OK...that can also be true for pizza, cupcakes and gummy bears...but it's not their day.
I would like to say that I'm a little more discerning about the chocolate I eat...but truthfully, I can enjoy a bag of M&Ms just as much as a box from Godiva (sorry!); I've never been what you would call a chocolate snob. But even though they are tasty, those chocolates seem just a little too ordinary for today's adventure. Today is National Chocolate Day, so I decided it was time to step up the chocolate game...go find some new places with different techniques and varieties of chocolate to share with you.
It's a rough job...but someone has to do it, right?
First stop: John Kelly Chocolates
The outside of John Kelly is classic and unassuming. It's off on a side street, so if you didn't know to look for it, you may just go driving right past.
But once you step inside, and the sights and smells of chocolate wafting through the air hit you, you know for sure that you've entered someplace very special. The shop is a little on the small side, and when I walked in there was an influx of people entering a small room off to the right. As it turned out, I caught the very beginning of Tourific Escapes "Hollywood Sites and Bites" tour - and they were getting an exclusive look into the John Kelly magic room (ok...where they make the chocolate, but that's pretty magical in my opinion). Trish was leading the tour, and she awesomely allowed us to tag along for a bit (Thanks again, Trish!!!) There were no pictures allowed in the magic room, but I can tell you that the room itself was no larger than my own kitchen at home, and for the amount of chocolate that they seem to crank out they really have it down to a streamlined art! And yes, there is a picture of Lucy and Ethel in the famous candy factory episode hanging on the wall. I don't know if this hangs in most chocolate making places, but it was nice to see that John Kelly employees have a sense of humor and an appreciation for the classics!
After the tour ended, we stepped up to the counter where I got the first look at everything John Kelly has to offer. Their specialty is what they call "truffle fudge" - which is pretty much what it sounds like. At first you get the snap of hard chocolate exterior which then gives way to a silky, melty truffle-ish interior. But apparently it's not a truffle...it's fudge! And it is so smooth and soft and amazing; believe me, this is not your mother's homemade holiday fudge. Now I loved the samples...but what really caught my eye was a confectionary treat just perfect for this week.
It's their Day of the Dead solid chocolate skull. 73% Cacao. And it is one SOLID PIECE OF CHOCOLATE! I had to put all of my weight down on the knife just to cut into this! But the taste was exquisite - deep and rich and smooth. So evil but so, soooooo tasty.
Next stop: Compartes
When I was researching various chocolate places in Los Angeles for today's adventure, I knew right away that Compartes had to be a stop if for no other reason than THIS DELICIOUS WEBSITE. Seriously. Watching the chocolate pour seductively into the mold...droooooooool. And believe me, this stop did not disappoint. When I walked in, I'm not sure which caught my eye first...the amazingly gorgeous chocolates in the display case or the wall of chocolate. Yes. WALL OF CHOCOLATE!!!
Let's start with the wall of chocolate. Each of these are bars of chocolate that have various other ingredients mixed in - everything from nuts and dried fruits to kale chips, popcorn, waffle cones, or cereal bits. Yes. They have a bar dedicated to breakfast cereal (I may have to learn how to make this!)
Then we moved to the display case...which held rows and rows of the most beautiful truffles I've ever seen.
All handmade, these truffles come in such a wide range of flavors - I couldn't possibly begin to name them all. But the designs "painted" onto each one give them a look that is just as sumptuous to look at as they are to eat. And such fun designs!! There were everyday truffles, alcoholic truffles, and holiday truffles. I had the pumpkin truffle which was the perfect mix of nutmeg, ginger, clove, cinnamon and chocolate. So fun and decadent, I'm definitely going back to Compartes for Christmas and Valentine's shopping!!!
Final stop: ChocoVivo
The sign says "chocolate tasting room" - how could I not go in??? But a step into ChocoVivo and it's definitely different from the other places I visited today. What I found at ChocoVivo is true, authentic, what they call "Bean-to-Bar" chocolate. Their chocolate is made by grinding cacao beans - maybe adding a few other spices - and that's about it. It's an approach similar to how ancient civilizations would have made chocolate long ago. And the flavor - amazing! So completely different from anything else I tried today, and yet the raw simplicity of the chocolate makes it so smooth and flavorful. I had a bite of their Mayan Tradition bar - and the combination of chocolate and cinnamon was like this sweet fire burning and melting in my mouth.
Now by this time in the day - I had sampled quite a fare share of chocolate. So a bit of food was definitely in order. Luckily, ChocoVivo serves tamales on the weekend. I am a sucker for anything tamale, so we ordered their roasted garlic and mushroom - which came with a side of chips, pico de gallo and mole. And let me preface this next part by saying that I hate mole sauce.
HOLY CRAP!!!! This was...THE...BEST...MOLE...SAUCE...EVER!!!!!!!!! I mean ever. I couldn't stop eating it! Sweet but not overly smoky - smooth and thick. I completely ignored the salsa (which I never do) - and virtually inhaled the cup of mole. I even mentioned to the Oompa Loompa working there (I kid you not, that's what they call their employees) that I absolutely loved the mole and she said to me, "Of course. It's made with our chocolate."
Now why didn't I think of that?
So there you have it...a sampling of a variety of chocolates (and processes) for National Chocolate Day. Now it's your turn! Stop by a chocolate shop on our way home - grab a few pieces of something you've never tried before. Maybe some milk chocolate, maybe some dark chocolate! Truffles, nut bars, fudge or chocolate-covered-everything. Get creative! Have fun. It's chocolate!!!
Just remember to brush your teeth before you go to bed or National Dentist Day will be a nightmare!
