#4- Chocolate!

#4 – Chocolate!

   Since it is Valentine’s Day it seems that chocolate is the obvious choice for this week’s topic.  Of course we have a tendency to use any and every holiday imaginable as an excuse to (over?) indulge in chocolate.  Who knew that August 4^th is National Chocolate Chip Day or that December 16th is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, or my own personal favorite, February 5^th – National Chocolate Fondue Day?! Obviously any day is a good day for the cocoa bean treat so it is a good thing we have a few outstanding shops to patronize here in Asheville!   Did you know the average American eats 12 lbs. of chocolate a year?!  Could that be where this extra weight has come from???

   Out of the ordinary choices can be found at The French Broad Chocolate Lounge.   Husband and wife team Dan and Jael Rattigan started this locally owned business in their home several years ago. Then they opened a tiny little store front in 2008 and have exploded in popularity since then. They now occupy three floors and have doubled their dining space while adding an in house kitchen.  By using local ingredients, featuring local artists and musicians, and selling local beer, coffee and ice cream they have created a sacred space for “Chocophiles.” There are a variety of options from the Aphrodisiac collection which is perfect for Valentine’s Day to the Buddha Vegan collection which, of course, is so very perfect for Asheville.

   You won’t find any boring, ordinary choices here.  Instead look for creative pairings like fig and port, lavender and honey and cabernet and anise. Not in the mood for candy? They have you covered with cakes, brownies, cookies, ice cream and beer and wine.  In the unlikely event you aren’t a chocolate lover you can buy a 6 or 12 month chocolate subscription for someone who is, like me! Besides lots of local press this business has been mentioned several times in Southern Living Magazine – not bad for a little local chocolate shop!

   To prove that Asheville is indeed the place to indulge in the sweet life, we also have another world class shop called the Chocolate Fetish.  A part of the downtown scene since 1986 this shop has been voted Best in Western NC for 12 straight years.  They also started off as a two person operation and now, 25 years later, have a full staff and a loyal following all across the country.

    In addition to all the creative flavors, this place is known for their artistic gift packages. Painters, sculptors, and musicians are drawn to Asheville for the natural beauty surrounding it and for the creative energy that buzzes through its streets. The Chocolate Fetish has their own artists that work in the medium of chocolate. The Chocolate High Heel Shoes are a great way to satisfy two fetishes at once and don’t miss out on the Smash Cakes, Chocolate Covered Strawberry trees or the Chocolate Putting Green cake for the golf lover.  These are true masterpieces.  They are so beautiful that you don’t want to eat them.  All right, maybe that is going too far, but they are amazing works of art!  

“There are four basic food groups: chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles.”   ~Author Unknown