February 3, 2007
Consider, for a moment, the power of Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day changes the color of our world, as explosions of red and pink (not necessarily typical winter hues) appear in select aisles at the grocery store and roses fill the florist's cooler. It also changes the flavor of our world, as we turn away from the distractions of other food groups to indulge in chocolate in all its forms. Valentine's Day even changes the weather—well, not really but it does magically transform February (arguably the most boring month of the year) into a sexy celebration of chocolate, roses and love notes. Quite a feat, I'd say! And finally, Valentine's Day changes our collective temperament (if only for a day), as we emerge from hibernation to rush about delivering gifts of chocolate, flowers, and notes of affection to the people we love.

Zingerman's, too, has surrendered to the power of Valentine's Day. Although you won't see a lot of red and pink at the Deli, you will find new chocolates, bonbons and candies that I specially selected for you this month, like the I Love Lychee trio of bonbons from Chocolate Moderne, giant Dark Chocolate Caramel Hearts from Fran's, Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans from Cluizel, and All-Natural Candies from Hammond's. I also have an amazing selection of fresh truffles, pralinés and caramels from all over the world—Why buy just one brand when you can mix and match your favorites? Stop by the Next Door and we'll help you custom-build the chocolate box of your dreams, complete with a sticker (red, of course), Zingerman's ribbon and special Valentine's Day tag.

As for events this month, there will be a lunch-hour Valrhona Chocolate Demo in the Next Door, a chance to learn about the history of hot chocolate at Delicious Potions: A History of Hot Chocolates and Cocoas, and a tasting devoted to exploring the King of French Chocolates, the Valrhona Rendez-Vous II. There is also a special class on tempering chocolate out at Zingerman's Bakehouse with Charlie Frank, the inventor of the Zzang! Bars. Read more below!

New stuff Duff is really excited about:
· Truffles, Caramels and Pralinés in the Next Door: $.75-$4.50/ea
There is nothing better than receiving a box of assorted chocolates on Valentine's Day (or anytime of the year, for that matter) and Zingerman's makes it easy for you to give the best collection ever.

There are a few things that make Zingerman's truffles and bonbons great. First, they are fresh. Most of them are made-to-order especially for Zingerman's, meaning that the ingredients are prepared, the chocolates dipped, and the boxes received by me all within a matter of days. Also, our truffles are never frozen—both in shipment and in storage, they are kept at a constant temperature and humidity to maintain freshness. I order frequently and in small quantities, to ensure that you are always getting the best product possible.

Second, they are made from the best possible ingredients. Chocolate, heavy cream, cocoa butter, caramels, real liquors (like Poire William and cherry eau de vie), fresh pistachios and hazelnuts...there are no artificial flavors or preservatives and there are no extraneous fats or oils.

Third, we maintain a selection of chocolates from around the country, like bonbons and pralinés from Chocolat Moderne (NYC), caramels from Fran's (Seattle), and truffles from Grocer's Daughter (Empire). You can pick your favorites from each chocolatier, building the assortment that YOU want, piece by piece. No pre-packaged, mystery truffle boxes here! From 2 pieces to 50 pieces, we'll build you the truffle box of your dreams.

Finally, we encourage you to sample! What does a Rosemary Truffle taste like? How strong is the salt on the Grey Salt Caramel? What is all this talk about the Zzang! Bar? Taste for yourself! Our Next Door staff will get you a sample of anything in the truffle case. Try a taste of gelato while you're at it, too!

· All-Natural Candies from Hammond's: $6.99/ea
And now, let's take a moment out of our busy chocolate musings to recognize some great candy—Hammond's Candy, of Denver, CO. Hammond's makes a small line of all-natural candies (i.e. no artificial colors or flavors!) and we've got them! Try the All-Natural Crystal Cuts, hard candies in grape, orange, cherry, lemon and mint flavors. And if you like a little sweet with your sour, try the All-Natural Sour Balls in a cute tin of assorted orange, cherry and lemon flavors. Through Valentine's Day, you will also find displays of Hammond's All-Natural Cherry Heart Lollipops in the Deli and the Next Door! Sweets for the sweet!

