Wee & sweet finale at Lincoln

Saturday was one of those "I love New York" days. Unseasonably warm. The Union Square greenmarket was filled with pumpkins, sunflowers, and bees buzzing around the sweet-smelling Concord grapes. I had a date with a good friend to see the Palm d'Or-winning French film, Amour, at the New York Film Festival. And we met for a pre-matinee brunch at Lincoln.

  

Elegant but leisurely, it was one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. The glass walls brought the energy from Lincoln Center inside, though it remained impossibly serene. Every detail, from the pour of the olive oil to the shape of the sugar spoon to the shavings of ricotta, was exquisite. And the petit plate of treats—caramels, truffles, biscotti and butter cookies—that came at the end of the meal was all I needed to make me a very happy girl.

Lincoln

142 West 65th Street

The magic of Christina Tosi

Thank heaven for little girls. For once in a while, they grow up to be like Christina Tosi.

“Of course, I wanted a bakery when I grew up,” Ms. Tosi said. “It’s the other little-girl dream besides being a princess.”

Momofuku Milk Bar, right in my backyard, is where she dreamed up crack pie and compost cookies.


It’s where you can get towering cakes with sugary frosting and crunchy bits that send you into orbit.


Or, a bit more modest but no less ridiculously delicious, her cake truffles.

Dusty and crumbly on the outside.

Sweet and doughy on the inside.

And rainbow sprinkles that, to a girl like me, are part of the better-than-a-princess dream.

Valentine’s at Roni-Sue

Valentine’s Day is supposed to make you feel good, right? All the love and friendship… all the big hearts and dark chocolate…

Well, you can really, really feel good getting treats from Roni-Sue. Every Valentine’s Day, she creates her edible rose truffles: one, a hand rolled and dipped dark chocolate ganache truffle, topped with a fresh-dried rose petal, and the other, a rose-shaped bonbon, filled with white chocolate-rose ganache. Buy a box of 12, and a portion of the sale goes to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Un Dimanche à Paris

One Sunday in Paris, I had good reason to visit Pierre Cluizel’s new chocolate salon.

Naturally, I was expecting a lovely chocolatier; one that would do his papa proud.

But I didn’t realize it would also be a salon de thé.

With event space.

And two kitchens: one for classes…

…and the other where the patisseries and desserts are made.

Indeed, it’s the first “chocolate concept store” the clerk explained to me, as I ogled the beautiful interior design…

…the rows and boxes of bonbons…



… the shelves stocked aplenty with truffles and tablettes, mendiants and chocolate-covered orange rinds.


I didn’t have any macarons or mini éclairs...

... but of course when I saw a chocolate chip cookie—made with all three chocolates: white, milk and dark—I had to sample.

The great search for le meiux in all of Paris continues.

But I will definitely be back to Un Dimanche another day for chocolaty treats before leaving Paris.

Just a little something from Momofuku

Qu’est-ce que c’est??

These funny little balls are wickedly sweet, wacky in conception, perfect over-the-top-deliciousness.

Cake truffles from Momofuku!

I popped into the East Village bakery for a cornflake marshmallow chocolate chip cookie. But, when confronted with the selection, I remembered my friend Mr. B—steadfast source of brilliant music, cocktail and sweets recommendations—telling me I must try Momofuku’s birthday cake truffles.

Still not pleased with the bakery’s decision to individually wrap everything (a disappointing result of the baking no longer being done on the premises), I rationalized that three treats per cellophane baggie is better than one. Besides, it’s my duty to try new things. And listen to Mr. B.


So there I was: with six little cake truffles. Think denser, cakier, sweeter and more granular Munchkins. Genius.

The birthday cake truffles are rainbow cake, vanilla frosting and sprinkles. Eating one is just like being an eight-year-old on a sugar high at a piñata party.

The banana cake truffles are banana cream, hazelnut crunch and gianduja fudge. They're moist little flavor bombs.

