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Please Don’t Tell My Girlfriend In January, my girlfriend Maricela accepted a 3-month traveling nurse position at UCSF in San Francisco. Knowing I would have a hard time without her here in Los Angeles, I vowed to pass my time in "solitary" by reading. The first book I chose was "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light" by Mort Rosenblum. Page after page, I felt my love of chocolate transforming into obsession. Then I read the mouth-watering chapter on Recchiuti Confections in…SAN FRANCISCO! Instantly, I was on the phone with Maricela. The love affair really began with our rendezvous in Las Vegas. "Did you bring the chocolate?! Did you bring the chocolate?!" I detected a slight tinge of jealousy when Maricela hesitated before slowly reaching into her purse for the chocolate bar trio. Next, was my first unplanned visit to the city. "I miss you, Mari . . . Which way is the Ferry Building?" My love blossomed as I bit into my first burnt caramel. (Did she notice me slip the varietals into my backpack?) Soon, Maricela had become accepting, even baiting me with Recchiuti. "If you fly up, we'll go to Recchiuti." Where's my bag? Time flies when one is in love and before too long the three months had passed. At the airport, I desperately searched for my girlfriend. When I finally saw Maricela from a distance, and please don't tell her, my first reaction was to scan her luggage, looking for the distinctive Recchiuti bag. And there it was. My love had come home. Hector C. |
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“No cake for me, I’d rather have a piece of fruit.” After all, this was the same sister whose Halloween candy had lasted until Christmas, whose chocolate Easter bunny sat wrapped, ears in tact, for months. And who I had heard say in all sincerity “No cake for me, I’d rather have a piece of fruit”. I knew my audience. She ate them all, and then promptly joined Club Recchiuti. Ah well. Ann K. |
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Jewels Those are the very words that come out of my mouth every time my boyfriend surprises me with Michael Recchiuti chocolates. Whether it’s the precious mountain-shaped structure of the Star Anise & Pink Peppercorn or the smooth distinct aroma of Kona Coffee, my heart literally races when I put these delightful bits of heaven in my mouth. I jump up and down like an excited little girl (except for the fact that I’m 30 years old) after inhaling any one of a number of these unimaginably delicious chocolates. These chocolates are so intense in their delicate balance of flavors that they have literally helped take our relationship to the next level. Yes, it’s become a bit of a ritual that began nearly 3 years ago when I first presented him with a box of chocolates on his Birthday. Now the ritual has evolved and we don’t wait for birthdays or anniversaries. You see, my boyfriend works long hours and travels great distances and there are times when I don’t see him for weeks at a time, but the truly amazing thing is that when we reunite, we do so over 4 flavors of Recchiuti chocolates. We methodically select just a few chocolates to appreciate and meditate on the distinct flavor of each piece of “jewel” as I like to call them. The other day we met up for lunch at the Ferry Building and after lunch, without saying a word to each other, we got up and walked directly over to Recchiuti Confections. I couldn’t contain my excitement and ecstatically dared him to get one of each flavor behind the glass counter (which is something he generally wouldn’t do because he’s not impulsive by nature). Guess what? He did and exclaimed, “Sometimes in life one has to do crazy things.” These are the moments I cherish. Crazy in love, Ratna’s Epilogue Ratna D. |
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Dear Folks, This year we came up to the city for the weekend and Thom, my brother, took us to the Saturday morning Farmers’ Market at the Ferry Building, and once again treated us to a small sampling of your wonderful creations. All this, and this card, made from your wonderful brochure, is my way of saying Thank You, for all of the time and effort and creativity you put into your exquisite products! Keep up the wonderful work!!! Most sincerely, Cyndi F |
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Chocolate Confessional As soon as the chocolates and I were home alone, the voices in my head started. “Open the box gently. Don’t rip the seal. You can eat the Fleur de Sel Caramel now and go get a replacement piece at the Ferry Building tomorrow. He won’t even know the difference.” Helpless to the voices, I coaxed the box open, snagged the caramel and before I knew what was happening, I’d eaten the Lemon Verbena, too. Just another little piece to replace. No problemo. Wary of my weakness, I hid the tampered box from myself in the pantry and sat down to sift through my inbox. But before I could Send/Receive, the voices were back. “You’ve already opened it. What difference will one more piece make?” We wrestled, the angels, the demons and me, until finally The Dark Side of the won and I found myself standing before the closed pantry doors…debating. A shove and a push and a relenting sigh. I decided he’d be getting a sweater for his birthday. These chocolates were mine. Chantal |
