A trip to Asheville, NC is not complete for chocolate addicts and lovers alike without a trip to this cocoa haven filled with everything from gelato and handmade chocolates to cake and liquid truffle drinks. French Broad Chocolates has a Chocolate Lounge where you can order all of the above and then some. Next door is their new Chocolate + Milk Boutique where you can purchase handmade truffles, chocolates, ice cream and some beverages.
You can also enjoy a tea or coffee beverage to go with your chocolate overload.
At the lounge, we ordered a small liquid truffle drinking chocolate. The flavor was cardamom and pistachio with rose. Liquid sex is what Remington called this delicious cup of decadence. This little cup of heaven was so rich and creamy; full of lovely cardamom and rose flavors sprinkled with dried rose petals and toasted pistachio.
We also ordered a small scoop of the Buddha flavored ice cream, which was dark chocolate and coconut cream. It was quite simply the most amazing and perfect chocolate ice cream ever. It was so creamy with the perfect balance of bitter chocolate to smooth coconut. That scoop looks small, but it packs a wallop. After a hearty lunch, the cup of liquid truffle and tiny scoop of ice cream were just perfect to satisfy our chocoholic craving.
While we were there, we also stopped by their Chocolate+Milk Boutique next door to check it out and pick up some MOAR chocolate. >:)
There is definitely no shortage of it available here with their wall of chocolate bar or craft chocolate library as they like to refer to it. You can find a ton of quality, boutique, and local chocolate bars – some of the world’s greatest craft chocolate makers. You can take your time and thumb through over 130 chocolate bars from around the globe.
Make sure to ask staff for samples of any bar, and find a new favorite!
But the star here for us are French Broad’s handmade truffles in some crazy, exotic flavors like Indian Kulfi, Thai, Mole Negro, Strawberry Balsamic, Earl Grey…sounds delicious, right?
This was the Hazelnut Crunch truffle that was given to us as a free sample because we had to wait a few minutes and they were out of several of the flavors we wanted to try. It was sweet chocolate combined with a hazelnut paste and it was so good! We got a half dozen truffles choosing several from the World Collection.
All were amazing! The chocolate is smooth, rich, delectable. The flavors are so exotic, but well balanced and ingenious.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention that they also offer tours of their factory just down the hill. Free self-guided tours are daily from 2:00 – 5:30 and on Saturdays you can experience a guided tour with one of their chocolate makers! Doesn’t that sound like fun!!
Basically, if you are anywhere near the vicinity of Asheville and even so much as like the taste of chocolate, then make a quick bee-line for French Broad. And quick…the line forms fast. 😉
<3 K&R
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