Ghrirardelli warms the belly
The folks at Private Chocolatiers are prepared for Valentine’s Day with
In 16th-century Mexico and Europe, chocolate also served as medicine.
unique gifts for your beloved including an 8-pound chocolate heart, chocolate
Explorer Hernan Cortés reportedly said that chocolate was “the divine drink
body paint – complete with a brush(!), “lust dust” (that would be chocolate
which builds up resistance...a
powder), a candy bra (ooh-la-la!), a huge chocolate-chip message cookie, and
cup of this precious drink per-
even your picture printed on chocolate. Call Private Chocolatiers at 642-3566
mits man to walk for a whole
and tell them the writer who was salivating over their showcase sent you.
day without food.” Historical
Heading west to Port Jefferson there are several chocolate boutiques,
documents discuss how cacao
including the all-sweet-treats-inclusive Port Jefferson Frigate. Claiming to be
was used to promote weight
the “largest ice cream and confectionary shop on Long Island,” the Frigate
gain, stimulate the nervous
will never disappoint. This has been a regular stop on my Port Jeff jaunts for
system, improve digestion and
years now and I have the bigger pants size to prove it. Here you will find a full
treat anemia, poor appetite, poor
line of Godiva chocolates that represent “the craftsmanship and exceptional
breast milk production, tubercu-
quality perfected with over 80 years of Belgian chocolate making,” according
losis, fever, gout, ulcers, kidney
to their brochure (but I can vouch for that). Breathe in the smell of chocolate
stones, reduced longevity and
that hits you as soon as you enter the Frigate – the classic pralines, tempting
low virility.
truffles, gorgeous ganaches and creamy caramels.
Fast forward to 2010 and
“We have over 100 kinds of chocolate here in addition to the Godiva line,”
some good news: though most
says Roger Rutherford, manager of the Frigate. Their biggest chocolate seller
of the old medicinal beliefs are
is the Godiva Double Chocolate Raspberry Truffles, and the most popular ice
not founded, the darker chocolates are proving to be good for you. Choco-
cream is Sedutto’s Midnight Cookie Fudge. But if it is delicious ice cream
late helps to produce flavonoids, an antioxidant that protects us against heart
you want, I swear by the chocolate Coney Island custard, available March
disease and cancer (note, however, that the same flavonoids can be found in
through November. It is the real deal and absolutely delicious. Oh, and please
fruits and vegetables, which would be the healthier antioxidant option)!
don’t leave without tasting the hazelnut gelato, goodness no. It’s like going
Nevertheless, these medicinal uses of chocolate throughout time certainly
to a movie and skipping the popcorn. See everything the Frigate has to offer
don’t cross our minds as we crunch on a Kit-Kat. Heck, we just eat it ‘cuz it
at www.portjeffersonfrigate.com and let me know if the website alone didn’t
tastes good.
break you down.
While you’re in Port Jefferson, please do stop at “Long Island’s Best
Desserts,” which legitimately carries that name. They don’t sell candy but
They melt in your mouth, not in your hands
they have chocolate cakes, pies and other specialty desserts that will knock
As a designated “M&Mbassador,” I felt it my duty to take on the as-
your carob off. Go for a slice of Death by Chocolate, the chocolate cream
signment of visiting a few local
pie or the Coppa Mascarpone,
chocolatiers to sample their wares
which marries mascarpone cream,
and report my findings. It’s a fat-
chocolate sauce and amaretto
tening job, but someone’s gotta do
cookies in a honeymoon of the
it, right?
palate. This sweet bakery/café
Private Chocolatiers in Mt.
gives you a hundred reasons to
Sinai offers delectable confec-
start your New Year’s resolution
tions that will surround you as
all over again – and certainly with
soon as you enter the store. There
a chocolate-mustached grin.
are multiple shelves of chocolate
There are dozens more qual-
gift baskets, cookies, crackers,
ity chocolate businesses on the
dips, and much more. The own-
North Shore but I would be re-
ers have been making chocolate
miss if I didn’t mention Sweets
for 35 years and use only real
Unlimited, Star Confectionary
Belgian chocolate. Everything is
and Harry and David’s – all in
handmade on the premises, from
Riverhead, Godiva boutique in
the chocolate to the inside fillings,
Stony Brook Village, and Bon
even the marshmallow. When
Bons Chocolatier in Huntington.
asked what product is a must to
I also bid a fond farewell to Lindt
try, they boast that their chocolate-
in the Smith Haven Mall, which
covered marzipan is the best on the
closes its doors on January 31
market, “nobody comes near” their
(but not before we can grab pre-
chocolate-covered pretzels (they
mium chocolate at 70% off, my
actually carry 15 varieties), and their peanut butter cups are creamy, not dry,
friends).
“the way they should be”). They carry almost 700 different kinds of items
There is no denying that chocolate is intoxicating for many of us. I often
including everything you’ll ever need like pistachio turtles, chocolate-covered
wonder if inebriation by chocolate would register on a breathalyzer after
strawberries, peanut clusters, fudge, truffles and chocolate covered cherries
pulling a Perugina all-nighter. We have our forefathers to thank for the extra
(sigh). They even have a “Dream List” that contains over 60 items that serve
calories and cravings: Rodolphe Lindt, Milton Hershey, Richard Cadbury and
as a “chocolate registry,” if you will, for those who want to find the perfect
Henri Nestlé, all of whom gave birth to the best of chocolate over the last 150
gift for their special someone.
years.
The two proprietors of Private Chocolatiers will impress you not only
So with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I would suggest buying your
with their products but with their expertise in the field. They can rattle off
girl a box of chocolate (maybe with champagne or a red wine) to really bring
the different “varietals” of chocolate like a vintner would expound on grape
home the message of love. She may complain at first (“no way! I need to lose
quality. They casually explain how “real” chocolate must contain cocoa
10 pounds!”) but take it from me: she wants the chocolate so buy it anyway.
mass and cocoa butter, how a particular type of chocolate is determined by
You can always tell her that you love her just the way she is.
the amount of milk and sugar that is added and that white chocolate is not
really chocolate because it contains no cocoa mass. They explain how the big
“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t
chocolate companies want to substitute up to 10% of cocoa butter with palm
hurt!” -- Charles M. Schulz.
kernel oil to produce cheaper chocolate and that the buyer should beware of
Truer words cannot be spoken. Happy Valentine’s Day, and relish in your
the word “chocolatey” because it does not mean “chocolate.”
Reese’s romance.
15
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