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Thank You for Making a Chocolate Lover Out of Me! My friend invited me to visit her in San Francisco, and doing the appropriate research, knew that at some point on my trip, I would have to make it to the Ferry Building. When my friend asked me what I would like to do while I was there, without hesitation, I suggested the "Ferry Building" tour. She looked at me with an inquisitive look on her face and confusingly said, "Ok." I then explained that I had to go there to buy Recchiuti chocolate! My friend, full aware that I do not even like chocolate, puzzlingly agreed. She did not understand just how good it was. We finally went to the Ferry Building and I quickly scurried from stall to stall in hopes to find the Recchiuti store....and there it was, with a long line wrapping around to the next store. The anticipation was killing me. I picked up various boxes of chocolates and then wanted to pick out some chocolates for my friend (who had been so kind to agree to take me there in the first place). I filled up a large plastic box with the chocolate and thought I would surprise my friend with it at the end of my visit. Well, that was not for a few more days, and sadly I must report, that I ended up eating every piece of that chocolate and my friend ended up with an empty box!! (And I hope she is not reading this.) Thank you for making a chocolate lover out of me! Jessica Z. |
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My Chocolate Neverland! Call it procrastination or even denial, but ever since a girlfriend of mine gave me two pieces of Piedmont Hazelnut and Force Noir as a bridal shower favor, I've been amusing myself with the click of a mouse, viewing the different colored boxes of chocolate and their corresponding layers, drilling down and savoring the sumptuous flavor descriptions, and lingering over the specialty confections pages. I daydream about a perfect day where blue skies would act as my accomplice in playing hooky in a trip to the Ferry Building. Then I'd think about all the different flavors I would buy and eat on the spot. Definitely the Burnt Caramel. Would it ooze? Oooh, what about the Sesame Nougat? Sounds so exotic. I know I shouldn't be surfing the Website during office hours, especially when there are piles of work to be done, yet I find myself clicking away, indulging my senses through picture after picture, page after page, of take-me-away chocolate. I can almost taste them if I close my eyes. Mmmmmm… Jennifer F. |
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My Confession We selected the Recchiuti Bittersweet (85%) for part of our segment entitled “What drink goes best with chocolate?” and paired it with Armagnac (a favorite of mine from when we lived in Europe). It was a big hit and a great pairing. A group of friends (who call themselves FOJ – pronounced “fudge” – for Friends of Jan) worked diligently to help me put this event together, and I wanted to give them something special to show my appreciation. So, I asked a friend who makes Italian lamp-work beads to create earrings that looked like your chocolates, earrings that I could give to the folks who helped make the party a success. Not only did she make the jewelry, but she delivered a box of Recchiuti Confections (made of lamp-work) as a gift to me. Attached is a picture of the chocolates, which are available as a custom order on her website www.kikibead.com. The chocolates are on display in my living-room, and I can’t tell you how many people have started to eat them—then realized that they were glass. So far, no broken teeth that I know of. Here is a picture for you to enjoy. That’s it for my “confession.” Best chocolate regards, Jan Stambaugh |
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This isn’t really a Black Box Confession. It’s more of a testimonial as to the power of your chocolate. A couple years ago, my daughter Michelle did an internship at Aqua in San Francisco. Her favorite part of the week was the Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning. She would call and tell me about the amazing chocolate she’d buy…one piece at a time due to her limited budget. It’s your chocolate I’m talking about. She has since moved back to Minneapolis and her love for good chocolate has only grown. She went through a very difficult time recently, so, I hopped onto your website and ordered a Black Box for her plus a few extras from your shop. She was so excited when she received the package. Your company got it to her in 1 _ days. It made her forget her troubles for a while and remember how wonderful your chocolates really are. Thank you, Recchiuti!!!!!! Carol H. |
