The Dessert Course: Chocolate

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Its origins are rooted in ancient Mesoamerican civilization. Fashionable society was captivated as it journeyed into Europe sweeping up in its path passionate devotees from Marie Antoinette to Goethe.

Chocolate houses sprang up, a new industry of making porcelain wares was spawned, and eventually it would make its way into the creations of Europe's most accomplished pastry-cooks.

We invite you to experience the special qualities of chocolate and our own special collection of products.

Chocolate
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Das Schokoladenmadchen
by Jean-Etienne Liotard

“…I had a mind to be friends again with chocolate and so took some… it had every way the desired effect, and what I think very extraordinary is, that it acted according to my wishes.”

French woman of Letters,

Madame de Sévigné

Floral Chocolate Creams

For those who have grown up with British foods, delicacies with fond memories. For those tasting for the first time, sublime!

Sold in packs of two, one for you and one for a friend.

Imported from England

Diderot describes the confectioner's workroom as a laboratory in his Encyclopedia. Workers in this laboratory are busy creating molded chocolates,
Diderot's Encyclopedia.

Visit The Dessert Pantry for more confections!

#326 A L'Ancienne Hot Chocolate

Visit the Dessert Pantry

Le goûter, a little snack of something sweet, is to the French what afternoon tea is to the British. Between 4 and 6 pm, cafés and salons de thé serve tartlets, cakes and cups of thick hot chocolate –a deliciously indulgent and leisurely custom.

A Pot de Crème (pot of cream) is a simple dessert custard, traditionally baked and served in individual, lidded pots. When following the traditional recipe, we recommend baking in ramekins and transferring the custard to our Pot de crème cups for serving. Alternatively, a non-traditional stove-top recipe may be followed.
[Please see recipe page]

Longton Hall Creamware by Mottahedeh

Fashionable Georgian tables included a variety of dishes, arranged in symmetrical patterns. The many courses served required a vast array of serving pieces.

These dessert cups are reproduced from 18^th century designs by the Pont aux Choux factory. Established near Paris in 1743, this was one of the first important faience factories.

"A chocolate cream, Francoise's personal inspiration and specialty would be laid before us, light and fleeting as an 'occasional' piece of music into which she had poured the whole of her talent. Anyone who refused to partake of it, saying: 'No, thank you, I've finished; I'm not hungry any more,' would at once have been relegated to the level of those Philistines who, even when an artist makes them a present of one of his works, examines its weight and material, whereas what is of value is the creator's intention and his signature."

Swann's Way,
Marcel Proust