These are the BEST chocolates ever! When I worked downtown ten years ago there was a small Teuscher’s shop in the bottom of the building I worked in. Being an employee of the management company that managed the building they were in I figured it was my duty and responsibility to familiarize myself with the tenants and I stopped by and tested out their famous “champagne truffle”. It was a mistake because 1. it was another chocolate item for me to crave, and 2. they are pricey!!
I soon became a regular and shortly after became addicted to their fancy cup of hot cocoa. It cost $5 for a cup much smaller than the one I would get at Starbucks for half the price, but it was worth every penny. It was creamy, rich, steamy, and topped with the freshest fluffiest whipped cream I had ever had.
One day I was browsing through the store looking at their cute little gift packages and I noticed a plate of big chocolate dipped strawberries by the register. I was thrilled to be able to get a sample of something new.
“That will be $5”, the cashier said as I savored my first bite.
“Uhhh, ya, right”, I stammered as I dug out all the change I could find from the bottom of my purse. I was so glad I had enough to pay for it, but bummed I couldn’t leave with my usual purchase of two champagne truffles that I usually bought with $5. It didn’t keep me from going back, but it convinced me to stay far away from anything that resembled a “free” sample!
One year we went crazy there for Christmas and bought our other couple friends the two truffle Christmas ornaments for a gift. We later realized they probably had no idea what it was and may have thought we were total cheapskates for getting them a whopping one piece of chocolate apiece in a cheaply made (but darling!) styrofoam and aluminum ornament. We got our chocolate loving mothers the larger sized Christmas decorations…I think they had a whole SIX pieces of chocolate and we got the tree topper angel with truffles for us.
I was so disappointed (but financially saved) the day we walked down from our apartment on Capitol Hill to get some gourmet hot cocoa and found that the store had been closed for good. I don’t know how I missed it, being that I worked for the building manager. After we moved away from downtown I looked up online to see where the closest store was and found that there were only two in the United States and they were both in Manhattan.
One year I dropped many many hints leading up to our wedding anniversary that all I wanted was a box of champagne truffles, but when I heard that the shipping was going to cost more than the chocolates did I told Brett to forget it. Apparently, they have to be shipped in a refrigerated truck and overnighted so they won’t melt. Hmph!
So…I just looked them up again and what do you know!!? There is a store in Portland, OR. I think 154 miles of driving is not too high of a price to pay to get chocolate truffles for the woman who is about to experience her fourth labor and delivery to bear the man she loves his fourth child….do you?
Whims 