The other day I had the pleasure to be invited to taste chocolate desserts and truffles in a “beer vs. wine and chocolate pairing taste-off”. This lovely event was hosted in Boulder, CO at the beautiful location of Piece, Love & Chocolate. It was led by Doug Caskey of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, Jeff Mendel, a co-founder of Tabernash Brewing Company and the Colorado Brewers Guild, as well as Piece, Love & Chocolate owner Sarah Amorese.
Piece, Love & Chocolate, Boulder’s specialty chocolate boutique, has been busy since it opened three years ago. It has become the go-to place for all things chocolate – from house made specialty chocolates including truffles, bonbons and bars, wedding and other custom cakes, pastries, desserts and confections, as well as many curated items sourced from local, national and worldwide chocolatiers and professional chocolate artisans. They offer “hot”, trendy chocolates such as colored cocoa butter and airbrushed chocolates, and unusual, unique chocolates such as Truffaloes (truffles in the shape of buffaloes!) as well as Salted Caramel Truffle Tortes, Cookie Tortes, Chocroissants, Chocolate Salted Caramel Cinnamon Rolls, and Bourbon Bacon Brownie Bombs.
They also offer fun and educational, hands-on private, in-store, and corporate classes such as Chocolate Appreciation 101; Tasty Truffle Techniques; Chocolate and Beer Pairing and/or Chocolate and Wine Pairing. At the event my favorite wine pairing was the Balistreri Vineyards late harvest Colorado Chardonnay 2010 with the chocolate salted caramel pumpkin pie. And for the beers it was the Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout with the EspressOhMy Truffle. I also had the pleasure to make some truffles, decorate a small chocolate torte, and prepare my own chocolate croissants. It was so much fun and the bakers that helped us were unbelievably patient and helpful.
Their café is a fun and beautiful place to enjoy a house made dessert, coffee, signature hot sipping chocolates, or one of their brand new “Icy Hot Chocolate” drinks (in more than 20 flavors!)
Beyond their decadent display cases, a portion of the kitchen is fully exposed so that guests can watch the creation of extravagant cakes, tortes, truffles and confections.
They’re gearing up for the holidays with festive baked treats and desserts, and special occasion chocolates such as large chocolate turkeys for Thanksgiving and Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cakes, Santa Clauses and Peppermint Bark for Christmas, hand made chocolate roses and small heart shaped cakes with personalized messages for Valentines, and of course, chocolate Easter Bunnies and Eggs. They love to help folks find that perfect choco-centric gift of books, clothing, cocoa-butter-based beauty products, and other gorgeous chocolate novelties.
I wanted to thank Sarah and her wonderful staff for the invitation and the unbelievable delicious treats you shared and sent along. I am hoping that you will consider opening a store further south and much closer to my home very soon!
Also many thanks to Doug Caskey and Jeff Mendel. I enjoyed the pairing of our local Colorado wines and beers with all the chocolaty treats very much. Like already mentioned above my favorite wine pairing was the Balistreri Vineyards late harvest Colorado Chardonnay 2010 with the chocolate salted caramel pumpkin pie. And for the beers it was the Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout with the EspressOhMy Truffle.
Thank you all again for this wonderful evening.
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