marcie blaine chocolates @ Verde
Since my first visit shortly after Verde opened, marcie blaine chocolates has been experimenting the pants off chocolate! The flavors very widely almost every time I buy them, and the downright strangest chocolate I’ve had in recent memory came from their kitchen. They have also hit upon some of my new most favorite flavors. For you, dear readers, I made the sacrifice of tasting all their recent flavors, so you may buy gift boxes with confidence.
Must-buys:
- the gingerbread was spectacular, warm and buttery, with a kick of spice at the end. Just like the real deal.
- the classic is a 70% cacao ganache, and just super tasty.
- the hazelnut praline is a little denser than most pralines, which just makes it feel richer. It also had a very defined nut flavor, not the Nutella taste you get in a lot of hazelnut chocolates.
- the rose tattoo claims to be a rosewater caramel, but tastes more like butterscotch to me. Delicious and pretty-looking to boot!
I liked:
- The mint is kind of dry, but a it’s a light, fluffy taste that doesn’t make you feel like your tastebuds have been obliterated by toothpaste.
- dry chocolate pecan w/ pecan brittle had a warm, salty flavor, with a roasted aroma and taste. A good one for people who don’t like sweets.
- the spicy peanut was another praline, with heavy peanut butter flavor. I didn’t tasty any spice, but I still liked it.
- the green tea was a very mildly flavored ganache.
- the rosemary pinenut fleur de sel caramel, while not very caramelly, was still interesting, as you could really taste all the flavors. The salt brought out the rosemary.
Not for me:
- the Bindi madras has a white chocolate ganache, which isn’t my thing. You can really taste the curry; the coconut, not so much.
- the cacao nibs tasted like just plain chocolate to me. Get the classic instead.
- blood orange and olive oil is novel, but I still don’t like citrus in my chocolate.
- the lavender vanilla was very lavendery, which makes me feel like I’m eating a sachet.
- the bacon caramel may appeal to sweets haters. It made me feel like my brain was shutting down from weird overload, and shoved me back from the edge of bacon madness.
Their flavors change regularly, so all of these may not be available when you visit. I really hope they have gingerbread, though. It’s SO good! They also sell chunks of chocolate bark, for which I am very grateful. It can be painful to go to buy someone a box of nice chocolates, because then you would like a box of nice chocolates. Their bark gives you a nice way to get your chocolate fix without feeling guilty about spending a fortune on a second box of chocolates!
marcie blaine chocolates @ Verde
108 S 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4532
(215) 546-8700
