Chocolate Necessities

Chocolate Necessities 25th Anniversary Celebration

2011-09-13T12:29:02Z

CHOCOLATE NECESSITIES CELEBRATES 25 YEARS:
"A Night in Paris"
Thursday, Sept. 15
5-9 P.M. DROP-IN PARTY, AMERICAN MUSEUM OF RADIO AND ELECTRICITY (AMRE)
1312 BAY STREET, BELLINGHAM
[BENEFITING MERCY CORPS & THE AMRE]
LIVE MUSIC: BAR TABAK

Kevin G. Buck, artisan chocolatier, opened the doors of Chocolate Necessities at 4600 Guide Meridian in Bellingham in 1986 and expanded to a second shop downtown six years ago.

The party celebration, a drop-in anytime gathering, has a "Night in Paris" theme in keeping with our commitment to the high standards of European chocolate.

A popular local band, Bar Tabak, will provide live music. You'll enjoy a cash bar, a truffle tasting bar, cheesecake custom-created by Chuckanut Bay Foods, and drawings for prizes such as a chocolate shoe house and a chocolate stiletto high heel shoe, shirts, and other prizes.

Meet and greet the chocolatiers and staff of Chocolate Necessities. A donation of $10 is suggested for proceeds from the event to support the food security mission of Mercy Corps and the host AMRE.

Still operating in the original kitchen/store, Buck specializes in original-recipe truffles and other chocolate creations using only the highest-grade chocolate available around the world.

"You can never exceed your ingredients," Buck says. "There are very few chocolate shops like ours in North America. We take pride in offering only quality chocolate from the best sources, and educating customers about understanding what they are experiencing, why it's the best and how to select."

He starts with Callebaut of Belgium, a legendary chocolate-maker among traditional European standards. "Chocolate, similar to wine and coffee, has various gradients of quality and we source only Callebaut's highest grade," Buck says. "We do the same with any other supplier we find, and we are constantly searching for the top-grade from the best cacao-producing regions on earth."

The store carries many single-origin chocolate bars and about 40 chocolate chips as far-ranging, for example, as a rain forest co-op in Ecuador, to the only chocolate produced in Madagascar, to the tiny island nation Vanuatu in the Fiji chain. Chocolate Necessities features the best chocolate from Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, and Switzerland, plus Buck's own unique chocolate bars with genache fillings unfound elsewhere (such as port wine, or hazelnut gianduja).

About six years ago Chocolate Necessities expanded to downtown, introducing Bellingham's first traditional Italian gelato. During June 2010 it moved to a sit-down location, Chocolate Necessities " Gelato, at 1426 Cornwall Avenue. It offers an array of European-inspired original desserts, Italian sipping chocolate, authentic affogato (espresso over gelato), Buck's "Imperial Cheesecake" with double-chocolate genache, and other offerings including a coffee/tea/wine/ale list.

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Chocolate Necessities News & Views

2010-07-31T18:41:35Z

Greetings, Chocolate Gourmand,

During our “Chocolate Art Week,” now through August 6, if you do not live in the Bellingham/Whatcom County area, you can enjoy virtually all of our 3-dimensional artisan chocolate works here on our Web site.

The most artistic pieces – our renowned, stylish stiletto heels; various animals (Daddy Frog and Tommy Turtle are favorites!), and a marvelous mask (Drama, Mardi Gras style), e.g. – will be on display at our new downtown chocolate and dessert shop. They also remain on shelves at the factory store, as usual. The downtown store hours are 10-10 M-Th, 10-11 Fri-Sat, 12-6 Sun.

Kevin G. Buck, approaching his 25^th anniversary as an artisan chocolatier and founder of Chocolate Necessities, plans to talk to you about the art of making chocolate and creating artisan chocolate pieces on Wednesday, August 4, between 5-7 p.m.

If you want to attend one of the three presentations centering on the art of chocolate, please email mike@chocolatenecessities.com and state your time preference: 5, 5:45, or 6:15 p.m.

The centerpiece for “Chocolate Art Week,” which we established in support of the annual Bellingham Arts Festival, is a giant shoe-house fashioned after a nursery rhyme (“There was an old lady who lived in a shoe, who had so many children she didn’t know what to do….”). Made from world-class Belgian milk chocolate, it weighs 10 pounds, and it is 15 years old.

