Me, too -- and THANK YOU for extending your hours! The number of times we've driven by and my heart's leapt only to realize what time is was...

Just picked up the latest copy of Chocolatier Magazine and the "Inside Story" on the last page is a short article about Artisan Confections, including descriptions of the 12 chocolates shown. Lovely photo of the 12-piece assortment Jason You'll need to purchase the magazine to read it as the website doesn't contain the articles. I think it's time for a trip to Arlington.

For you chocoholics, the magazine also has an ad for the upcoming Chocolate Show in NYC in November.

I believe Scott had asked for some more information regarding Artisan Confections, so here you go.

For those of you that have not been here, we are located at 4815-B Lee highway in Arlington. We are very close to the intersection of Glebe Rd. and Lee Hwy. Our normal hours are 10-6 Mon-Fri and 11-5 on Saturday. We are closed Sundays. I am always here much earlier than 10, and often much later than 6, so if you can not make it during those times, please call to see if I am here.

As for holiday orders, we are now starting to take them. You are welcome to place an order over the phone and pick it up at anytime. We also ship. Shipping rates obviously vary, but for most locations on the East Coast the shipping is $10.00. If you need any sort of client gifts, corporate holiday stuff, etc. please contact us sooner than later so we can get the order processed and your chocolates guaranteed.

We are relaunching our updated website early next week, so most of the information can be found there. If anyone has any questions, please PM me.

One final thing, we are also in the need of some seasonal P/T help. We are basically looking for help from the 1st week of December until X-Mas. Preferably in the afternoon, but we are flexible. Again, please PM me if you know of anyone that is interested in a little extra cash over the holidays (and lots of free chocolate, we do make mistakes....)

Thanks,
Jason

I hope everyone is enjoying the snowy day. Just an FYI, we will be staying open late (until 8 PM) on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting next week for all of you holiday shoppers. So, for the holidays, we are open from 10-6 on Mon, Wed., and Fri. and from 10-8 on Tues and Thurs. We are also open on Saturday from 11-5. and, we will be open on Christmas Eve from 10-4. So please try and stop by if you are in the area. We always have chocolates available for tasting and it would be nice to meet all of you.

Happy Holidays,
Jason

I am glad to see you are selling at Grape Juice. It reminds me that you sell retail. I bought some items, at grape jucie and will be in your store to by more.

Baccala is referring to a wine/chocolate tasting we will be doing at Grape Juice Wine Shop on 12/14 from 5-8 PM. They are located at 5707 Lee Highway in Arlington, in the same shopping center as Restaurant Vero. We normally do not sell chocolates at their store (as our shop is right down the street), so this is just a special one-time gig for the holidays. Definitely try and stop by.

Thanks,
Jason

There's a nice mention of Jason's Hot Chocolate mix on Daily Candy. Extended shopping hours for the holidays!

Rock on Jason!
nice pic and article in the wash post this weekend.

In Jason's January email he dropped this enticing little morsel:


Since I work all day on Saturdays, today was the only opportunity I had to drop by and get some, and they did NOT disappoint! I should have stopped by the grocery store and picked up some vanilla ice cream, because these brownies, even 4 days old (as opposed to "hot-right-out-of-the-oven") were still PFG. If you have time on a Saturday, this is a wonderful excuse to drop by Jason's place this month. You'll be ruined for Duncan Hines brownies henceforth.

Oh, and his experiment with a pistachio nut confection is a clear success - yum!

The latest taste sensation from Jason is this:

Rum ganache with passion fruit, pate de fruit and toasted coconut. Simply scrumptious.

For those looking for Easter basket chocolates, the small packages of bunny shaped salted butter caramel filled chocolates are awesome.

I just got word that Jason has made some chocolates using Balvenie Double Wood 12 single malt scotch. They will be ready on Saturday (late afternoon).

The line to get some starts here.

I just ordered a box of the caramels for my mother-in-law for Mothers' Day. I agree with the liquid crack comments A student of mine gave me a sampler box for Christmas and I just fell in love. Truly the best chocolates I've ever had!

Chocolates for Mother's Day is a great idea. This week's email said that there is a sale today (Friday) and tomorrow. I believe everything is 10 percent off. Presents for Mom or yourself, I say go!

Thanks to Jason for making me look awesome on Mother's Day. Gave my mom a box of the assorted and a box as well to my wife along with the surprise hit--roasted almonds dusted with cocoa powder. A delicacy I thought my wife would not like is already gone--those are some good god damn nuts! The chocolates were met with choruses of "they're too pretty to eat" which lasted only until the first one was tasted. Soon after there was total carnage, and I basked in the glory.