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Crime of Passion Overwhelmed by pleasure and guilt that I have never known, I sit, looking at the half-filled paper cups. I wonder to myself if he will believe me. When I tell him that each of the six cups was only filled with one half of each exquisite Oeuf de Pâques, instead of the actual two - the two halves which together make a perfectly shaped chocolate egg of such divine smoothness - the mere memory of it almost makes me forget my guiltiness completely. It all started so innocently. I picked up the sweet, small lavender colored box and left with good intentions, to lovingly transport this generous gift – given to BOTH of us - home to unwrap and enjoy TOGETHER. I walked to the bus, the shiny gold and black bag in hand, and had a seat at the bus stop. As I sat, I saw that little purple box peering up at me, but resisted the urge to see just what was inside. “I can wait,” I told myself. The first bus came and passed me by. I waited some more. Then I saw it. In tiny letters, written on the inside of the bag: “INDULGENCE ON THE VERGE OF OBSESSION.” And I remembered. That chocolate. That smell. That velvety smooth heaven that graced my lips the first time just weeks before. I knew nothing would ever compare and that it wouldn’t be long before I would need it again. I began to get warm, there in the sun at that busy city bus stop. My heart raced a little and I began to wonder why the bus was taking so long. “I’ll just have a peek to see what they look like,” I told myself. I eyed up the street, no bus yet. “Just a peek,” I reminded myself. I took the box from its bag and carefully removed the label. The ribbon came off so easily, it was almost meant to be. Then I removed the lid and found inside, six neatly preserved little paper cups, each with a smooth, flawless dark chocolate egg, split into two delightful pieces. Each little egg had a splash of pink and yellow, just to remind the bearer that is, in fact, spring. The box felt cool, compared to the sun growing hotter with each passing minute. I leaned down to smell them, a gentle scent of pure cocoa. Before I knew what was happening, I had one of the halves in hand and it was moving toward my mouth. Just then, I noticed the other people at the bus stop making their way to the curb. The bus was approaching. I quickly put the lid on the box, dropped the box into the bag and popped the egg into my mouth so that I had my hands free to get myself onto the bus. Then it happened. The intoxication took hold so quickly that I was unable to respond with more than a bat of my eyes when the bus driver asked me how I was today. I quickly made my way to a seat in the back, dropped my bags at my feet, closed my eyes, and as my head dropped back to the headrest, all sound and sensation other than the sheer pleasure that was overtaking me disappeared into the background. How can I describe this sensation? The aroma of pure cocoa filled my nose, the way cocoa smells when you are transferring from-scratch brownie batter into a baking pan. But then, the cool, smooth chocolate was melting on my tongue, the perfect combination of sweet and rich. And the texture, the glorious texture that defies all logic. How could a shell so thin hold such a thick, smooth center? I don’t know whether it dissolved into me, or I into it, but I do know that it was the most heavenly bus ride I have ever experienced. Why, then, was I unable to hold off just a few more hours until he got home? I suppose it made perfect sense at the time. If one cup only holds an egg half, then all six cups should, too. Right? I carefully returned the delicate, sheer pastel ribbon in its original place, reapplied the label, and vowed then and there to take this crime of passion to the grave! Liz M. |
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Although I Love Him Dearly… Recchiuti chocolate entered my life a little while ago. A roommate of mine was given some Recchiuti chocolates as a wedding favor. She very generously shared them with me (although she might not have if she had known beforehand how good they were going to be). I was awestruck by how good these chocolates were, and being the chocoholic that I am, became immediately obsessed with finding the source. When I learned that there was a Recchiuti store in San Francisco with exclusive (!) items, I immediately made plans to visit my boyfriend. I don't know if I would have done it if the store was located in another city, but I suspect that I probably would have found some excuse to go visit my sister in Chicago, a cousin in DC, a friend from college in New York, etc. To sum up, my boyfriend and I have become closer than ever, and are talking about me relocating to San Francisco, moving in together, and even marriage (!!!). And although I love him dearly, I know that I wouldn't have been nearly as eager to fly up so often if it wasn't for the extra impetus that Recchiuti chocolates gave me. Thanks! Misty P. |
