Roaming Monkey

Tremont’s Lilly Handmade Chocolate opened today, Sunday, May 25th, 2008, at 761 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, on the site of the old Browns Market.

The space is quite beautiful, with shiny new wooden flooring and pink velvet wallpaper.  The owner, a friendly young woman with shocking pink hair, assured us that in addition to the selection of exquisite chocolates, there would soon be a collection of chocolate-friendly beers, wines, and ports.

I bought at least two pieces of each chocolate, and I’ve given a short description as well as my impressions for each piece.

Everything Lilly!

Chocolates can be purchased in 6, 12, and 15 piece boxes for $11, 22, and $27, respectively. There is also a “Dalmatian Bar,” a white chocolate bar dotted throughout with little blobs of dark chocolate goodness which costs $4.50.

Twelve Piece Box

There are a dozen handcrafted pieces available at Lilly, so you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Check them out on the web at http://www.lillytremont.com/

Cinn

vietnamese cinnamon, dark chocolate ganache

Eat this one last! The rich, intense spiciness of cinnamon and the dark smoothness of the ganache linger like a long, passionate kiss.

Pistachio

roasted pistachios, milk chocolate ganache

The saltiness and piquant flavor of roasted pistachio blends nicely with the creamy milk chocolate. Plenty of crunchy bits, too!

De Lime

lime infusion, white chocolate ganache

Fast, clean, and intense, like the pop of a light bulb burning out. Once the delicate white shell is broken the tart sweetness of lime rushes in, and dissipates just as quickly.

Intense Orange

blood orange infusion, dark chocolate ganache

The sweetness of blood orange seeps slowly through the creamy darkness of the ganache, lingering pleasantly on the palate. This one should be savored over a course of minutes.

Filbert!

roasted hazelnuts, milk chocolate ganache

Unless you’re from the Pacific Northwest, you probably call them hazelnuts! An initial blast of saltiness fades quickly to the warm, familiar taste of roasted filbert (hazelnut!).

Ruby

raspberry puree, milk chocolate ganache, milk chocolate enrobed

Like a sunny morning in the raspberry patch, but without the scratches or the seeds. The sweet, subtle raspberry flavor blends beautifully with the creamy milk chocolate ganache.

Midnight

dark chocolate ganache, cocoa

As dark and complex as its name suggests. The bitterness of cocoa and the slow-developing sweetness of dark chocolate mingle across the middle palate into a moonless chocolate lover’s midnight.

Lilly

apple, cardamom, lemongrass infusion, white chocolate ganache

Complex but not cloying; the flavors are unique and slowly developing. Your first impression will probably be “ginger!”, but wait a moment for the subtlety of the lemongrass and cardamom to develop.

The Southern Gentleman

__*bourbon reduction, milk chocolate ganache, roasted pecans

Like your first walking through Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga; at the same time warm and familiar, new and mysterious. Like any proper Southern gentleman, the bourbon and pecan comes on slowly and lingers pleasantly on the palate.

Old School

old fashioned malt, milk chocolate ganache

Rich and malty, just like an old fashioned truffle should be. Brings back childhood memories of the dog days of summer spent in front of the ice cream stand, chocolate malt in hand.

The Brunette

black mission figs, milk chocolate ganache, milk chocolate enrobed

The sticky richness of pureed figs brings to mind a fine caramel, and the milk chocolate ganache heightens the sensation. To truly appreciate the complexity, let this one sit on your tongue and dissolve slowly. It’s worth the wait.

Peanut Butter

fresh made peanut butter, milk chocolate ganache

The first sensation is an intense saltiness followed by a mellow, mouth-filling blast of roasted peanuts. The ganache melts quickly, making this one disappear faster than a peanut butter sandwich in front of a six year old.