Gourmet Chocolate Love

Chocolatier Norman Love was the keynote speaker during a recent Cornerstone Experience class at Edison State College, Collier Campus. The course is designed to help first-year students succeed in college, and then apply their knowledge in other classes and their workplace. Topics include time management, motivation and critical thinking. Norman Love shared his secrets to success including “giving your absolute best” everyday philosophy. Norman Love Confections chocolate salons are located in Fort Myers and Naples; and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love, a Euro-chic gelateria, is located in Fort Myers. For more information, visit www.normanloveconfections.com.

Opening a box of Norman Love Confections is always a treat but this holiday season it could be even sweeter. Custom jeweler Mark Loren and gourmet chocolatier Norman Love have once again partnered for the 12 Gems of Christmas.

From Nov. 30 through Dec. 24, 2012, customers of Norman Love Confections could discover a Mark Loren Designs’ rare and precious gem, or an NLC or MLD $50 gift certificate hidden in a box of chocolates. Twelve gems and 40 gift certificates (20 each from Loren and Love) will be randomly placed in signature boxes of Norman Love Confections.

Lucky customers or gift recipients have the opportunity to find one of the following gems in an NLC signature box this holiday season:

-12.16ct natural oval-cut Zircon from Africa

-7.81ct pear shape Orange Citrine from Brazil

-1.21ct emerald cut Orange Sapphire from Sri Lanka

-13.8ct millennium-cut oval Lemon Quartz

-.53ct fancy green round brilliant Sapphire

-6.14ct Pink Topaz fancy round cut

-4ct fancy shape Aquamarine from Brazil

-10.52ct Crystal Opal double sided

-oval-cut large faceted oval golden Amber

-14mm Large Black Pearl from Tahiti

-3 pieces/3.14cts total weight radiant-cut matching Peridot from Pakistan

-Matched pair oval-cut Imperial Topaz 1.49cts from Brazil
The NLC 2012 holiday flavors are:

Apple Cider: Filled with slow cooked pureed granny smith apples, this milk chocolate confection is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and sweet cream butter.

Candy Cane: Creamy white chocolate ganache and cool peppermint are swirled together in this beautiful holiday classic.

Cranberry Orange: Tart cranberry puree and fresh orange juice blended into a Swiss white chocolate ganache bring cheer in its sweetest form.

Cup of Cheer: The dark chocolate “cup” is filled with milk chocolate ganache featuring coffee, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua, cream and butter.

Egg Nog: Toast the holiday with a traditional spiced egg nog ganache, covered in white chocolate and infused with freshly grated nutmeg and a hint of brandy.

Gingerbread: Fresh baked gingerbread cookies are blended into silky milk chocolate ganache and a delicious mix of grated fresh ginger, spices, cream and butter.

Hot Cocoa: Inspired by a sweet cup of warm cocoa made with rich dark chocolate, a touch of Habanera makes this confection truly unique.

Mint Patty: A cool mint cream sits atop intense dark chocolate ganache, capturing the wonders of winter with each bite.

S’mores: Delicate white chocolate marshmallows, toasted graham cracker and milk chocolate combine for a modern twist on this childhood favorite.

White Christmas: A traditional blend of crunchy hazelnut praline and creamy cinnamon ganache are layered inside a beautiful milk chocolate shell.

Prices range from $13.25 for a 5-piece box to $95 for a 50-piece box. The 12 Gems of Christmas boxes are available at the Fort Myers and Naples chocolate salons, online at www.normanloveconfections.com, as well as at Mark Loren Designs showroom at 13351 McGregor Blvd., between College Parkway and Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers.

This offer is available for local purchases only. The 12 Gems of Christmas boxes aren’t available through online purchases/shipping.

Nearly everyone likes chocolate, so why not make it the centerpiece of a really fun get-together? Whether you are already a chocolate connoisseur or someone who simply likes trying different flavors and brands of chocolate, a chocolate party is a great way to enjoy your favorite food, expand your culinary horizons and share your passion with friends.