I owe you, man.

Grabbed a couple of the brownies as well, but those didn't make it back to the house.

Just a quick message, we will be having a 10% off sale for the ENTIRE month of August. The discount is good for purchases of $15.00 for any item(s) in our retail shop (it is not valid with other discounts, gift certificates, or for classes). We do have some new items we have been working on as well, so please stop by for a taste. We are open from 10-6 (Mon-Fri) and 11-5 (Sat). Hope to see some of you during these dog days of summer.

Regards,
-J

Saturday special melt-in-your mouth brownies, fleur-de-sel caramels, and pecan buttercrunches!! Not to mention chocolate samples. All wrapped in beautiful ribbon or in great reusable tin boxes. Always too pretty to eat.

Thanks for making my week Jason! Go visit!! Buy! Take advantage of the special Andelman is offering!!

Picked up some fleur-de-sel caramels to satisfy my expectant-friend's chocolate cravings, but she approved more of the Snap Crackle Poppers Jason was selling!! The combination of crispy rice, chocolate, with a surprise taste of sweet-n-sour dried cherries outshined the caramels. Proved to be a worthy extra purchase.

Stopped by the open house on Saturday. The hot chocolate mix is AMAZING, dark and rich without being too sweet. There were a few new flavors - figs and chocolate are an excellent combination!!!!

They now have a "card-carrying chocoholic" card - once you hit 10 stamps (a stamp for each purchase exceeding $10), you get an extra treat! Thanks, guys! I can't wait to collect more stamps...

How to save the the Artisan chocolates from the toddler:

"No dear, put the art down!! Musn't break the pretty art!"

And, despite the seductively, definitively chocolate aroma, she looked down and saw that, lo! it was beautiful art, and gently put the box down with the contents unharmed.

The "art" was mysteriously stolen shortly thereafter...

Just an FYI for those of you that don't get our monthly newsletter. We are having a 10% off sale all items this week ($10 purchase or more, in-store only) from Mon-Sat (we are closed on Thanksgiving day). Keep in mind that our chocolates only have a shelf-life of approximately 2-3 weeks, so this probably won't work for Christmas shopping, but still.....

Also, on Fri (11/28) and Sat (11/29) we will be offering free samples of our hot chocolate and few other items all day long. So if you are out and about with the family, please stop in for s'more (get it)free chocolate!

We will be open our normal hours all week (10-6, Mon-Fri) and (11-5, Sat.)

Thanks and have a happy holidays.

-J

For those of you that can not get here during our normal weekday business hours, we will be staying open until 8 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays up until X-Mas. Come by, say hello, enjoy some free samples, and stock up on your holidays gifts.....

Artisan Confections gift boxes were a big hit at my office this year. Several commented that they looked so good they wanted to display them on their coffee tables. I assured them that as good as they are to look at, they are even better to eat. Thanks for making holiday shopping so easy. Enjoy.

Dear Ann Landers -

I think Jason's chewy "Fleur de Sel caramel" chocolates are even better than his original dome-shaped salted caramel chocolates, but my wife disagrees, and says I'm a butthead as she clings to her liquidy-center favorites. How can I build an assortment box without looking selfish? Will our household ever know peace again? And...what about Naomi?

- Theo in Broma

Dear Mr Stomach-

If you come in the shop, i'll make you a nice boxed assortment of both caramels. I am the peacemaker.

I sent my in-laws some Artisan Confections chocolates for Christmas and they both enjoyed them. They were wondering how the designs are imprinted on the top. I should have bought some caramels for myself when I was there, though

Transfer sheets imprinted with custom designs. For an example of ones you could order online: http://www.americanchocolatedesigns.com/

I took a class Artisan Confections and got to make my own transfer sheet, by painting colored cocoa butter on blank sheets. It was a lot of fun! But much like other painting, sometimes it's surprising what colors and designs work and which don't.

Yeah, Jen summed it up pretty well. Colored cocoa butter is silk-screened onto a sheet of clear acetate to make a transfer sheet. The transfer sheets are applied to the chocolates right after they are enrobed. When the chocolate crystallizes, the image is left on the surface of the chocolate. It is a nice way to add some color and design to the chocoaltes w/o altering the flavor in anyway. And yes, if you take one of our classes your will get to do this process all by yourself....

-J

Thanks for the explanations of the designs .

My brother's fiancee went there today to procure chocolates for their wedding.

She loved it, and loved the service she got. The chocolates she brought back - at least, the ones I got to try - were awesome. She's already called dibs on any uneaten ones from the wedding.