If there’s one thing to get about Chocolatier Blue (and therefore, my obsession with it) is that each finely crafted morsel is NOT what we widely call candy. Snickers bars, Skittles, Kisses, etc. they’re one thing. Chocolatier Blue is entirely another.
Calling a jewel-like Chocolatier Blue a piece of candy does a great disservice to the Italian Domori chocolate shells (no one else in the world is using this chocolate to create filled chocolates), made-from-scratch fillings and finishes (if it says raspberry, it’s actually made with raspberries, not some neon-glo industrial goo approximation – how ‘bout that?), and unbelievably fashioned flavors.
Chocolatier Blue stands in the realm of fine chocolate bars – good ingredients, expert technique, and amazing taste. If you’re gonna call it candy, you might as well be slapping Christopher Blue, the genius behind each piece, in the face (be advised, though, he might slap you back).
And after tasting any of his flavors, you just might slap yourself in the face. In a good way. Case in point: the new seasonal summer flavors. In addition to the classic Palet d’Or (sublime dark chocolate), addictive Hazelnut, and the fine chocolate world’s answer to sour candy, Passion Fruit Caramel, the new roster features comforting, American classics like Root Beer Float, Banana Split, and S’Mores.
For the latter, Blue makes his own fresh vanilla marshmallows and layers it with cherry wood-smoked graham crackers to evoke that campfire feeling. The layering is present too in the Banana Split with caramelized namesake fruit, Madagascar vanilla beans, and fresh cherries. Then there’s PB Crunch – basically a handcrafted Butterfinger with ground homemade peanut brittle. Candy like flavors, only without the industrial crap.
Libation lovers, take note. The Mojito is limey, minty, and almost better than the cocktail after a mid-summer’s night dinner. Purists can revel in the summer fruity line-up, particularly the bright and punchy Raspberry featuring a note of boozy framboise liqueur and Cherries Jubilee (made withUtahsour cherries, it’s what cherry cordials dream of being). The biggest surprise was the Blueberry – a normally demure fruit relegated to fruit cups and anonymous muffins, in Chocolatier Blue form it’s the most vibrant incarnation, putting chocolate covered blueberries momentos inMainegift shops to shame.
Admittedly, I love them all. For the sake of chocolate research – I LOVE chocolate research – I’m partial to the skill and quality. I’ve heard some folks say choosing one is like singling out a favorite child. They couldn’t do it. But I can. World, meet my two new favorite Chocolatier Blues – Coconut and Vanilla Rum. Vanilla Rum is simple and wildly delicious (yes, vanilla can be wild) with the rum dovetailing into this often ubiquitous flavor. Roasted coconut is Blue’s answer to a Mounds Bar only the coconut actually tastes like coconut and the chocolate is actually chocolate.
So there you go – familiar, even candy and confection-inspired. Summer is an exciting time to try Chocolatier Blue. If you still can’t wrap your head around NOT calling it candy, just think of it candy for grown-ups with exceptional taste. Yourself included.
Vanessa Chang is a Caputo’s Market alum, Chocolate freak, and food nerd. Follow her on Twitter (@VNess) and on her blog SheCraves.
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Wow! Vanessa nailed it. What a great new perspective on an old classic.
My favorite is Sweet Tea. It’s light and sweet and oh, so delicious. But I’ve never tried the Palet d’Or or the Vanilla Rum before! Now I know what I’ll be buying on my next trip to Caputo’s!
Very beautiful and very intriguing to have used all fresh flavors. Would love to try the mojito
Thanks for the article, now I really need a carrot cake chocolate treat.
anything with hazelnut and chocolate makes me swoon!
Passion fruit caramel…..oh yeah!!!!!
My favorite is a tie between the pistachio and hazelnut. Though I may have to swing by and try the vanilla rum…mmmm….
wow, interesting! i love raspberry so def raspberry! and grapefruit rosemary sounds unique!
It’s very hard to choose but my favorites so far are Grapefruit with Rosemary and Cookies & Cream. Mind blowing deliciousness!
Do they do anything with peaches for the fall? If not I’d love to try the Vanilla Rum.
The Palet d’Or is still my go to. I’m excited for the Vanilla Rum.
bought a box of 30 yesterday for a gift. They loved it. Can’t wait to try either the coconut or vanilla rum!
LOVE the passion fruit caramel.
Love the pistachio, espresso, and blueberry. Would love to try the cherries jubilee, mojito, and kaffir lime. And after reading this, the vanilla rum and coconut.
Oh, I love them all. I can’t pick just one. Really.
I would like to try them all, since I haven’t tried any of them yet
. I am a chocolate freak, but Dark is my favorite.
Oh I can’t wait to try these!!! Especially the mojito!! Hopefully it’s through winning them first!
The Passion Fruit Caramel sounds wonderful and I would love to try it.