Similar to a wine tasting, the basic concept of a chocolate tasting is really quite simple. First, provide guests with a variety of chocolates to sample. To make things interesting, offer a wide range of chocolates that vary in price, origin, intensity and flavors. Give each guest a plate with one sample of each chocolate on it, numbering the samples so they can be identified without giving away the names. Also give the guests some journal paper to write down their thoughts about each chocolate, or search online for chocolate tasting scorecards that you can download for free. You can taste the chocolates together as a group and discuss the flavors and features as you go, or let everyone taste at their own pace and write down their impressions. Have guests vote for their favorite chocolate and guess which one is the most expensive and which one is the least expensive. Invite them to guess details such as the chocolate’s cocoa mass, origin or brand. You can even give prizes. In the end, reveal information in a brief presentation about each chocolate.

This format works for any number of guests, from 5 to 50, and you can make the party as simple or as extravagant as you wish through the use of decorations and accompaniments. Absolutely provide water so guests can cleanse their pallet between samples. You can also provide unsalted crackers, shortbread cookies or a mild fruit sorbet. If you really want to make things interesting, provide a variety of wines, beers, cheeses and fruits to explore the best pairings with your chocolate as well.

If you are in the Southwest Florida area, join us on Aug. 22 for a deliciously elegant night of chocolate and wine pairings hosted by Norman Love Confections. Norman will explain the elaborate and wonderful world of chocolate production, starting from raw cocoa beans to the velvety couverture of premium chocolates, and how their natural flavors find a harmony with certain wines. Taste and explore, bringing home this unique knowledge to enrich your home dining experience. Visit http://www.normanloveconfections.com/classes/chocolate-and-wine-tasting/ for information on registering for this unique experience.

Comment here with additional ideas for a fabulous chocolate tasting soiree….

Norman Love Confections gift boxes were showcased among other items in the gift bags given to top celebrities participating in the 84th Annual Academy Awards! Here’s the list of celebrities who got some LOVE:

1. Morgan Freeman
2. Al Roker
3. Octavia Spencer (winner)
4. Ann Curry
5. Janet McTeer (nominee Albert Nobbs)
6. Glenn Close (nominee Albert Nobbs)
7. Tina Fey (presenter)
8. Meredith Vieira (press)
9. Viola Davis (nominee The Help)
10. Berenice Bejo (nominee The Artist)
11. Michel Hazanavicius (winner The Artist)
12. Ryan Seacrest
13. Martin Scorsese (nominee Hugo)
14. Thomas Horn (actor Extremely Loud Incredibly Close)
15. Thomas Langmann (producer The Artist)
16. Stephen Daldry (Director Producer Extremely Loud Incredibly Close)
17. Leslee Dart PR for Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep)
18. Ben Kingsley (actor Hugo)
19. Jessica Lange (actress)
20. Brad Bird (director)
21. Jean Dujardin (winner The Artist)
22. Michelle Williams (nominee)
23. Steve Buscemi (actor)
24. Graham King (Hugo)
25. Anne Seiber (Midnight in Paris)
26. Meryl Poster (casting)
27. English Actor staying under alias
28. Twin Cities Live Giveaway
29. Charity
30. GM Four Seasons

If you’re thinking of giving someone a box of chocolates, Norman Love Confections is the way to go. Our gourmet artisan chocolates are handcrafted with the finest ingredients, they are as beautiful as they are delicious, and even our gift boxes have a very special “wow” factor!

Outside of the box, Norman Love Confections offers a variety of Gift Baskets, and our Chocolate Specialties, such as our famous Peppermint Chocolate Christmas Bark and fresh Chocolate-Covered Candied Nuts and Fruits, stand alone as affordable gifts and delightful stocking stuffers.

Want to take it a step further… Here are some creative ideas to incorporate chocolate into your holiday celebration in surprising new ways:

• Present Toppers – Heighten the natural anticipation that comes with receiving a wrapped gift by also putting a beautifully packaged treat on top with the ribbon. Gift Boxes and Chocolate Specialties, as well as Gift Certificates, make excellent present toppers. Christmas morning can’t come soon enough!
• Membership Privileges – Give someone a gift that keeps giving all year long. Sign them up for one of our four Chocolate Clubs. Members enjoy 4 or 12 shipments of signature line or Norman Love Confections BLACK™ boxes of chocolate throughout the year!
• Hidden Gems – You may have heard of the “12 Gems of Christmas” giveaway, in which Norman Love Confections and Mark Loren designs are hiding 12 pieces of jewelry and 12 gift cards in Norman Love Confections gift boxes Dec. 1-25. Surprise someone you love by placing a small precious gift inside on of our gift boxes or baskets filled with chocolate gourmet goodies. A bonus… they’ll never guess there is jewelry inside!
• New Year, New Tradition – Brighten someone’s New Year’s Eve celebration with a gift of champagne and chocolate. White chocolate confections, such as our Candy Cane and Eggnog flavors, make an excellent pairing with champagne. Best of all, you may start a new tradition of toasting with chocolate! Click here for additional wine and chocolate pairings to consider for your holiday preparations.
• Travel Friendly Gifts – This may not be all that surprising, but we thought we’d include it as a friendly reminder. If you or your gift recipient is traveling this holiday season, Gift Certificates and Norman Love Confections BLACK™ sipping chocolate make very travel friendly gifts. These gifts won’t melt on the journey and aren’t as likely to be confiscated at airport security if you take the appropriate precautions. Gift Certificates are also affordable to ship so you can give more!

