Asheville Chocolate Challenge

Asheville chocolate is not something I thought of often, or at all really. When I thought of Asheville, it was Nag Champa and Patchouli, but chocolate and Tupelo Honey Cafe are now topping the list. Chocolate is the one thing I consistently and painful crave during triathlon training. When Erin suggested we sample two of the local Asheville chocolatiers after our race at Lake Logan, I was an easy sell. She wanted to revisit French Broad and try some place new, The Chocolate Fetish. This was my first time for both.

The Chocolate Fetish smelled like chocolate heaven the moment we walked through the door, and I said as much, like the dork I am. Maybe that is why none of the staff acknowledged our entry to their empty shop, or maybe they were a little pretentious. Either way, the store boasts a glorious selection selection of chocolates, truffles, chocolate dipped fruit, chocolate bark, chocolate bars, chocolate caramels, chocolate chews, and even chocolate shoes! As we made our way around the counter, my exclamation of joy to Erin startled the one employee actually working, and he changed gloves to guide us through the chocolates, offering us insight into their sourcing and creation. Heeding his advice and being a little adventurous, we ended up with:

• Dragon’s Sigh – dark chocolate truffle with wasabi, topped with black and white sesame seeds, and our chocolatier’s favorite.
• Sweet Tea – milk chocolate truffle with the essence of bergamot giving it an Earl Grey flavor, and spoiler alert, it was Erin’s favorite.
• Dark Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Chew – After his description of their “house made” marshmallow, we had to try this one. We both loved the intense mint flavor and the super fluffy marshmallow encased in dark chocolate.
• Dark Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt – The caramel is sourced from a German confectioner who apparently makes “very consistent caramels” according to the associate. We excitedly anticipated this chocolate because of the in store recommendation, but after biting into we both realized that we are not huge fans caramel in general.
• Dehydrated Raspberries Drizzled with Dark Chocolate – Erin and I loved the intense flavors of the raspberry and the dark chocolate. Unfortunately, the raspberry seeds took away from the overall experience.

French Broad, on the other hand, eschewed the snobbish, aficionado-only vibe of its neighbor for the more casual, neighborhood cafe atmosphere. It is a small space packed tightly with customers sipping chocolate and nibbling on truffles, brownies, and other decadent cocoa creations. The line is out the door on a Sunday afternoon, and the fingerprints all over the display case indicated it was barely able to keep the chocolate crazed customers at bay. We noticed the prices were higher than Chocolate Fetish so we spent the same amount for fewer chocolates, and this way felt that we could compare the value.

• Dark Chocolate raspberry – local raspberry purée with Hawaiian dark chocolate with a better consistency than the dehydrated dark chocolate covered raspberries but much less raspberry punch.
• Masala Chai – milk chocolate with the standard chai spices and organic Darjeeling black tea, and I think this was my personal favorite for it’s uniqueness.
• Strawberry Balsamic – This truffle was must after the young lady behind the counter claimed it as her favorite. The blend of the Hawaiian dark chocolate with the local strawberries and balsamic was phenomenal. We have been loving this fruit and vinegar combination ever since Sticks n’ Cones added a strawberry balsamic sundae to their menu.

Interestingly enough, we both gravitated towards the chocolate truffles, despite the fact that we almost never buy chocolate that is less than 60% cocoa. Furthermore, the only clear winner here is the people of Asheville with such incredible chocolate readily available. Both places are definitely unique, but if you are looking for a spot to hang out for a while French Broad definitely has more space. We used the wonderful light coming through their front window for all of our photos. We recently found that we missed another local chocolatier, so we have an excuse to return to Asheville and, more importantly, eat more chocolate.