For the Love of Chocolate

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by Bri Kilroy

Alone, chocolate is a flavor, color, description, bribe tactic and a key ingredient to all things delicious. Paired with you, it’s a moment of bliss in a chaotic day; a bodyguard against health risks (we’re all waiting for our doctor to write a prescription for daily chocolate intake); an unbeatable mend to a broken heart; and, I don’t know about you, but it’s been my Valentine’s Day date for the past 25 years.

It’s true that February divides participants into two types of people: those who love Valentine’s Day and those who love to avoid it. This year, however, I encourage you to see its true importance by recognizing it as the day with highest probability of getting chocolate. With a surplus of local chocolate shops, handmade recipes, and creations, there’s no better place to be than Grand Rapids.

Beginning with The Local Epicurean at 111 South Division Avenue, you can count on the artisans to serve an experience like you’ve never tasted before in their back lounge.

“The experience is better here,” says owner, Ryan Raredon, who suggests relaxing in the lounge makes a memorable and unique event. “It’s real chocolate and it’s always fresh.”

Shoppers can purchase individual truffles, but to really show your sweet tooth affection, try a pampering Epicurean Chocolate Lunch. If you think an entire lunch can’t be made based on chocolate, let Local Epicurean show you otherwise.

The three-course phenomenon begins with chocolate espresso made from two dark chocolate truffles, white chocolate and a dash of cinnamon. The second course displays a tray of mouth-watering goodies with a spreadable chocolate ricotta hugged by two mounds of truffle pate, one white and one dark. Chocolate covered strawberries, dried apricots, baguette slices and detailed cookies surround the edges as dipping options. The lunch wraps up with your choice of chocolate, blood orange or lemon gelato, making the comedown from the chocolate excitement pleasant and delicious.

February also debuts some special Valentine’s Day offers at the Local Epicurean, such as a 22-karat gold chocolate truffle and a strawberry truffle rolled in freeze-dried strawberries. In addition to a couple new treats, the Valentine’s Day Epicurean Blush is an option that will provide an upgraded experience to the average dinner date with a fancy three-course meal followed by a dark chocolate truffle class where you’ll experience even more heart-melting tastes. Make reservations by contacting the Local Epicurean at (616) 206-5175.

If this talk of chocolate has you worrying you’ll abandon your “eat better” New Year’s resolution, take solace in the fact that chocolate has joined the ranks as a superfood, a nutrient-rich food with the power of health benefits.

“Chocolate should be re-looked at,” says Jolana Manino, general manager of Sweetie-Licious bakery at the Downtown Market on Ionia and at 2226 Wealthy Street SE. “If you figure ‘superfood,’ you’re looking at the chocolate containing 75-85 percent cocoa.”

Learning that dark chocolate is encouraged in a healthy regime is the greatest news since that time in 1662 when the Bishop of Rome announced that religious fasts aren’t broken by chocolate consumption. Manino also shares that a full-bodied red wine pairs nicely with dark chocolate. So, if your tongue needs a little convincing in embracing the slightly bitter taste of this superfood, wine is a good reason.

If your radar has brought you to the back of the Downtown Market where Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate is located, co-owner Jody Hayden swears, “Red wine and our Arriba truffle are a match made
in heaven.”

Hayden spent her entire adult life working in fair-trade coffee and purchased Grocer’s Daughter, whose main store rests in Empire, Mich, from former owner and good friend, Mimi Wheeler, when she retired. Since then, she has managed to keep an outstanding amount of self-control when surrounded by her chocolate creations so she can share them with the rest of the state. As I usually eat all the chocolate chips before they even make it into the cookie dough, I asked what her secret is. “Oh, we sample plenty throughout the day,” says Hayden. “It’s called quality control.”

That control has resulted in various, completed boxes full of Grocer’s Daughter’s featured items for Valentine’s Day you can find at their website www.GrocersDaughter.com or in shop. Sending a Valentine’s Day card with a solid chocolate heart is a lovely and simple way to spread the love to those you don’t get to see too often.

“We should have more days dedicated to celebrating love,” says Hayden, who reminds us that chocolate also serves as a natural mood-enhance and aphrodisiac. If celebrating love involves more chocolate consumption opportunities, I’m on board.

While it would be easy to satisfy your sweet tooth and put together the ultimate box o’ chocolates with one visit to the Downtown Market, Grand Rapids is not the place to limit yourself when it comes to
local “treateries.”

Vanessa Dionne at Fork Fest 2014.

Vanessa Dionne, owner and chocolatier of Desiderio Chocolate’s, has a line of vegan confections sold on Etsy and plans to have chocolates at the Grand Central Market downtown on 57 Monroe Center St. by Valentine’s Day. Being Italian, Dionne adds an international perspective to Grand Rapids’ chocolate scene. In addition, she partners with New Holland Brewery to create optimal beer and chocolate pairings, as the duo showed at the Wine, Beer and Food festival last November. “The most popular pairings we do are the Beer Barrel Bourbon chocolates with the Dragon’s Milk, the Dragon’s Milk chocolates with the Poet, Raspberry with the Night Tripper, and the Sea Salt with the Pilgrim’s Dole,” she said. Perhaps you found your new tradition for the Hallmark holiday.

And last, but not least, at 2160 Plainfield Avenue, you’ll find Sweetland Candies which has held home in West Michigan since 1919, producing high-quality sweets that make people happy.

Whether you are part of an unconquerable duo, celebrating with those your close with or basking in the day with your cat, treat yourself with something special and enjoy this month in the highest quality. Happy Valentine’s Day, Grand Rapids

Bri Kilroy is a Grand Valley and AmeriCorps alumni who learned to type through vigorous Mavis Beacon trainings. She also passes as an artist, illustrator and author of this bio.

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