Inspired? Please share new outside-the-box holiday gift ideas with the Norman Love community here!

We often talk about how we use “only the finest, freshest ingredients” in our marketing, but did you know we actually handcraft each element in the recipe?

When you bite into a Peanut-Butter-and-Jelly confection, you taste peanut butter and strawberry jelly that were made fresh in the Norman Love Confections kitchen by our very own artisans. Yes, we even bake our own New York-style cheesecakes to create the New York Cheesecake confection and Key Lime pies for Key Lime confections.

One of our newest lines, S’more Love, is a perfect example. We take this traditional campsite treat to the next level by preparing our own crunchy, freshly baked graham cracker, light and fluffy homemade marshmallows and salted bourbon vanilla caramel. These ingredients are then enrobed in dark chocolate. By producing each ingredient in every piece of S’more Love step-by-step, we can ensure our customers enjoy the freshest, highest quality gourmet ingredients possible!

If you haven’t yet tried S’more Love, Tuesday, Aug. 10 would be a great day to try it. It’s National S’more Day!

Do you remember your first taste of S’more? Was it a family camping trip, a Boy Scout adventure or a backyard BBQ? We’d love to swap stories with you so leave a comment!

In honor of National S’more Day on Tuesday, Aug. 10, Norman Love Confections will give away a complimentary hot or iced S’more coffee beverage with the purchase of any S’more Love confection from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., while supplies last.

A traditional campsite treat for young and old alike, each piece of S’more Love is enrobed in dark chocolate, filled with a crunchy freshly baked graham cracker, light and fluffy homemade marshmallows and salted bourbon vanilla caramel.

Founded in 2001 by Norman and Mary Love, Norman Love Confections creates and distributes ultra-premium, handcrafted artisanal chocolates. Based in Fort Myers, the corporate headquarters encompasses both production and retail operations. The Chocolate Salon is a stylish retail shop with an intimate ambience in which customers may purchase chocolates or linger over house-made pastries, gourmet coffees, lattes and smoothies. 

For more information or to place an order, call 239-561-7215, or toll free 866-515-2121, or visit http://www.normanloveconfections.com/. The Chocolate Salon is located at 11380 Lindbergh Boulevard, east of I-75, off Daniels Parkway in Fort Myers, and is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Our summer classes are HOT HOT HOT and they are filling up fast so sign up for your favorites today! Learn expert practices and techniques for producing a variety of delectable culinary creations from the experienced, award-winning artisans of Norman Love Confections at the Chocolate Salon. All gourmet chocolate cooking classes take place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Chocolate Salon, 11380 Lindbergh Blvd., Fort Myers, FL. To register, call Lisa Mariani at 239-561-7215.

Summer Schedule – Remaining Classes:

July
21st – Truffles (This Wednesday Night!)
28th – Molded Chocolates

August
4th –  Liquid Love: Making Fondue with Flair
18th – Cupcakes (Sorry this class is full!)
25th – Molded Bittersweet 61%

September
1st – Black Tasting

Are you ready to learn the true art of creating Gourmet Chocolate delights?

If so – be sure to join us in our Gourmet Chocolate Classes where you’ll be assisted every step of the way by my team of gourmet chocolatiers.

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As you may have read in one of my previous posts, we had a very special…

…contest where people nominated Mothers throughout the state of Florida to our Storybook Mother’s Day contest.

Last week, Mark Loren and I delivered our gifts to the winners of the contest, be sure to check out our photos from our journey.

Thank you to everyone who participated,

Norman