#20 CHARBONNEL ET WALKER

I guess it wouldn’t be January without sweeping plans for self-transformation and long lists of New Year’s resolutions. The usual items are there—eat more fruits & vegetables, less sugar; do more exercising and less lounging around—so much so that I heard eight different news programs this week about how I should go about revamping myself. Maybe it’s reaching the wise old age of 30, or maybe it’s the fact that running after two kids has me down to my college weight, but I’m really not interested in hearing dieting and exercise tips this week. On the off chance that you’re getting a little tired of it too, I promise you’ve found a safe haven here. This week we’re not going to talk about an exercise regimen (although it really is important and I really do endorse such a habit) or about dieting (diets are usually miserable failures) but about chocolate.

“Are you kidding me? I’m tired of chocolate,” you might be protesting.

I get that. We’ve all sort of overloaded on sweets lately. We’re fresh off the holidays. That’s why I want to make clear that I’m targeting the select few of you who—like me—actually aren’t tired of chocolate right now. You could never get tired of chocolate. Like me you’ve stashed away the good stuff you received in stockings and gift bags: boxes of Moonstruck Chocolates, individually wrapped Baci truffles, tins of Ghirardelli hot cocoa, and Ritter Sport bars with whole hazelnuts (like the one I consumed between 2 and 5 pm yesterday). You’re freezer is not lacking in buckeye candy, fudge, or chocolate-covered Oreos either. You’re not looking for a way to get rid of the stuff. Just the opposite—you’re hoarding it. This week I’m writing to you, fellow chocolate addicts. This week is for us. Charbonnel et Walker holds a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen (and has since 1970) as “Chocolate Manufacturers.”

I first heard of Charbonnel et Walker a couple of summers ago when I read about it in Eugenia Bell’s beautiful little guidebook called The Traditional Shops and Restaurants of London. Bell recommends stopping by the storefront in the busy Royal Arcade of Piccadilly Circus. The historical narrative she tells of the store is wonderful. In 1873 King Edward VII was responsible for uniting the confectionery duo of Madame Charbonnel of Paris and Mrs. Walker of London. During a visit to France, he loved Mme. Charbonnel’s chocolates so much that he persuaded her to relocate herself and her chocolate-making talents to his city, making Charbonnel et Walker one of the very first chocolate producers in the country. Bell recommends trying the drinking chocolate—which I’ve unfortunately never sampled—or a small pink box of champagne truffles. The really special thing about these truffles is that the round boxes they come in are made to look like old-fashioned powder cosmetic boxes. The truffles inside are milky and decadent and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

The story of how Charbonnel et Walker truffles have stayed on the list of Royal Warrants is also an interesting one. The Queen Mother was apparently a huge fan, and passed her fondness for them onto her daughter. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon—dubbed the Queen Mother, or sometimes just the Queen Mum, after her husband’s death in 1952—was a well-liked figure in the United Kingdom ever since her marriage to Prince Albert in 1923. Their marriage was somewhat unusual since it broke the longstanding tradition of royals marrying royals, e.g. some distant cousin from another European royal family. Albert married an English girl (much like Prince William did three years ago), and the country was delighted with his choice. In the 50 years between her husband’s death and her own in 2002, the Queen Mother continued to elevate and strengthen the image of the English monarchy. She was known for being easygoing, for her good sense of humor, and for her sweet tooth. She also helped eased her daughter’s transition into becoming a ruling monarch. Elizabeth’s father was dead and her entire life was changing in the early 1950s, but none of this change happened without her mother by her side.

This is an excellent week for me to offer an opinion about Charbonnel et Walker truffles because I’m surrounded by all of my usual favorites. How do they measure up? They’re good...but they’re certainly not at the top of my list. I really like variety in my chocolates, and I think it’s fair to say these lack the flare and innovation I love so much about Moonstruck Chocolates, based out of Portland, Oregon. If you haven’t tried these, you absolutely should. Right away—go order some. And I’m not just saying that because Charbonnel et Walker have ignored all of my polite emails asking more about their company history.

(Still, if I’m completely honest, I’ll point out that the only photo I have of the inside of my own box of milk chocolate truffles shows it looking pretty empty.)

Where to buy: The availability of Charbonnel et Walker truffles in America is a relatively new thing. You can order from Saks Fifth Avenue. From time to time I also see them at Williams-Sonoma.