* * *

Although summer limits the areas we can ship to because of the melting factor, we do have some items that are good to go by our normal USPS express shipping method all year round.

One is the Imperial Double-Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake, which will be a big hit on your table for any special occasion. It is an original recipe using 100 percent Dutch cocoa powder and 64 percent dark Belgian chocolate, and it contains no preservatives. Chuckanut Bay Foods in nearby Ferndale, WA, which has been famous for its cheesecakes for about 20 years, bakes it exclusively for us. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else. That’s a promise.

* * *

Looking ahead, save the date: Oct. 20. Kevin G. Buck will once again hold class in the kitchen of the Bellingham Community Food Co-Op at the downtown location, 1120 N. Forest St. [http://www.communityfood.coop]. This will be just in time to get you rolling into the holiday baking seasons.

* * *

One thing Kevin has always prided himself on at Chocolate Necessities is keeping you in tune with the very best chocolate to be found around the world. One of his favorite sayings is, “You can never exceed your ingredients.”

He recently brought in two unbelievably good additions to our world of top-grade gourmet chocolate:

One is made in Spain – Chocovic. (Vic is a city in Spain.) Three darks passed the very-high Buck Taste Standards, along with an extraordinary, sublime milk chocolate that is unique because it is made with a yogurt base.

Madecasse offers a strong dark (75%) and a smooth milk from Madagascar, the huge island nation in the Indian Ocean off the SE coast of Africa. This young company has an interesting story: the chocolate evolved from the partners’ experiences in the Peace Corps.

Last year Chocolate Necessities introduced you to what has become our most popular dark milk chocolate (44%), originating from the tiny island nation of Vanuatu in the Fiji chain.

You’ve got to try all these to believe them. And, of course, we have reliable standbys from the giants of Europe – Felchin (Switzerland), Pralus (France), Belcolade (Belgium) and the cornerstone of our original truffles and other products, Callebaut (Belgium).

They all make excellent, beyond-the-ordinary corporate gifts.

* * *

We’re pleased to report that our downtown store has become a big hit. We want it to be a destination stop for exquisite desserts modeled after European pastry chef excellence. Our offerings center on chocolate, gelato, creams and fruit toppings, gourmet cheesecake, Italian-tradition sipping chocolate, espresso and French

pressed coffee. We develop much of our menu from scratch and our active imaginations.

Contact us to reserve the dessert shop for business meetings, company parties, or personal special occasions. Let us know any time how we can serve you better and answer any questions you have about chocolate.

Welcome to a World Beyond....It's Made of Chocolate

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Chocolate Necessities Father's Day And Grand Opening

2010-06-18T14:58:51Z

FATHER'S DAY and GRAND OPENING

One of the most fun times at the Chocolate Necessities factory store is when Kevin G. Buck puts on his lab coat (it's a denim-blue smock) and turns into Dr. Chocolastein. But he creates goodness, not monsters.

You can all but see his mind swirling in synch with the churning of chocolate in the tempering vats. He hits upon a concept, which might result in a rare, if not unique, bar or artistic moulded shape, or his ultimate masterpieces - truffles.

Then Kevin G. meanders to the shelves lined with chocomagic potions. Uncommon pastry chef liqueur flavors�$200 a bottle vanilla�imported cr�mes�m�lange of berries and nuts� peanut butter, coconut, caramel, hazelnut, almond�coffees, espressos, and wines�a Tequila or a Scotch that you won't find even if you shop 'til you drop.

And then, he explores the chocolate possibilities. The standard, dark or milk from Belgium? The milk 44% which the little faraway Fiji nation of Vanuatu took over to the dark side? Semisweet or bittersweet? Even a white, perhaps, sprinkled with poppyseed?

What brings all this to mind are two major weekend events - our Grand Opening of the downtown Bellingham WA chocolate and dessert shop (1426 Cornwall Ave, a few doors east of the Pickford Theater).