The chocolate malt cake and apple pie truffles? A girl can only be so gluttonous. Those, I still have to try.

A new chocolate boutique for Paris

At Levasseur, they’ve been creating artisanal chocolates in Marais Poitevin, a marshy town on the West Coast of France, for nearly 50 years. But it was only eight days ago that they arrived in Paris. On rue Montorgueil. Three blocks from my apartment. Uh-oh.

I mean, how cute is this place?


And regards! I have so many bonbons and truffles to try…

Those with pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts...

...rum, spices or coffee...

...filled with nougat, caramel, ganache…

...adorned with orange peel or raisins.

I see danger in my future.

October Tour: Saint-Germain’s rich and dreamy chocolate trail

In honor of the Salon du Chocolat (which I didn’t go to this year) this month’s walking tour takes you to some of Saint-Germain’s best chocolatiers. After all, you can toss an M&M in any direction in the sixth arrondisement and hit a world-class chocolatier—especially now that Patrick Roger has opened two new boutiques there.

Start at one of them, 91 rue de Rennes, and see what magical window displays the creative chocolate genius has whipped up. After admiring the fantasies and inhaling the smells, select a few of his unusual bonbons to sample—perhaps the Jamaica, made with ground Arabica coffee beans; the Jacarepagua, a blend or tart lemon curd and refreshing mint, or the Phantasme, made with oatmeal.

A fun and under-appreciated spot awaits just around the corner. The tiny and whimsical Jean-Charles Rochoux (16 rue d'Assas) is cluttered with chocolate figurines and sculptures—everything from fist-sized bunnies, squirrels and alligators to imposing nude busts. While Rochoux works in his basement kitchen, a lovely vendeuse, donning a lace glove, will pluck the pralines, nougats and truffles of your choice. Don’t miss his signature Maker’s Mark truffles.

A quick jaunt east, you’ll find Christian Constant (37 rue d’Assas), a small but slick shop filled with decadent cakes and fragrant teas. In a case tucked along the right-hand wall, you’ll find delicious chocolates with spicy and floral notes such as saffron and ylang ylang.

On your way back into the heart of the shopping district, skip the long line snaking out of Pierre Hermé (72 rue Bonaparte). While his macarons and cakes are to die for, his chocolates, try as I might, aren’t as good as the others. Instead, make your way to another Pierre—Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini (89 rue de Seine).

Marcolini’s boutique is as elegant and refined as a luxe jewelry store. Study the display cases to choose your bonbons of choice. My recommends: the Pavé de Tours Fondant, an uber thin milk chocolate, filled with sugared almonds, hazelnuts and puff pastry cake, and the Coeur Framboise, dark chocolate ganache with raspberry puree, enrobed in white chocolate.

Is there anything better than chocolate??

A local legend

Denise Acabo. The name doesn’t mean much to 99.9% of the world’s population, but those who do know it are fanatical about the woman, her Parisian chocolate parlor and her devotion to France’s best chocolatiers and candy makers.



With a daily uniform of long blonde braids, a tartan plaid skirt, and the sexy-schoolmarmish blend of bifocals and Chanel No 5 that only a middle-aged Frenchwoman can pull off, Acabo is a cult character here in Paris. But for more important reasons than her signature look, or even her choco-knowledge. It’s her irresistible charm and infectious enthusiasm that reels them in.



Everyone who walks through the doors of her SoPi (South of Pigalle) boutique is treated like the most important person in the world. She grabs you by the arm and gushes about her products: that they’re the best of the best and that she’s the exclusive carrier in the city. She’ll tell you how the cab drivers come in and clean her out of Le Roux caramels and that Japanese tourists fax her magazine articles in which she’s appeared. She talks a mile a minute and is as much an entertainer and theatrice as a chocolate connoisseur. She could prattle on about pralines for hours—and she will if you’re not careful. I looked at my watch when she paused for a breath and was shocked to see 30 minutes had passed. It’s a shame I could understand only a fraction of what she was saying.

