All Swiss chocolate is not the same, as we’re sure you have already discovered!
Commercial chocolate is good, but the hand-crafted stuff is better! Tempt your taste-buds with these small family-run businesses. You will usually be surprised at how different they are and how they will make chocolate-eating a whole new experience! Some of these places are also tea-rooms and serve their own specialty of homemade hot chocolate; you literally need a spoon to eat it!
It is fun to peer through the windows of these shops as the holiday themes make their appearance. Apart from the obvious: Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, there are cute themes such as the Car Show in March, Poisson d’Avril (see page 210), chestnuts in September, and the Marmite de l’Escalade (see page 203). As demands are high in the chocolate-giving seasons, make sure to order in advance.
Enjoy your own chocolate-tasting experience while you relax with a coffee or pot of tea! Some places have their own trademark “chocolat chaud maison”, sometimes so thick no other nibble is necessary. Here are our 2 RECOMMENDATIONS of the month:
—Chocolaterie de l’Arve
13, pl. de l’Octroi
1227 Carouge (GE)
M. & Mme Gianetti
022 343 45 00
There is an outdoor terrace on the Place and a little private courtyard (tell them that you want to sit in the courtyard as it is accessed through the building’s main door). Inside there are only 3 tables. Note: Try their Mieline (nougat made exclusively with honey and sliced almonds, and covered in chocolate). Another specialty is chocolate with ginger, cinnamon, or their homemade griottes (cherries soaked in alcohol). Closed Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday mornings.
—Chocolaterie Tea-Room Wuthrich
Av. Juste-Olivier 11
1006 Lausanne (VD)
021 312 58 88
Tea-room with terrace. Try their Giscard® chocolates, their own creation. Once you have tried one, you will know what all the fuss is about. Order them from the website if you don’t live close by.
If you are avoiding putting on a few kilos then try this treatment:
—La Villa du Lac
93, ch. du Châtelard
01220 Divonne-les-Bains (France)
0033/450 99 40 08
Don’t miss their indoor spa that offers, among others, a Forfait Délice: a sugar exfoliation, a chocolate body wrap, followed by a back massage with moisturizing butter. Price: €131.-.
Chocolate gift basket idea:
Youngs Double Chocolate Malt Beer bought at Manor or Jim’s British Market, exotic chocolates with hot peppers (Merkur), chocolate fondue set, marmalade made with chocolate (have seen in French supermarkets), chocolate-covered coffee beans (Coop and Aldi), Nutella or Ovamaltine spread, hot chocolate packages (big Coops sell exotic brands), a brownie mix (American Market), and a chocolate scented candle (Casa). Visit Chocophile for chocolate-related items like jewelry and trinkets if you want to splurge a bit more.
Chocolate fondue recipe
Of course you can just go and buy Favarger’s pre-made Fondue au Chocolate at the store and heat in microwave for a quick and delicious dessert. We tried the one from the Migros and do not recommend it as the taste was very diluted and it was quite oily/greasy.
—200g bar of cooking chocolate broken into pieces.
—1/2 cup or 1 deciliter of cream
—1 tsp vanilla if desired
—Fruit cut in bite-size pieces (banana, strawberries, kiwi, apple, orange, tangerine, pear, cherries, peaches, mango, physalis, grapes, or whatever is in season)
—Walnuts and dried fruits such as dates, apricots, prunes
—Marshmallows
—Crusty bread in cubes
—Peanut butter mixed with powdered milk (let sit for 45 minutes together and form into bite-size balls) keep refrigerated until ready to use.
1 Arrange the dipping items on a large platter or place on individual plates.
2 Melt chocolate in a bowl with the cream in the microwave or set atop a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add vanilla. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate will become grainy.
3 Place the bowl over a smaller bowl of hot water to keep it warm or spoon the chocolate mixture into warmed individual mini bowls for each person.
4 Use fondue forks or wooden spears to dip the bits into the chocolate. Supply lots of napkins and enjoy!
Make sure to read Gavin's article on Cartier Chocolate here!
