A Tour of Rhode Island's Boutique Chocolatiers

Indulging in chocolate is one of life's bittersweet passions, tempered with pleasure and ridden with guilt over caloric intake, though some of the fats in chocolate do not impact cholesterol. Dark chocolate, especially, contains many health benefits from flavonoids acting as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals which can cause damage leading to heart disease. A small bar of dark chocolate has the potential to lower blood pressure in individuals with elevated blood pressure, and reduces LDL cholesterol up to ten per cent. Chocolate is known to stimulate endorphin production which gives rise to feelings of pleasure. The serotonin component acts as an anti-depressant. Therefore, a tour of Rhode Island's boutique chocolatiers constitutes a happy trail rather than a road to perdition.

Garrison Confections (72 Ledge St., Central Falls)-Considered one of New England's best chocolatiers, Andrew Shotts, co-owner, began dreaming of making his own line of gourmet chocolate bonbons while working as the pastry chef at La Cote Basque in New York City where he began experimenting with chocolate, flavor, and texture combinations. Most of Garrison's signature handmade bonbons include two flavors or textural combinations within each piece. Following the change of seasons, this chocolatier introduces twelve new flavors approximately every three months. Each premium chocolate collection is named after and is available only during its corresponding season-Summer Solstice, Autumnal Equinox, Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox.

Hauser Chocolatier (59 Tom Harvey Rd., Westerly)--founded in 1983 by master confectioner Ruedi Hauser Sr. and his wife, Lucille, with the intent to produce world-class confections handmade in the USA. Specializing in hand-finished, fresh cream truffles and other distinctive gourmet chocolate delights, each creation is made with fresh cream, dairy butter, and a blend of select, premium chocolate.

Jennifer's Chocolates (Wakefield Mall, 160 Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield)-occupying an open area inside the mall for the past decade, this chocolatier specializes in centers with toasted nuts, sweet butter, cream, and fruit juices coated with premium chocolate. They use Merckens couvertures for their milk and white chocolates, and Callebaut couverture for dark chocolates. A dedicated corps of test-tasting volunteers includes friends, family, customers, and staffers.

Laurent Val's Handcrafted Chocolates(www.laurentvalschocolates.com)--a local chocolatier with no brick and mortar store, chocolate connoisseurs from East to West may get a taste of Rhode Island. In 2003 when Laurent Val was hired by one of the finest boutique hotels in the state to run their restaurant's pastry department, his work soon began to attract attention of the local media. In January 2008, Val formed his own company and within a few months RI Monthly Magazineawarded him the distinction of "Best European Chocolates of Rhode Island 2008." Val's impressive chocolate collection is free of preservatives and artificial ingredients. Take a gander at the Rochambeau and Sunset collections.

Newport Chocolates (82 Williams St., Newport)-- located in the heart of historic Newport, their mission is to make quality chocolate products on the premises, presented in beautiful packaging and offered at fair prices. Over 90 varieties of truffles, cream fills, nuts, turtles, and cordials beckon chocolate connoisseurs. They also feature a wide variety of molded products indigenous to the coastal state-lobsters, sailboats, and seashells.

Sweenor's Chocolates (Garden City Shopping Center, 100 Midway Rd., Cranston; 21 Charles St., Wakefield; Charlestown Village, Rtes. 1 & 2, Charlestown)-Rhode Island's largest chocolate manufacturer, Sweenor's focus is on quality using only the finest ingredients of fresh cream, butter, honey roasted nuts, and a special blend of pure milk and dark chocolates. One of their chocolate novelties includes "The Best of RI set"-a lobster and two quahogs.

The Chocolate Delicacy (219 Main St., East Greenwich)-founded in 1992, their signature piece is the handmade truffle. They have over 300 types of molds ranging from alphabet and numbers to sports along with their exclusive 1 ½ lb. Rhode Island bar. Popular mold pieces include such Rhody favorites as fish and shells.

Chocolate connoisseurs will delight in sampling some of Rhode Island's finest gourmet confections in the purist traditions. The key is indulging in moderation or you'll reach a saturation point like Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz in the I Love Lucy episode, "Job Switching," where they couldn't keep up the fight against a speedy conveyor belt of chocolates and stuffed themselves silly.