I was contacted and sent some samples of Aequare Fine Chocolates. Jeff Stern is the owner and a professional chocolatier and operates Aequare Fine Chocolates (Ay-kwar-ay) based in Quito, Ecuador.
They specialize in producing classic French-style bonbons, beautifully decorated and finished using colored transfers and textures. Aequare also produces plain and flavored chocolate bars, and only uses pure, natural flavors without any artificial flavorings or preservatives.
Did you know Aequare made its formal U.S debut at the Food Fete media event on June 29 2009 in New York City. They are the first chocolatier to export world-class confections into the U.S. made almost entirely from ingredients and materials produced in the country of origin.
I was sent a gift box of assorted chocolates and 3 additional bars. The gift box included the following:
Amazon-Ishpingo and Cinnamon - Ishpingo, a distinct flavor from the flower of the cinnamon tree in the Amazon, in a dark chocolate ganache, with a hint of cinnamon.
Blackberry Cobbler - Pure blackberry purée, almond praliné, and semi-sweet chocolate, enrobed in 70% single origin chocolate.
Ecuador - Pure 70% single origin ganache with Tahitian vanilla, enrobed in dark chocolate.
Oriente - The finest Persian saffron combined with natural orange essence, enrobed in a dark chocolate.
Lemongrass - Lemongrass and coconut chocolate ganache, covered in dark chocolate.
Ginger -Semisweet chocolate ganache with a hint of ginger, covered in dark chocolate.
Blackberry Cobbler - Pure blackberry purée, almond praliné, and semi-sweet chocolate, enrobed in 70% single origin chocolate.
Ecuador - Pure 70% single origin ganache with Tahitian vanilla, enrobed in dark chocolate.
Oriente - The finest Persian saffron combined with natural orange essence, enrobed in a dark chocolate.
Lemongrass - Lemongrass and coconut chocolate ganache, covered in dark chocolate.
Ginger -Semisweet chocolate ganache with a hint of ginger, covered in dark chocolate.
The bars I received were:
I cut each little pretty chocolate in half, so we could all have a taste of them. Since they arrived during a hot day here, they were a little warm, so it made them even more smooth and yummy as you let it melt in your mouth. I thought they were all great, but maybe the Lemongrass one was a little strange to me. Lemongrass is a new flavor to me and I've only tried it a couple of times lately.
Thank you Jeff for letting us review your Aequare Fine Chocolates!
sounds good!
ReplyDeleteyou need to play more with lemongrass...i can remember eating some lemongrass chicken and rice at a resturant that was excellent...try a thiai cook book but first it is important to know how to buy it right. you could find out from some of your indonisian friends or store or the web.
ReplyDeletegood luck.
o, the got the pom coupon and the cake/frosting arrived today...one more to go.
Hi HODGEPODGESPV,
ReplyDeleteThe only other time I've tried lemongrass flavor was in Kashi's Lemongrass Coconut Chicken frozen meal (free w/coupon!). I actually liked it, all the flavors were good.
http://www.kashi.com/products/kashi_entrees_lemongrass_coconut_chicken
In a chocolate, it just surprised my tastebuds. Jeff wrote me back and said Slashfood.com thought it was different also, lol.