FOOD
&
DRINK
PHOTO
KEVINMARPLE
AMERICANWAY
FEBRUARY2016
33
Thedesire, theyearning, thevowsof lifelong
devotion… thanks to theseboutiquechocolatiers,
Valentine’sDay isgettingevensweeter
Consuming
Passion
VALENTINE’SDAY
andchoco-
lateare familiarbedfellows,but
let’s face it:Everyday iscause for
celebrationwhen itcomestothis
sweettreat.Andthesechocolatiers
aretakingthecocoa-basedstaple
tothenext levelwitheye-catching
designsandtantalizingflavors.All
arededicatedtoyoursweettooth.
There’susuallya lineoutthe
door forthehandmadecandy
at
StickwithMeSweets
inNew
York’sNoLItaneighborhood.
HeadchocolatierSusannaYoon
openedtheshop inDecember
2014, introducingconfections like
sesameandpassion-fruitbonbons
andthe“NewYork,NewYork”
bonbon:acombinationofcrunchy
pretzelandpeanutbutterwitha
dark-chocolateshell.Strawberry
shortcake isthe limited-edition
flavorthismonth,coated inwhite
chocolatewithpinkpolkadots for
Valentine’sDay.
Swmsweets.com
WyomingcowboyTimKellogg
wasoncemistaken forTim
McGraw,buthe insiststhathis
truedevotion ischocolate(sorry,
ladies).Kellogg’strufflesathis
MeeteetseChocolatier
haveadel-
icate,pliableshellandafive-day
shelf life.Herollsanddipseach
trufflehimself—around200a
day.Standouts includethesavory
focacciatrufflethatmimicsthefla-
vorofbreadwithrosemary,olive
oilandseasalt.Thehuckleberry
andpricklypearcactustruffles
aremadewith local fruit.Bonus:
Kellogg justopenedashop inJack-
sonHole.
Meeteetsechocolatier.com
Self-taughtchocolatierJulie
Bolejack,of
Chocolateforthe
Spirit
inCarmel, Indiana,has
becomeknown forher inventive
flavors, liketheEast-meets-West
blendofSaigoncinnamonand
Kentuckybourbon,ortheBeer
Ball trufflewithGuinness-infused
ganacherolled inpecancrumble.
Bolejackworkswithgrandcru
single-originchocolate—therar-
est intheworld—andclaimed15
awardsatthe2015International
ChocolateSalon,whichcelebrates
thebest inthebusiness.
Chocolate
forthespirit.com
—
AMBERGIBSON
STICKWITHME
SWEETS
TOPTOBOTTOM:
Dulcede leche;
bourbonmaplepecan;
NewYork,NewYork;
milk-housepraline
