"Chocolate pairs perfectly with savory notes."
This bold concept took root in 2007 when Nicolas Cloiseau, the acclaimed chef chocolatier and Meilleur Ouvrier de France, first fused vegetables with chocolate. Now, La Maison du Chocolat introduces a captivating collection of five vegetable-infused flavors in its "Salty Spirit" box.
We put them to the test: chocolates with surprisingly harmonious vegetable twists!
Familiar favorites like salted butter caramel, pistachio, and fleur de sel have paved the way. Following fruits, flowers, and herbs, vegetables now elevate chocolate to new heights.
For newcomers and skeptics alike, start with the Guérande salt chocolate. At first bite, robust dark chocolate shines—crisp, then luxuriously melting. Subtle salt crystals deliver a refreshing zing that lingers pleasantly.
Next, red pepper chocolate offers gentle heat without overwhelming spice. The dark chocolate base dominates, though the pepper's essence is elusive yet intriguing.
Black olive chocolate surprises with its creamy ganache crowned by crunchy praline. Olives often polarize, but this harmonious blend had us reaching for more—a true standout.
Porcini mushroom chocolate delivers thin, crispy perfection. The earthy hazelnut notes of porcini mingle with praline, amplifying the chocolate's depth for an innovative delight that defies expectations.
Caramelized onion chocolate is the boldest: milk chocolate yields quickly to rich, simmered onion flavors that command the palate. A daring shift from onion as mere seasoning to star ingredient.
Love it or loathe it, La Maison du Chocolat's vegetable-chocolate pairings prove a gastronomic triumph.
Available from May 18, 2015, at La Maison du Chocolat.
Box of 15 chocolates: 17€
Box of 25 chocolates: 25€
Laura Girard
