourmet-quality chocolate, that it is exceptionally hard to decide where to start describing it. Their truffles (as pictured) are divine -- perfectly rich and balanced -- and they come in such an overwhelming assortment of creative flavors that dozens of trips to the shop would be in order just to get a full sampling of them. Many of the truffle flavors are inspired by teas (like Earl Grey, white jasmine, and chai) while others are more along the lines of classic truffle flavors (like hazelnut, fresh raspberry, and vanilla bourbon). Still others are wild and creative, including uses of ingredients like chiles and various herbs, and they even carry a vegan line (their Buddha line) of chocolate truffles. They just demand to be tried!
The list of other recipes at French Broad Chocolates is widely varied, including decadent (naughty good) chocolate pots du creme, excellent brownies, excellent desserts, and a signature "liquid truffle." Those are incredible and demand to be enjoyed in the shop by every chocolate-lover or gourmand that find his or her way to Asheville, even if going there for them is the reason for the trip (lucky our positioning, huh Knoxville?). Local draught beers, superior cocoa (drinking chocolates), and coffee drinks are also available, featuring coffee served with a personal French press and a timer -- evidence of a real commitment to top-quality.
As further evidence to the gourmet nature of the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, they offer a special single-origins chocolate truffle line. Single-origin chocolates are remarkably different from one another, surprisingly so, in fact, and it is an absolute must to experience the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between chocolates prepared under very similar recipes (sometimes identical ones) that were grown in different cocoa-growing areas of the world. It's simply astounding and can turn enjoying chocolates into an entire new world: mind-blowingly exciting and every bit as intriguing, grown-up, gourmet, and enriching as the worlds of premium-quality wines, coffees, teas, and cheeses. That French Broad Chocolates offers a line of single-origins chocolates is a testament to their understanding of excellence in chocolate.
The French Broad Chocolate Lounge also adheres to excellent business practices, which they declare openly in their "manifesto": small, local, organic, fair, and superb. Click the link on "manifesto" to read the details of how they enact it to bring top-quality gourmet chocolates to the community while being socially responsible and ecologically conscious.
Knoxvillians, Asheville isn't too far a drive, particularly for a romantic Valentine's Day retreat this year (February 14 is just around the corner, and on a Sunday, perfect for a weekend trip)! This year could be an extra-special year to try out the French Broad Chocolate Lounge in Asheville for Valentine's Day as they plan to roll out a special line of chocolates, an aphrodisiac collection, for the holiday. To get there, here is some basic info:
- The French Broad Chocolate Lounge is located at 10 South Lexington Ave., Asheville, NC 28801.
- Their website is www.frenchbroadchocolates.com and is a great place to take a look at many of their products and press and is how you can place web orders of their chocolate truffles and some other confections. Their shipping is flat-rate in three tiers, and shipping charges drop as you order more. Stock up! Keep in mind that shipping takes time, so order sooner rather than later for a Valentine's Day shipment!
- Call them at 828.252.4181.
- Their hours are Sunday 1-9, Monday through Thursday 11-11, and Friday&Saturday 11a-12a.
Once you try and love French Broad Chocolates (and you will love them), you can sign up for chocolate subscriptions from them, promising a box full of French Broad Chocolates every month for either six months or a year at a time. Signing up is a great way to experience much of the best that this fantastic little shop has to offer, particularly if you can't get there!
For more great recipes and cooking ideas, follow the Knoxville Gourmet Food Examiner by subcribing at the top of the page. You can also read more on his personal cooking blog: The Untrained Gourmet.
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