Posts Tagged ‘truffles’

When I still lived in Europe I used to drive for hours to find the best treats. One of my annual pilgrimages took me to Bruges in Belgium, where, hidden in the Old Town district, in between the canals and medieval walls, paradise awaited on a small, cobble stoned street. It was a tiny chocolate factory that produced unbelievable truffles and pralines. All were made with real butter and of course the best chocolate around. The fillings were also composed out of the best and freshest ingredients – puree of raspberries, champagne, nuts and cognac or just pristine cream and vanilla. Oh, heaven in a bite!

Some years ago I moved to America and prepared myself for strong withdrawals and sad nibbles on Hershey bars. Little did I know that after a gourmet coffee boom and a fine food craze all over the United States that there are not only wonderful imported chocolates, but also home grown delicacies right here in Hawaii.

Local farmers discovered that, in our climate, cocoa beans grow just as well as coffee and a booming new business started in the 90′s in Kona on the Big Island.

Companies like The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Company and Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate blazed the trail for more growers and manufacturers of a unique and utterly tasty product that is one of the fastest growing new industries on the islands. Cocoa plants are also spreading their roots on Maui and Oahu’s North Shore. The new crop tries to fill the gap of the lost sugar and pineapple production, but still has a long way to go.

To my great pleasure one of the new local chocolate boutiques just opened in my neighborhood. Forget Belgium and long drives. Now I can hop on my bicycle and work off some of the calories on the way. But the thought about calories ends as soon as the door to the little store on Kainehe Street in Kailua opens.

Melanie Boudar opened her “Sweet Paradise Chocolatier” last month and already has a dedicated community of fans. Chocolate tastings convince even the most critical palettes and, once bitten, no one remains shy to get more.

After a long career in the jewelry business, which often took her to Belgium, where she bought precious gems, Melanie decided to take her affection a step further and study the art of chocolate at the prestigious Ecole Chocolat of Vancouver, Canada and at the Culinary Institute of New York.

Her first career still shows, as she does not just create amazing truffles and other chocolate treats.  She turns every single one of them into a handmade work of art. Personally, I wish they were just a little bigger, just for one small bite more, but their prettiness makes up for that. Each treat is like a small piece of precious jewelry, shaped and dusted with color and delightful decorations.

Lilikoi Silk, Banana Rum, Blood Orange or Dark Chocolate Ginger are my current favorites, and there are many more that I have not tried yet. It is not easy to discipline oneself to moderation; however, the price of $14 for 6 pieces puts a damper on overindulgence. So, for the untamed chocolate craving the good old box of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts has to do, but for that special treat, when you really feel you deserve something that hits all of your senses, Sweet Paradise Chocolatier has a treasure chest to pick from.