My wife and I were locked in mortal combat inside a moving vehicle, and I was at the wheel. It was not a pretty scene. But the object of our struggle was worth risking life and limb. It was a chocolate bar from The Hot Chocolatier called The Conglomeration.I sense your judgment even as I offer my confession.
But I ask you to withhold your unfavorable assessment of our behavior until you’ve tasted this remarkable confection. Made of imported chocolate, pretzels, pecans, homemade marshmallows, popcorn and cranberries, it’s quite possibly the ultimate chocolately, chunky, chewy, salty treat. And the last bite was going to be mine! Alas, I lost the battle. But I know where I can get another one. The Hot Chocolatier isn’t exactly hidden inside 201 West Main Street, but if you’re not looking for the small sign above its door, you’ll miss it as you drive by. However, if you take Market Street away from downtown, turn right on West Main Street, and carefully watch the right side of the road, you’ll see it. You’ll want to park in the gravel lot on the right before you reach the store, although the walk from there won’t burn off the calories you’re going to consume once you enter this haven for chocolate lovers. I like chocolate. My wife loves chocolate.
If I want to make her happy, there’s one sure-fire way of doing it, and it’s not giving her a toothy grin. It’s handing her chocolate. And not just any chocolate. Fine chocolate. Exquisite chocolate. Superb chocolate. So I took her to The Hot Chocolatier. I was a neophyte before I went to The Hot Chocolatier. I thought all chocolate was created equal. How foolish I was. At The Hot Chocolatier, the staff makes everything in-house, and they use only real ingredients - nothing artificial. Not only that, but Chocolatier Wendy Buckner, who co-owns the place with her husband, Brandon, uses only chocolate imported from France, Belgium and Switzerland. And the things she does with it are magical. As I talked with Wendy about her creations, she used the word “chemist” more than once. It fits. Wendy fills her space with a remarkable variety of chocolate creations, from dark chocolate pistachio squirrels, double-dipped cherries and caramel bon bons, to Mississippi mud sandwiches, Bailey’s Irish Cream triple chocolate mousse cake and sweet potato ginger cake, to chocolate covered pretzels, milk chocolate malt balls and chocolate toffee pecans. And that’s just touching the tip of the Mexican chocolate pots de crème with caramel mousse.
My wife and I sat with Wendy and Brandon at one of the tables in their spacious yet cozy eating area and talked about their brainchild, me sipping a hot chocolate with a marshmallow bobbing on top and my wife sucking down a frozen hot chocolate like she’d been fasting for a month. I want to avoid using too many superlatives, but my drink was extraordinary, and I’m not a hot chocolate person. My wife slapped her empty cup on the table and said, “I want another one!” As we parted ways, I told Wendy Chattanooga is lucky to have a place like The Hot Chocolatier. We don’t have to rely on even good mass manufactured chocolate; we can get incredibly creative, luxurious chocolate treats hand-made in our city. Just be careful. When you mix Wendy’s passion for chocolate with someone’s addiction for the same, mortal combat could ensue. Search for “Hot Chocolatier” on Facebook and visit thehotchocolatier.blogspot.com to learn about Wendy’s custom chocolate sculptures, cheesecakes, wedding creations and more.