If Aphrodite made love to a cocoa bean, their lovechild would be chocolate. Chocolate can range from generic to the nectar of the gods. These Edmonton chocolatiers offer up exquisite bites of chocolaty goodness that tend towards the latter end of the scale. [Photo of Sweet Lollapalooza Confections]
Everything here is gluten-free and made with local ingredients whenever possible. Chocolatier Rebecca Grant is a Red Seal chef who loves chocolate almost as much as I do, so she made it her career in 2012, opening Violet Chocolate Co. Her mad skills won her gold at the Canadian National Chocolate Awards in 2013. Quirky flavours range from raspberry pepper lime and honey rosemary to salt and vinegar chip. She even throws out seasonal flavours, such as pumpkin chai. Hot damn!
This cocoa-obsessed company originated in Calgary but opened up a shop in downtown Edmonton so that all Albertans can have easy access to their delish chocolate. They sell everything from chocolate-covered pretzels to truffles, but they also have chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, chocolate drops and baking bars so you can use Bernard Callebaut chocolate in your own home-made concoctions. You can also pick up seasonal delights, such as chocolate eggs, hearts or Yule logs.
Milk, white or dark chocolate. Truffles, clusters, creams, barks or liqueurs — no matter what kind of chocolate you crave, you can find it at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. The boxes of chocolate caramels and bags of chocolate-covered nuts or fruits make excellent gifts. They also sell a ton of chocolates with no added sugar that are good for diabetics or people following a low-carb diet. For a real treat, go for the chocolate-covered frozen bananas or chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a stick.