But, importantly, what I did understand is that, outside of Lyon, she is the sole carrier of Bernachon chocolates.



This famed chocolatier, Maurice, and his son, Jean-Jacques, operate a bean-to-bar factory that churns out dozens of flavors of delicate bonbons and hunky tablettes. So how do you choose between so many amazing flavors—espresso, orange, hazelnut, rum raisin—when you’re in that enviable position? For me it was simple: I let Denise do it.




And thank goodness. When I unwrapped my Pâte d’Amande Pistache at home, I was suddenly inhaling vats of fresh chocolate in a factory. Delicious without even taking a bite. Between the richness of the 62% cacao and the sweet grittiness of Sicilian pistachio paste, I thought I had ascended to chocolate heaven. It’s one of the most brilliant things I’ve ever eaten.

She was equally pointed and strong-willed with my bonbon selection. After careful consideration, I had selected six from the case, but she shot two of them down. She wanted to make sure I had the best of the best so I wound up with a selection from all over the country (Gevrey-Chambertin, Bourges, Lorraine) from masters including Henri Le Roux (salted caramel), Bernard Dufoux (balsamic vinegar truffle) and more from Bernachon (a praline noisette).





There were so many exquisite sweets that I didn’t get (this time), including the Breton caramels. But I was happy to see she also carries Jacques Genin’s caramels—more proof that Acabo only carries the best of the best.

30 rue Pierre Fontaine
9eme

More, more, more!

There can never be enough chocolate in the world. Nor too many cupcakes.

Chocolate Bar is now open (again) in the West Village.

Billy’s Bakery is sending its banana cake goodness downtown to Tribeca.

And stay tuned for even more truffles with Roni-Sue’s expansion in the Essex Street Market next month.

The mixing bowl: Rachel Zoe Insler

The first time I bit into a Bespoke truffle, I was instantly smitten. But the first time I met Rachel Zoe Insler, I was wowed. She's got the smarts and talent of a chocolatier trained in London, but the cool down-to-earth vibe of someone who's passionate about the city and can cop to loving Tasti-D-Lite.

Growing up, my favorite sweet was:
Honestly, I think I've always been a salty girl, but a quick call to my mother indicates that I had a serious thing for Baskin Robbins' bubble gum ice cream, which I received whenever she and I went to the laundromat together.

My favorite sweet now is:
A mini coffee eclair purchased from a Parisian patisserie. It's one of the few sweet things I actually crave.

My personal Bespoke favorite:
The Southampton tea truffle. I give the credit to the tea, which is so wonderfully aromatic. The good folks at Amai introduced me to it, and I've been using it ever since!

What I love about the East Village is:
How dynamic my neighborhood is...which is 100% due to the people who live here and have set up small businesses here. Since I both live and work here, there are full weeks where I don't leave the East Village but want for literally nothing in terms of fun, food, drinks, entertainment or people-watching. Plus, it's close to Brooklyn, where so many of my friends have migrated!

Truffles or pralines:
Truffles to make....pralines to eat!

White, milk or dark:
Dark

Caramel, ganache or cream:
Caramel....salted, if possible. Plus, sugar is so fascinating to the latent scientist in me.

The perfect pairing:
A night off with my fiancé and a bottle of red wine.

I'd love to create a flavor for:
My mom. She doesn't really like chocolate, but I think if I make something with enough nuts and salt, I'll win her over!

Kitchen essentials:
Spatula, ladle, palette knife and scraper. Induction burner and chocolate melter are non-essential but SO helpful!

Style essentials:
I usually work in yoga pants and clogs, so I'm not all that stylish, but I have been loving my lavender bandanna from Montana Knox, my new neighbor on Extra Place. It's nice to cover my hair in style when I'm in the kitchen.

Chocolatiers I admire:
My mentor, Keith Hurdman, and Kee Ling Tong, who is my one-woman-chocolate-shop-pioneer inspiration.