FIRST, FATHER'S DAY

Bring Dad to the downtown shop and his cone or cup of gelato is free. And, for his special gift:

You won't even believe the sublime burst of flavors from Dr. Smock's original truffle creations for this special day of honoring Dad: the Scotch and the Oro.

With an extremely rare Laphroaig Scotch and three of the world's finest-grade chocolate selections, he infused the bittersweet genache of a 75% Tarakan and 70% Valrhona, and coated the genache with 54% Belgian semisweet. Earthy. Smoky. Unreal. See what words you come up with. They might even leave you speechless, making guttural sounds of pleasure.

Ditto, the Oro consisting of hazelnut wine from local Samson Estates of Lynden, highlighted with a hazelnut paste, rolled into a 32% Belgian milk chocolate, and wearing a shell of our favorite dark-milk - the tropical-isle Vanuatu's astounding 44%.

Other excellent Father's Day ideas:

Golf Theme: Dark Chocolate Golf Club and Ball, Box of Golf Balls (3) wrapped in gold foil, or Golf Bag of Clubs in milk or dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Cigar, wrapped in gold foil.

Lucky Cards: chocolate shaped like playing cards, highlighted in color with the face of specific cards.

"Imperial Dark Chocolate Cheesecake" - by the slice at the new downtown dessert shop, or in family size (32 oz) or party size (4 lb in 16 slices). We can ice-pack this for shipment. It's an original-recipe, double-genache, out-of-this-world cheesecake baked by the experts with a renowned 20-year history of excellence, Chuckanut Bay Foods in nearby Ferndale.

GRAND OPENING

We have several specials planned for you when you visit the wonderful ambience that we're very proud of downtown, with sit-down space for up to 20 at tables or our dessert bar.

The store manager, Chelsea, teamed with Dr. Smock to create an exquisite menu of desserts in European style around our world-class chocolate, the original chocolate cheesecake, and the authentic Italian gelato. We have more than 20 gelato flavors for this special weekend.

The specials for the celebration Friday and Saturday:

Truffle Genache artisan gourmet "Taste Sensation" - enjoy one for 50 cents w/ any purchase, while supply lasts. Kevin G. made these just last night for this occasion, a sampling like you would taste in one of his gourmet chocolate-making classes.

Gelato - $1 a flavor, or $5 for cornucopia bowl of "Fantasia Delight" that is larger than life.

"Imperial Dark Double-Genache Chocolate Cheesecake" - $1 off a slice, or whole cheesecakes @ $19.95 (family size 32 oz) and $39.95 (party size, 4 lb in 16 slices).

Drawing for two separate prizes: Belcolade Stuffed Talking Bear and a $10 Gift Certificate. Just leave your name and email address (or contact info if you don't have email).

While they last: We have just four each in sizes S, M, L, and XL of a collectible T-shirt, "Follow Me to Chocolate Heaven," that is free to the first 16 of you who make a purchase of $25 or more.

WHAT'S NEW

As you know, Kevin G. Buck constantly searches for and taste tests for the most outstanding chocolate around the entire globe. If it passes his high standards, which insures his commitment to you receiving only the most "true" chocolate, he goes the distance to bring it to you.

The latest examples are (1.) an extraordinary chocolate from Spain that is made with a yogurt base that is exemplary in its smoothness as it melts over your taste buds; (2.) the first venture into gourmet, artisan chocolate in Madagascar.

If you're in town, stop in and sample these. You'll be hooked.

And of course, we have the usual array of more than 40 worldwide varieties of chocolate chips for knoshing, chocolate in bulk for baking or truffle-making, and the unique chocolate bars and chocolate shapes that have become the Chocolate Necessities trademarks, along with the fresh truffles.

A QUICK WORD about shipping. Summer is our down time for sending you chocolate, because we don't want you to have a melted, gooey mess (even though it would still taste great). We have a means, however, of using ice packs if you have a special occasion - but we want to be up front that it incurs extra costs.

If you're in Alaska or the Arctic, call or write. We can serve you now�.

AND FINALLY, as a loyal follower by our email newsletter and/or on our Facebook page, this weekend at either store if you say to us, "You're as Good as Gold," you'll enjoy a free gold bullion-shaped bite bar wrapped in gold foil.