· I Love Lychee from Chocolat Moderne: $10.99/box
This trio of Joan's bonbons will surprise your taste buds with the delicate, perfumed flavor of lychee berry. The three flavors included in the sleeve (which is rimmed with gold and tied with a coral ribbon!) are:
Toast of the Town (white truffle with toasted coconut and dark Haitian rum), Les Nymphes (dark truffle blended with lychee purée) and Tropical PB&J (macadamia praline).

· New Treats from Grocer's Daughter Chocolates:
Endlessly inventive and creative, Mimi and Wally of Grocer's Daughter chocolates have created two new truffles that I think are truly excellent. The first is the Spiced Pecan Log, with Zingerman's own spiced pecans, maple syrup and dark chocolate. The flavor and texture of this piece will really blow you away! The second is the Cocoa Pulp Chocolate Heart, which combines dark chocolate and Vintage Plantation's Cocoa Pulp (sort of like an exotic, apricot-y marmalade) to make a tart, smooth "ganache" encased in a delicate dark-chocolate heart.

· "Xocolate" Bonajuto Pepper Truffle Tins: $12.99/tin
These dainty, peppery, petite chocolates are full-flavored and full-textured, with big half-dissolved sugar crystals and a little pepper in the finish. Six nippy chocolates in a tin. Also available with nibs!

· Fran's Chocolate Caramel Hearts: $4.99/ea
Imagine a dark chocolate heart about the size of your palm filled with Fran's rich, firm caramel, wrapped in sweet red foil and tied up in a cellophane bag. Need I say more?

· Fran's Award-Winning Salt Caramels: $26.99/box
When I say "award-winning," I really mean it. The Gray Salt and Dark Chocolate Caramel won the NASFT Outstanding Confection Award in 2003 and the Smoked Salt and Milk Chocolate Caramel followed it in 2005. These are really, truly delightful. Something about the coarse salt, the firm caramel, and the chocolate—either dark or milk. I suggest that you lick the salt first before popping the whole thing in your mouth. Enjoy your box of 15 pieces one by one.

· Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans from Cluizel: $14.99/box
They've been a long time coming, but we finally have a great chocolate covered coffee bean for all of you people out there who love a little chocolate with your espresso (or visa versa). Aromatic, crunchy Brazilian coffee beans dipped in Cluizel's 60% dark chocolate. These are so satisfying!

· Valentine's Mint Tingles from Moonstruck: $12.99/ea
The same melt-away, creamy mint that we carried over the holidays with a Valentine's Day makeover. Seriously, why are these so good?!

· Valrhona Chocolate Bars: $5.99-$6.99/ea
This month, Zingerman's Deli is featuring Valrhona. You'll find an expanded selection of the Classics, Grand Crus, and Single-Estate bars for sale at the Deli as well as tastings, demos and promotions to celebrate our long partnership with "The King of French Chocolate" (we've been carrying them since 1985!).

On the shelves right now, we have the Classic Le Noir Amer 71%: Grand Cru Manjari 64%: Grand Cru Abinao 85%: Grand Cru Jivara Lait 40%: and Single-Estate Gran Couva (Trinidad) 64%. I'm hoping to have the 2006 Single-Estate Ampamakia (Madagascar) 64% stocked before Valentine's Day...

And don't forget that when you come to pick up a copy of Chloé Doutre-Roussel's The Chocolate Connoisseur this month (for yourself or a friend!) you can add any Valrhona chocolate bar to your bag for only $3 (Regular $5.99-$6.99). Classics, Grand Crus, or Single Estates—they all make great reading companions!

As always, please feel free to email eanderson@zingermans.com or call 663-JAVA with choco-queries. But better yet, ask for me when you stop by the Deli—I'd love to meet you and share a square of chocolate.