Chuao Chocolatier Mixes Romance with PassionFour Inventive Venezuelan Valentine
New this year, and expertly concocted to warm up your Valentine in all the right places, are Chuao’s His and Hers Love Elixirs. Each aromatic hot chocolate potion is infused with 10 herbs and spices chosen for their reputations as aphrodisiacs. The alchemy of each is blended for optimal masculine and feminine appeal – including a robust, burnt caramel and bittersweet finish for His and a softer, floral finish for Hers.
The aphrodisiacal qualities of cinnamon bark are reputed to overcome long periods of frigidity or abstinence. Mystics also believe cinnamon rapidly attracts luck, money and love. In the Middle Ages, ginger was appreciated for its ability to facilitate a strong, bright temperament and a fascination with flirting. It is said to be the best recipe for immediate response with maximum pleasure. Ginseng has long been considered the antidote to problems linked to weakness and physical exhaustion, especially when it comes to stimulating sexual desire. Aromatic lavender not only stimulates olfactory senses, it is also known to alleviate headaches. Saffron is a famous and precious spice known for stimulating the appetite while affecting a comfortably numbing sensation.
Vanilla promotes magical and mental powers and stimulates love, lust and rejuvenation. The Elixirs are packaged in powdered form in a one-dose glass beaker for $3.95 each. To brew your own love potion, just add hot water and let nature take its course. Other Valentine’s Day creations include the Chuao Eros, named for the Greek god of love and desire. It is a pure chocolate heart that opens to reveal eight hand-made Chuao bonbons. Containing nearly a half-pound of premium Venezuelan chocolate, it comes in milk or dark chocolate nestled upon a silky red fabric and adorned with a beautiful ribbon for $28. Chuao will also make a small number of Limited Edition Eros, which come in an elegant crystal keepsake box for $38. (Not available for web shipment orders.) The Latin Lovers is a decorated ballotine box containing two heart-shaped bonbons in milk and dark chocolate filled with an explosive blend of creamy caramel and fresh passionfruit. A dusting of edible, red glitter gives the dark chocolate a seductive blush. The set is $3.50. Finally, Chuao invites you to double your pleasure with Marzipan Hearts, two almond confections covered in dark chocolate and happily snuggled in a heart-printed bag for $6.50 Larger boxes of bonbons can also be purchased at $11.25 for a box of nine, $19.50 for a box of 16, $30 for a box of 25, and $56 for a box of 50. Chocolate, the Ultimate Aphrodisiac, Has Its Roots in South America Chocolate’s reputation as an aphrodisiac originated in South America over 1,500 years ago, when it was thought to have mystical and aphrodisiac qualities by both the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Legend says that the infamous Aztec emperor, Montezuma, drank fifty golden goblets of chocolate a day to enhance his sexual prowess. Today, scientists are only now beginning to unlock chocolate’s mysterious secrets. Its mood lifting properties trigger a similar reaction that occurs naturally in our bodies when we are happy, in love, feeling passionate or even lustful. Chocolate can temporarily stimulate these feelings of well-being, perhaps even bordering on the euphoria associated with being in love – hence, its enduring reputation as an aphrodisiac. ABOUT CHUAO CHOCOLATIERFounded in September 2002, Chuao Chocolatier is Southern California’s only artisan chocolate shop. Named after the legendary cacao-producing region of Chuao in central Venezuela (pronounced chew-wow), Chuao Chocolatier melds traditional European techniques with world-class Venezuelan chocolate and fresh, natural ingredients to produce the finest handmade chocolates. Chuao Chocolatier can be found at The Lumberyard, 937 S. Coast Highway in Encinitas, Calif. and Westfield Shoppingtown UTC, 4545 La Jolla Village Drive in La Jolla, Calif. For orders shipped anywhere in the U.S., shop at www.chuaochocolatier.com or call 760-635-1444. More CHOCOLATE FANTASIES FOR CHOCOHOLICSChocolatier Magazine BAKE AND FREEXZE CHOCOLATE DESSERTS ALL ABOUT CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CRAZY Mr. Food Simply Chocolate The Chocolate Lover’s Guide CHOCOLATE from the CAKE MIX DOCTOR 365 Great Chocolate Desserts THE TOTALLY CHOCOLATE COOKBOOK CHOCOLATE THE LITTLE BOOK OF CHOCOLATE CINNAMON MORNINGS AND CHOCOLATE DREAMS GOOD DEEDS WITH CHOCOLATE edited by Madelyn Miller |
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Artisan chocolatier Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier fires up your chocolate fantasies with romantic confections created especially for Valentine’s Day. 
From ancient Eastern teachings to modern magic potions; cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, ginger, ginseng, saffron, star anise, thyme, cayenne and chipotle chili have been regarded as powerful agents for stoking desire:
The ancients observed star anise to be a tonic, expectorant and anti-perspirant. From calming coughs to perfuming breath to staying dry, anise is definitely a “mood setting” ingredient.