Let us hear from you any time, and please tell your friends to become a Fan on Facebook for regular updates.

Thanks for being part of our global family of chocolate lovers.

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Chocolate Necessities Message

2010-03-29T19:33:35Z

Our Easter Parade on Display

The weekend is closing in, and you're filling your baskets. Our long parade of more than 20 shapes and sizes of bunnies and chicks leads the way. You won't find any better artisan creativity - which includes many carefully hand-painted figures - with the highest-grade European chocolate.

Some are hideable. All are adorable. And, of course, eventually -- all are edible.

Hunk Bunny -- 2 feet tall, weighing more than 7 pounds, beautifully articulated in white and dark chocolate features -- is seeking a good home. This very special creature is worth every ooh, ahh, taste sensation, and hare-raising tale he'll generate for you, your family, and your household guests this holiday season. Come see him to believe him!

News on the Downtown Move

The subcontractors have us crossing our fingers for a move-in as soon as possible after mid-April at 1426 Cornwall. You'll love this new shop. We'll have cozy table space for dropping in, relaxing, and visiting with us about the world of chocolate.

We plan to become the place to come to, your favorite stop-in for an original creative dessert. Our menu is coming together around fantasia of chocolate, gelato, and chocolate-genache cheesecake. You'll enjoy them with coffee, cocoa (our original 2nd-generation mix), and mocha and espresso combinations (like the amazing genuinely Italian-style affogato -- never settle for one of these disguised in ice cream, always insist on gelato).

The ambience of colors and lights is coming together, and our excitement level goes up with each brush stroke. We'll keep you posted, here and on Facebook.

Class: Truths About Quality Chocolate

Tasting. Tempering. Truffling. But nothing trifling in the upcoming class conducted by Kevin G. Buck, the founder of Chocolate Necessities. Kevin's now in his third decade(nt) stage of turning the highest-quality chocolate available into exquisite truffles, filled chocolate bars, and a multitude of other specialties. (Many of Kevin's originals cannot be found anywhere else in North America -- such as the port wine filled bar.)

At the Community Food Co-Op in downtown Bellingham WA, on the evening of April 8, Kevin will "pull back the curtain" on all you should know about chocolate around the world and the U.S., what makes it high quality or not, and how to manage cooking with your chocolate at home. The proof is in the taste, so you'll sample the nuances of world-class dark, semi-sweet, and milk chocolate to gain understanding about how cocoa butter, sugar, and flavorings affect chocolate.

Simply call the Co-Op to register (360.734.8158). Remember, if you become member (no cost), you save on this and other classes. For $33 ($29 for members), you're learning from an artisan who stands among only a few in the U.S. who practice their craft on this level.

Thanks, Fans!

After our last invitation, our Facebook following surged to 400 (Fan in San Fran), and beyond. Our goal is 1,000. Help us by spreading word to your Facebook Friends wherever they live. Our on-line shop never closes!

We're delighted to have you on our mailing list for the newsletter. We also love hearing from you about your wants, needs, thoughts, ideas, suggestions. [info@chocolatenecessities.com]. Especially, we're interested in anything you might recommend in our new downtown shop.

Obviously, for those of you in our region, our favorite thing is to greet you at the flagship factory store where we've been for 23 years, 4600 Guide Meridian in Bellingham WA. Let us know if you'd like to set up a tour, watch chocolate in the making, and let Kevin fill you up with chips and tastes. Mom's day out, anyone? Men only? We'll accomodate you.

Enjoy a meaningful holiday weekend together.

Yours in Chocolate Cravings,

The Chocolate Necessities Team

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Chocolate Necessities Message

2010-03-16T18:25:02Z

Downtown Down-Time: We're on the verge of opening our new downtown location in Bellingham on or about April 1. Unfortunately, in moving we will experience about a week or so between closing the old and opening the new standalone shop featuring a sit-down area and our exciting new dessert menu.

Next Monday, March 22, will be our last day in the current downtown location. We'll move the gelato machine and case, espresso maker, and all the rest of our heavy displays and furnishings next week to 1426 Cornwall -- just a block away, next door to Anker's and a few doors up from the Pickford Cinema.

