Last month when I visited Charles Chocolates in Emeryville I got a sneak peak at what the future held, including tastes of a few delicious new chocolates not quite launched yet.
Today I can tell you the new chocolates are caramels and marzipans. The caramels come in two flavors; fleur de sel and bittersweet chocolate fleur de sel. Each caramel square is coated with their 65% bittersweet chocolate blend. The distinctive marzipan which comes in two fresh fruit flavors; Meyer lemon and orange, is also coated in the bittersweet chocolate blend. Chuck worked hard to create a marzipan which is less pasty, fresher and more rough textured than the typical marzipan. Lee and I loved it.
As part of the introduction of these two new products, Charles Chocolates has created very special gift boxes for them made entirely of chocolate. The base is bittersweet chocolate and the cocoa butter decorated lid is El Rey’s very special white chocolate (this is the only white chocolate they use, it actually tastes like chocolate). Enjoy the candies, and then eat the box – how cool is that?
If you're looking for Passover treats, for the next two weeks, they will also be featuring chocolate covered Matzah. Their Pate de Fruit is another Passover favorite. These classic French fruit jellies are made with 45% real fruit, all natural ingredients, and no gelatin.
And the biggest news of all?
Charles Chocolates is opening their first “test” retail store. For the next two months (starting on Wednesday) you will be able to find them in the Laurel Village Shopping Center in San Francisco. In one place you will be able to find everything that they make, fresh from their kitchens in Emeryville. They will also feature products that aren’t available anywhere else.
Finally if you are a chocolate lover who has always dreamed of working in a chocolate shop and are available for the next two months, please let me know and I will get you in contact with Chuck. Here's hoping all your chocolate wishes come true...
Charles Chocolates
3527 California St (the old Home Chef store)
San Francisco
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM every day
Opening day is this Wednesday, April 12th
FOOD + CHOCOLATE + SAN FRANCISCO