Passion fruit caramel was my gateway drug, and I still love it.
I’m looking forward to trying the S’mores and the Sweet Corn chocolates. They look to be very different and very interesting.
That amuurzing red heart piece! Can’t remember the name, also love sage honey. I would love to try that new green heart piece called Mojito! My 9-year anniversary is coming up and I’d love to give DH a big box of these (that I will eat when he is not looking).
I LOVE these chocolates. They make the best gifts – to give and receive. Although I have had my favorite flavors in the past, I have never tried the Mojito. I am definitely looking forward to trying that.
Would love to try the passion fruit caramel and PB crunch! All sound so good
I would love to try PB crunch. I hope I win!
I would LOVE to taste the coconut. And the smores sounds divine as well. Please pick me!!
As always, well put, Vanessa!
Have yet to have one that I don’t like! Of course Passion Fruit always makes my tastebuds happy. Recently had the PB Crunch and it was like a Butterfinger…but WAY better. Looking forward to more new flavors as they come!
Chocolatier Blue is some of the best chocolate on the planet. Simply amazing and . . . crisp, fresh flavors. Other filled chocolates taste like chocolate filled with flavored chocolate. These taste like chocolate filled with the flavor that they are, but without being overpowering. Wonderfully balanced. They are simply fantastic. The best flavor, though, is the Passion Fruit Caramel, and yes, it deserves to spelled with capital letters.
These are the most beautiful creations! I have oogled at them while shopping but have yet to indulge. I can’t wait to actually try 1 or 10!
Love real chocolate! Usually gravitate toward dark chocolates, but they all sound soooo yummy.
I would love to try the banana split.
Banana split is my favorite. I would like to try caramel.
The Chili, dark, spicy what”s not to like picked some up over the weekend.
Definitely would like to try dark chocolate. Caputo’s has a great selection of Italian imports. Just told sent a friend there for the first time the other day.
LOVE dark chocolate… it would have to be the Expresso! Would love to win a jewel filled box!
I just want to try them all! But, especially the Cherries Jubilee, Coconut and Vanilla Rum. YUM.
I love Chocolatier Blue’s chocolate! Each piece is so beautiful. I love to savor each bite. I found the grapefruit with rosemary to be simply wonderful! The dark chocolate and passionfruit caramel are amazing, too! Can’t wait to try some of the new summer flavors!
I think my keyboard might be ruined from drooling so much. I’m excited to try the S’more even if it does ruin me on the traditional campfire kind for good.
I am addicted to the passionfruit and I’d like to see more spicy flavors! I already dig the chili. Maybe an aztec chocolate or cinnamon/spice? Never get rid of the Blue counter! I always get boxes for gifts, and the recipients are always amazed.
I love these pretty little chocolates! I would love to try the s’more flavor. Yum!
I have tried many of the flavors though they are all amazing, passion fruit caramel it’s ALWAYS a surprising experience. The flavors travel exquisitely from the front to the back of my mouth with a sparkle lingering for minutes after it’s gone. It’s a chocolate to dream about, which I do frequently
Thank you Tony for bringing such wonderful tastes to this little corner of the world.
mmm.. i just LOVE the grapefruit rosemary. .. yes as others suggest the passion fruit caramel is also wonderful. .. but the bitter sweetness of grapefruit with rosemary is complex and cuts into the creaminess of the chocolate at the right angle. ..
I want to try them all!
I can’t possibly pick a favorite, but I have to say that they are too pretty to even eat!!!
Sounds great! I’d love to try the dark chocolate and the passion fruit caramel, among others . . .
Great post! I’ve only had a few examples of Chocolatier Blue’s stuff, but it has all been fantastic. I really liked hearing Matt talk about it at the chocolate class I did. Thanks for the info!
Passion fruit caramel has to be my favorite, although I have yet to try one that I didn’t like. The coconut sounds wonderful – I might have to go in this week and get me one!
I regret that I haven’t tried every single flavor of this delicious and artful chocolate ! The PB crunch and coconut are my favorites so far but I know that the next ones I try will become my new favorites! Thanks for the great post!
i was in berkeley for my honeymoon and we stopped by chocolatier blue on university avenue every day! my favorite was the kaffir lime.
I would love to try them all, but will start with the hazelnut and PB.
Espresso and Hazelnut are always included in my selections.
Pistachio, mmmm mmm mm!
Those chocolates are ‘works of art’ that look too good to eat, but if I had to, it would definitely be Raspberry!
For the holidays, I like to give items that are unique to the area I live. These chocolates fit the bill and everyone I have sent them to for gifts has provided positive feedback. Of course Caputos is one of my favorite places!
So many interesting flavors I would like to try!!! Mojito, Strawberry Rhubarb, Grapefruit Rosemary, Sweet Corn, Passionfruit Caramel, Chili, Lemon, Pistachio, Lime, Banana Split!