Meanwhile, we'll remain steady-on at the factory store, 4600 Guide Meridian, where we're in our 24th year just north of Walmart off the corner at Horton. Come visit our Chocolate Bunny Haven soon for your holiday needs, plus the usual case full of extraordinary fresh-genache truffles, plus all your other chocolate necessities.

Watch for another newsletter later this week with more details about the new location.

* * *

"I Feel Lucky!" Say that to us at either location during St. Paddy's Day (Wed, 3-17) and you'll receive a Chocolate Shamrock, as long as our quickly-diminishing supply lasts.

* * *

Chocolate Class & Tasting April 8: Call the Community Food Co-Op in Bellingham (360-734-8158) and register for a full-blown demonstration class with one of America's top artisan chocolatiers, our very own Kevin G. Buck. You'll enjoy tasting some of the highest-grade chocolates as he will "pull the curtain back for an inside look at what makes great chocolate great." Also, instruction on tempering, and the creation of a truffle highlight the class at the downtown store, 1220 N. Forest St.

You can sign up for membership of the Co-Op at no cost, and save $4 on registration. But even at $33, this is far below the norm for a gourmet chocolate classroom experience with a master chocolatier.

* * *

Stay Updated With Your Jonesing: We're pleased to have you on our mailing list, and want you to visit us often on our Facebook page, where you'll find our frequent updates, photos, videos, announcements, and specials. If you have your own Facebook page, you can also message us 24/7.

Please let your family, friends, and work associates know about our email newsletter and Facebook. And come see us whenever you can.

We'll be talking to you again later in the week in more detail.

Craic wise, and safely.

An Irish Toast:
May you work like you don't need the money
love like you've never been hurt
...(and) dance like no one is watching
Cheers!

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Chocolate Necessities Valentines

2010-02-03T17:34:29Z

IN THIS ISSUE:
The Ultimate Valentines - in Limited Edition
Dates to Circle for Tastings/Demo

ONE-OF-A-KIND, EXTRAORDINARY VALENTINES!

Local Area Only - Valentine's Imperial Chocolate Cheesecake Heart w/ Red Rose, $17.50 (w/ additional delivery options)

Reserve yours now! Limited number will be baked. First order goes in this Thursday, Feb. 4, available for pick-up next week. To order: Write your name and contact information in an email to Cheesecake@ChocolateNecessities.com, or call 360.676.0589 or 733.6666 in Bellingham.

We partnered with two great neighbors, Chuckanut Bay Foods and A New Leaf Flower Shoppe, to create a superlative Valentine.

Chuckanut Bay Foods creates our signature Imperial Chocolate Cheesecake, using only fresh, natural ingredients, including locally-produced dairy and flour. For Valentine's Day, they are creating artisan chocolatier Kevin Buck's recipe in a heart shape especially for the two of you.

Kevin tops it with his secret genache using, as always, only the highest-grade Belgian chocolate and no additives whatsoever, highlighted with small marbled hearts.

The cheesecake comes in an elegant reusable heart container, anchored with a single medium-stem red or white rose (your choice) from our friends at A New Leaf. The whites come in very limited supply, so act now if a white rose is most appropriate.

For an additional fee, which varies depending on your location, The New Leaf will deliver throughout Whatcom County -- including on Valentine's Day, Sunday the 14th. Typically, delivery cost is $10, varying less or more by distance from downtown Bellingham.

You also can add any of our boxes of specialty gourmet truffles, ranging from 2 pieces ($4.75) to 64 pieces ($112) to the package.

You'll have two pick-up points: our main factory store at 4600 Guide Meridian, and our downtown satellite shop at 1530 Cornwall.

Mention that you receive the Newsletter or that you follow us on Facebook, and receive $1 off of the Imperial Chocolate Cheesecake Heart for Two!

You know what they say about the most direct path to someone's heart. Well, our staff sampled the heart cheesecake, and consensus is that the path won't get any better than this. It easily qualifies as one of our chocolate necessities for this special day of turning on the heart lights.

And you can't get it anywhere else. Anywhere.