I'm most inspired when:
I'm spending time with my amazing friends and family.

How much is too much?
When the mail carrier you've never met tells you look exhausted....it's too much.

Favorite movie snack:
Popcorn with copious amounts of salt and a "small" diet Coke that is about 36 oz.

Guilty pleasure:
Tasti-D-Lite and Diet Coke. I try to eat only real food....but Tasti-D and DC are so fake and yet SO GOOD.

Other favorites:
Music: Jack Johnson on a day off...nothing says "relaxation" like that; Gnocchi, eaten preferably in Italy; New York, Paris and Montalcino; the movies, Clueless & Clue.

V-Day countdown: Bespoke Chocolates

These heart-shaped bonbons from East Village newcomer Bespoke Chocolates are on the menu year-round. But they're perfect for Valentine's.

Tart passion fruit is tempered with a little butter, vanilla and Venezuelan white chocolate. They're crisp but creamy and wonderfully sweet.

6 Extra Place off First Street, between Bowery and 2nd Ave
212-260-7103

V-Day countdown: Roni-Sue

Rhonda Kave has been dreaming up wonderful homemade truffle flavors on the Lower East Side for a couple years now, and she has a seemingly infinite supply of creativity. And good taste.

Last year for Valentine's, she created red and white rose truffles. At their centers, they both have a beautifully blended ganache of rose liqueur, fresh-dried rose petals, rose-hip marmalade, rose petal jam and rose syrup. The ganache for the red rose truffles is made with dark chocolate, while the white rose uses, you guessed it, white chocolate. Buy a dozen of either (they're both wonderfully sweet), and $5 goes to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Essex Street Market, Essex Street at Delancey
212.260.0421

Behold, Bespoke is open

Rachel and Gil are ready! The city was kind enough to finally hand over those permits so us chocoholics can get our fix at the lovely new Bespoke Chocolates. All I have to say is: get ready, people.

These truffles are some of the best I have ever eaten (though Mr. B's birthday bonbons were pretty crazy, and I still put Kee's on a pedestal, and then there was Paris…). But. But, but, but.

The strawberry balsamic truffle is made with strawberry puree, eight-year-old La Vecchia Dispensa Italian balsamic vinegar and 66% dark chocolate. Then it's dusted with freeze-dried strawberry powder. Heaven.

A simple 70% Columbian dark chocolate truffle (pictured here) is impossibly creamy — a real melt-in-your-mouth gem.

And Rachel's signature pretzel-covered sea salted caramel is crazy, with crackly, salty pretzel bits coating the chocolate shell and caramel center. Insler suggests popping the whole thing in your mouth since “it’s really liquidy caramel inside.”

As amazing as these truffles are, I can't wait until they unveil their homemade hazelnut spread (better than Nutella?!) and chocolate bars.

6 Extra Place off First Street, between Bowery and 2nd Ave
212.260.7103

V-Day countdown: Payard Patisserie

Monsieur Francois has a few Valentine's tricks up his sleeve. In addition to special cakes (like the Joie Valentine: raspberry mousse, vanilla pound cake and champagne ganache) and macaroons (half red, half white, with champagne ganache and raspberry gelée), he's playing with truffles.

You could funk it up with the dark chocolate champagne truffles coated in Pop Rocks (yes, Pop Rocks). Or these perfectly pretty (and spicy) chocolate ganache truffles are infused with ginger liqueur and dusted with cocoa powder.

1032 Lexington between 73rd and 74th
212.717.5252

V-Day countdown: Chocolat Moderne

Let me tell you, this Mysteries of Love collection is insanely delicious. (Your own eyes can attest to the beauty.)

There's a passion fruit and cardamom caramel, a sea salted espresso and dark chocolate caramel, a pear caramel, a 90% Ecuadorian Rainforest ganache, a single malt scotch and raspberry ganache. Insanely delicious.

www.chocolatmoderne.com