We met Edwart, an up-and-coming chocolatier, at Le Syndicat. He had brought some treats to share with his friends at the bar, and we got to try his amazing tonka bean caramel and tomato pastilles. We promised to visit his shop before we left Paris and a few days ago we did.
Happy to see us, Edwart immediately laid out six chocolates for us to try, based on our stated preferences. Then he laid out another six. Then came the spreads and caramels. Then the pastilles. He was like Jiro, watching us closely with each bite to observe our reaction. His chocolates ranged in flavor from Japanese whiskey to lemon to curry, and every one was beautiful, well balanced with bright flavors, and extremely well crafted. Edwart is doing almost everything by himself – traveling to find new flavors, creating the chocolates, doing the graphic design, and even teaching chocolate-making classes. We were really impressed by his work and his generosity. We had only planned to have one or two chocolates and then be on our way – we hadn’t even had lunch yet!
We brought some chocolates and pastilles home to snack on over the next week and to share with our friends. We’re also spreading the good word – if you’re in Paris, pay Edwart a visit!