We hate that we can't ship this version of the cheesecake, but if you are one of our wonderful customers living outside the area, anywhere in the US or Canada, we have a unique offering for you, too, that we can send by mail.

Just like the heart cheesecake, you won't find "The Love Story" or the "Heavenly Heart Truffle Box" anywhere else. A photo of "The Love Story" can't do it justice. Made from an amazingly detailed mold, the story unfolds in a large heart of chocolate depicting a balcony scene, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. The large centerpiece is surrounded by smaller hearts etched in detailed visual tales of romance.

Pair "The Love Story" ($22.50, plus S&H) with our heart-shaped reusable tray of 11 truffles ($23.00) and you've guaranteed a consummate Valentine for your One True.

The centerpiece "Love Story" heart is available separately ($12.50, plus S&H).

We can send this as late as Tuesday evening, Feb. 9, for delivery nationwide and in Canada. Or, if you are in the NW or on the West Coast, we could ship Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Mark two dates for experiencing the taste of Chocolate Necessities and to visit with Kevin personally:

Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, from 1-3 p.m. at Vartanyan Winery, 1628 Huntley Road.
Thursday, April 8, at the Community Food Co-Op, Downtown Bellingham location, 1220 N. Forest St. We'll get back to you with even more details soon, and meanwhile you can register for a spot.

Call now (360) 734.8158 to make a reservation, or stop by the Service Desk at either Community Food Co-Op location. Fee: $29 Member/$33 Non-Member. Space is limited.

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Visit Kevin's Factory for a Tasting

2010-01-23T18:25:08Z

Join us Monday the 25th at any of three times for a tour with Kevin and free tasting. Watch chocolate creations in the making. Preorder truffles and unique Imperial Chocolate Cheesecake "Heart for Two." Free pkg of chopped almond bark with any purchase. Pick your time: 11 a.m., 12:30 or 5:30 p.m. Limit of 6 each tour. Hit reply and register, or write to mike@chocolatenecessities.com.

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Chocolate Necessities contact information:
Chocolate Necessities, Inc.
4600 Guide Meridian
Bellingham, WA 98226
800-804-0589
info@chocolatenecessities.com

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Chocolate Necessities Message

2009-12-23T12:51:08Z

STORE HOURS

Greetings, Chocolate Lover!

Just a quick note to remind you of our store hours during the upcoming holiday period:

We have regular hours, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., today and Thursday (Christmas Eve).

Then:

CLOSED - December 25-26-27-28

REGULAR HRS (10a-6p) - December 29-20-31

CLOSED - January 1-2-3-4

REOPEN 2010 - January 5

Thank you for your patronage.

Happy Holidays!

Kevin Buck
Your Personal Chocolatier

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Stocking Stuffer and Menu Guide

2009-12-19T16:37:58Z

Greetings, Chocolate Lover!

As you count down the days to unwrapping packages and savoring meals and goodies, permit us to lend our hand and suggestions and help guide you through last-minute possibilities certain to serve your needs -- and their wants. You can find everything on our Web site here.

We hear three words above all others from customers during this final week of shopping: Truffles, and Stocking Stuffers.

Our trays of truffles thin out nearly as fast as we can craft new batches overnight, each night, long past yo ur bedtime. The Truffle of the Month is a great example -- "Snow White," the White Chocolate Poppyseed Amaretto, another of our unique creations (video).

We can still get truffles to you by Priority Mail in time for Christmas ('til 21st, or 22d to some locations) or New Year's.

OK, then, let's address other 11th-hour needs -- Stocking Stuffers, and Menu Planning....

STOCKING STUFFERS

Two great ways to go:

In the Holiday category, one of the newest on the shelf is an adorable Elf ($8.50). And, there's a good story behind it. Whether you use it as a display or an unusual gift, your guests or recipient will enjoy a one-of-a-kind surprise. The form for making Elf is rare and hard-to-find, and Kevin carried it in his luggage across Belgium to bring it home to his workshop.

For creative chocolate gifting, fill up one of the decorated wooden houses ($5) with storage spaces. One is labeled "Santa's Workshop" above the door. And, we have a variety of themed collector tins you can fill with chocolate favorites.

