Chuao: Top Truffles
They call them bonbons. We call them truffles. Either way, our last installment in this look at chocolate is at Chuao, named after the region in Venezuela prized for it’s cacao.
We’ve looked at chocolate bars, sauces, even some single-origin pieces. But Chuao Chocolatier sent us their 16-piece set, and it was the most unique set we tried- with flavor combinations like the “Mulato”, almond marzipan and macadmia nuts with dark chocolate. One of the best, and most unlikely, was the “Picante”- raisin fondue and cabernet caramel with pasilla chile and cayenne pepper in dark chocolate- so many flavors but so little time!
Not everything worked. We had high hopes for the “Chevere”, with goat cheese, pear Williams butter cream, and black peppercorn, but it seemed a bit sour and underwhelming. Like we said- interesting combinations, and with such high quality chocolate that even the misses are enjoyable.
They’re not cheap ($25 for a box of 16), but quite reasonable as far as chocolates (and especially goat cheese and cabernet caramel chocolates) go. Any guest or gift recipient would be impressed by “organic fennel pollen” in the Sambuca, and there is a bonbon/truffle for almost any occasion. Our advice: try Chuao.
