We have chosen to use the world famous Valrhona chocolate. The origins of Valrhona Chocolate go back to 1922 in the Rhone Valley of France. Since then, the mission of Valrhona has been to create exceptional chocolate, utilizing the natural aromas of the various cocoa growing regions throughout the world while keeping with the traditions of the French chocolate making art. Valrhona has rediscovered the best cocoas, Criollos, with the aroma of flowers and fruit, and the Trinitarios, typified by a strong bouquet, and mixed them all together in an exceptional bitterness. The intense taste brought out by hints of flowers reveals intensity - exceptionally long on the palate. These “top of the Line” Valrhona chocolates are known as their Grand Cru’s. And just as with fine wines, a Grand Cru only receives its designation based on superior taste and texture. We then take the Grand Cru, be it a dark chocolate such as Manjari, Craribe, Guanaja or Araguani, or a milk chocolate, such as Tanariva Lactee, and create a ganache. This ganache will then form the base for a truffle center, bon bon filling, cake filing or the high sheen glaze on a “death by chocolate” cake. If you’ve had one of our Grand Cru brownies, you know what we mean ! In addition to being used as the base for our centers, Valhrona Grand Cru’s are melted and tempered to perfection, as the final couverture for each of our finished products. In this way, we are assured that you are not only looking at the finest chocolate on earth, but you're about to taste it.

Chocolate, cocoa butter, fruits, flavorings, nuts and various other components are merely raw ingredients. Like musical notes, its how they’re combined that makes the symphony. Fine chocolate is a study in texture. Does a given set of ingredients meld to caress the palate or conflict and assault it? The chocolate craftsman choses when an assault of texture is warranted and when it's offensive. Fine chocolate is a study in flavors. When should a confection contain enhancement and when should it just taste like chocolate? The balance that’s struck between these disciplines determines the quality of the customer’s experience. Only years of study can provide the scale upon which to achieve this balance. Our Master Chocolatier has them. Joëlle Mahoney, born in Amiens, France heads the creative team for Signature Cakes & Confectionery. She has studied with Andre Renard, member of the Academie Culinaire, Sylvain LeRoy, coach of the winning USA World Pastry Team in 2001 and Betty Van Norstrand, two time Gold Medalist of the World Pastry Olympics, just to mention a few. Joëlle has been a featured instructor at the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Annual International Chocolate Shows held in New York City as well as an invited participant in the 2005 Chocolate Fashion Show. In her spare moments, she's a Master Instructor for Wilton Cake Decorating. She also holds two (2) Silver Medals from Societe Culinaire Philanthropique. The sign on her desk tells it all . . . “If you can imagine it, I can create it in chocolate !”. If you think she’s kidding, give her a challenge.

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