Holiday theme pieces to fill a house, a tin, or a stocking:

Danish St. Nick ($2.75) or Pine Cones ($2), brightly-wrapped in foil of silver, gold, green, red.
Assortment of Santas and Snowmen, and other holiday shapes. We have a few of the white chocolate snowmen left.
Golden-foil wrapped Yule Logs ($6).
Larger holiday, artisan creations incl. Santa w/bag of gifts, Old World Santa, Gingerbread Man, Santa Bear, an amazing Nativity Scene, and Angels in different poses (one w/ a candle, one w/ a baby deer, and even one on a motorcycle!).

Personal themes add to your fun in shopping. For example, one associate here has a daughter who (a.) collects penguins, and (b.) has received chocolate-covered cherries as a stocking stuffer every year since she was a child. Score! The box of Amareno Cherry Truffles, filled w/ a scarce import from Italy, will be like nothing she's ever experienced. And, a son-in-law who is an avid golfer will enjoy his chocolate golf clubs & golf balls. Marzipan will remind family of their time of living in Germany many years ago.

Perhaps you have someone on the gift list for whom the following would be appropriate:

--Soccer, Baseball Glove, Golf, Tennis	--Dogs, Cats, Horses	--Many animals, like way-too-cute 3 Blind Mice
--Motorcycle	--Train, Jet Plane for travelers	--Lucky Cards for the casino player
--Artist's Palette, Cello, Piano	--Skier	--And much, much more....

We have some sugar-free choices, too -- bark, holiday shapes, bars, and year-round popular 18 boxed chocolate roses.

MENU PLANNING

Cooking for the holidays, especially baking, starts with the finest-grade cocoa powder (Dutch processed) and our wide array of chocolate chips from the best suppliers in the world. For making desserts or snacking, some ideas to add unparalleled succulence to your table:

Chocolate Cheesecake, w/ pure bittersweet genache, 8 or 16 slices
New, original, extra-dark/low-sugar Cocoa Mix (just add hot milk, non-dairy such as soy milk, or even water).
100% cocoa mass chips or cocoa powder
Dark chocolate dessert cups ready for your chilled filling
Chocolate Bars in 1 oz., 2 oz., 2.8 oz., 3 oz., or box of 80 bite-size mini-bars
Sensational new Macadamia Nut Bars
Chocolate Bark w/ nuts or w/ coffee beans (the Nut Bark Sampler Wheel is excellent for a group setting)
Sensational chips or 4-piece shapes from Vanuatu, a milk chocolate you won't believe (44%)

Finally, here are a few can't-miss bargains:

36 oz. bag Callebaut of Belgium semi-sweet chips (52% cocoa), just $14!
A world-renowned Savory Pyramide by Pralus, a giant in French chocolate, just $25 (usually $42) or the Pralus Sampler Pyramide, $9 -- featuring bars of the very best milks and darks from various regions around the globe
The gift of gifts, for that chocolate lover who has everything -- a 5.5 pound chocolate bar, just $29!

Bon Appetit from your personal chocolatier....

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Chocolate Necessities Tasting and Demonstration

2009-12-10T14:23:55Z

Chocolate Tasting and Demonstration

Who: Kevin G. Buck of Chocolate Necessities, a 23-year artisan chocolatier
Where: Cordata Community Food Co-Op, 315 Westerly Rd (corner of Cordata Pkwy roundabout), Bellingham
When: Friday, December 11, 7 p.m.

What: Kevin will pull the screen back on how the chocolate-making world works, how ingredients work together to make either average (or worse) chocolate, or high quality chocolate. One of his favorite lines is, "Sugar is the worst enemy of chocolate." Each participant in this educational program will TASTE the difference, not just hear about it.

In Kevin's words: "We will examine, from the viewpoint of ingredients, how to define and achieve quality in chocolate creations. And we'll taste how great chocolate should taste, from the best sources around the world." You'll experience some of the history-making chocolate products from European giants like Callebaut and Belcolade, both from Belgium, ranging to the exquisite 44% milk chocolate of Vanuatu, a tiny nation in the Fiji Islands chain. Also learn about a breakthrough conching process that retains more antioxidant elements in dark chocolate, Oxanti by Belcolade.

In addition to the fabulous wide range of tastes, you'll enjoy a discourse on proper tempering of chocolate – so important as you make yours at home. And finally, Kevin will walk you through a simple truffle recipe, create one of his gourmet genaches, and you will cap off the evening by sampling the texture and taste of that genache.

Oh, and the 5th 'W':
Why? Because we all deserve to pamper ourselves now and again, especially during this mouth-watering holiday season....

Call now, (360) 734.8158 to make a reservation. Fee: $10 Member/$13 Non-Member. Space is limited.

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Chocolate Necessities Customer Appreciation Shopping Day

2009-12-03T10:08:17Z

Customer Appreciation Shopping Day

Greetings, Valued Customer --

Please circle next Sunday, Dec. 6, on your calendar and join us in your special, private day to shop our main store, 4600 Guide Meridian (just off the NE corner of the Horton intersection, a bit north of Walmart).

We will open 12-4 p.m. just for you, as a token of our appreciation for you as a subscriber to our newsletter and/or a fan on our Facebook page. (Remember, you don't have to have a Facebook account to view our notes, specials, videos, recipes, and other fun stuff. Simply type Chocolate Necessities Facebook in your browser and visit the our page. If you do have an account, you can become a Fan and post questions, ideas, and comments to us.)

You'll enjoy the wide variety of holiday chocolate shapes we have designed, using, as always, only the highest-grade chocolates from the best suppliers in the world. We have a St. Nick from Denmark, and a Santa - one in the sleigh, and one 5" tall with a bag over his shoulder looking for the nearest chimney. Choose from a plethora of figures - Santa, snowman, carolers, bells, etc. - by the bag, by the box, or by the bite. Or, for a centerpiece on your table or mantel, family and guests will adore the beautiful 3-dimensional tree. [And you'll have a treat after the holidays.]

If you're like us, you enjoy finding unique holiday gifts. At Chocolate Necessities, you'll find numerous items that you cannot get anywhere else, because our artisan creations come from original-formula recipes (truffles, cocoa mix, chocolate cheesecake, among many) and our imaginative craftsmanship.

The cocoa mix is brand new, formulated with the 100% cocoa powder that long has been one of our most popular items, and blended with just the right (light) touch of sugar and pure vanilla powder, with our secret recipe. This is designed as a dark, satisfying cup of hot chocolate, so you can enjoy the full body of world-class cocoa.

Our shelves will be full of our signature array of hand-dipped truffles, featuring not only the finest chocolate available, but also exclusive, hard-to-find flavors from Europe for the genache. We always have both dark and milk chocolates, and a selection of sugar-free.

Besides the cocoa mix, other recent new creations that have been flying off the shelf include coffee bark and coffee crunch, both dark and light, with a mix of chopped, roasted gourmet coffee beans. And you won't even believe the amazing, rich double-thick genache that now tops off our scrumptuous chocolate cheesecake.

One of the most exciting new products we've come across in a long time is Oxanti from powerhouse Belcolade in Belgium. We refer to it as the "super-healthy chocolate." Research long since has extolled the antioxidant benefits of dark chocolate. Oxanti takes that to a new level: a new conching process retains a far higher concentration of the antioxidant qualities of these select beans from Ecuador that contain 65% cocoa, with no additives. Test results revealed that the antioxidant benefits remain in the body far longer than the average, healthful chocolate -- up to 5 hours.

We carry this delightful-tasting new chocolate in chip form by the 6 oz. bag ($6.75). You won't find this any place else but here.

Again, block some time Sunday afternoon, Dec. 6, Noon to 4, and we look forward to having you for a holiday shopping session that is not open to the general public. Certainly you are welcome to bring friends and family. As always, we will have tasting samples, and because of shelf-life concerns, you can place an advance order on truffles for the holidays and either pick them up later or have us mail them to your home.

Meanwhile, check out the cool videos on our Facebook page. And, while we always guard your email privacy diligently, you will hear from us more frequently over the next few weeks as we let you know about special holiday chocolate ideas.

Cheers from the Management and Staff at Chocolate Necessities.

Kevin Buck,
Your Personal Chocolatier!

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