Heaven in a
Single Bite

Lan Wong and James Boulanger handcraft fine chocolate confections in a remodeled Craftsman-style home in Milton-Freewater.

Story by Tanya Patton • Photos Courtesy of Lan Wong

Consider the humble cacao bean. It grows from a tree in the jungles of Central and South America. When dried, roasted and ground, the cacao bean produces a food that has been considered divine for almost 2,000 years.
Aztec kings consumed huge quantities of an unsweetened drink made from ground cacao beans mixed with water as an aphrodisiac and strength enhancer. The Spanish conquistador, Cortes, brought the first cacao beans to Europe in the early 16th century. The Spanish changed the name to cocoa and promptly added sugar to make the bitter liquid more palatable. The first molded, solid chocolates were developed in the mid-1800's, and in 1861 Richard Cadbury (yes, that Cadbury) made the first heart-shaped box for chocolates – sheer marketing genius. Today, worldwide retail sales of chocolate tops $50 billion annually. And in the week before Valentine's Day, US consumers – mostly men – will spend nearly $1 billion on chocolate for their sweethearts.

If chocolate is on your Valentine's Day gift list, why not step off the beaten path that leads to run-of-the-mill, mass-produced chocolates? Pay a visit to Petits Noirs, a one-of-a-kind chocolate boutique tucked away in Milton-Freewater. Boutique is the French word for shop – typically a small shop where fashionable and unique items are sold. Petits Noirs is exactly that: a small, intimate purveyor of handcrafted, exceptional chocolates in the Walla Walla valley.

Lan Wong and her husband, James Boulanger, started Petits Noirs three years ago. Their signature product is hand rolled or molded, ganache filled truffles made to pair with specific wines. This unique offering sets Petits Noirs apart from other area confectioners. Lan and James work together to identify each wine's unique qualities. "James has a more sophisticated palate when it comes to discerning a wine's character and unique flavors," says Lan. "Once we identify the key notes of the wine, we create truffles that either sing along with the wine or enhance the wine's taste."

So try a truffle – perhaps Cardamom or White Truffle Oil with Parmesan or Chili Pepper Strawberry – with Bergstrom Winery's 2006 Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir. Isenhower Cellar's 2006 Columbia Valley Bachelor's Button Cabernet Sauvignon pairs nicely with Rosemary or Violet with Smoked Salt or White Truffle Oil with Parmesan truffles. Other flavors, not for the faint of heart, include Lavender, Toasted Anise Seed, Sesame Coconut, Fresh Fig, Chili Pepper, Oak Chestnut, Violet, Passion Fruit Mango, Earl Grey Tea, Clove, Espresso, and Rose Petal. The offerings change with the seasons. "Eating one of their truffles is like having a party in your mouth," comments Leslie Sweetwood of Dayton, an enthusiastic customer.

Petits Noirs uses only the purest natural ingredients in their chocolate products, and no preservatives. Imported French dark chocolate is used to make toffee, truffles, European-style hot chocolate, marmalades and French mendiants – a confection of solid chocolate studded with nuts, fruit, seeds and/or spices. "The chocolate we use is well balanced – not too bitter, not too acidic – and so serves as our blank canvas," says Lan. "To that we add different and sometimes unusual ingredients to make our distinctive creations."

James and Lan met while both were living and working in New York City. James is an artisan baker and has worked in many reputable bakeries in NYC. Lan spent eight years working in a variety of corporate jobs before deciding to pursue her passion for chocolate. She and her sister spent one entire summer tasting their way through all the fine chocolate shops in the city. "It was serious research," remembers Lan.

One small shop stood out from the rest. Lan asked the owner/chocolatier if she could apprentice under her to learn the fine art of chocolate. After a few years, Lan decided it was time to move on and start her own business, Les Amusettes, offering event planning and guided chocolate tours in New York City.

Both Lan and James are self-confessed foodies. James was raised in Walla Walla. An opportunity for him to establish an artisinal bakery drew the couple back to the Walla Walla region. Unfortunately, this plan did not work out. "Still, we fell in love with the pace of life and the incredible abundance of locally grown food, and we decided to stay," says Lan. "We figured that the time was right to start our own business. We knew we wanted to work with chocolate and it seemed natural to offer a product that complemented the wine industry."

Petits Noirs recently acquired a liquor license so that visitors can taste both the wine and their extraordinary truffles together for a moderate tasting fee. And if all the exotic flavors seem a bit overwhelming, Lan also offers private tasting classes – a guided tour of how to taste and appreciate fine chocolate and pair it with wine, coffee, tea or other savories. Groups up to ten can schedule a tasting class at the boutique or Lan will conduct tastings at wineries or private homes.

Samples are offered freely at Petits Noirs. "Food is an experience," says Lan. And let's face it, chances are, only a few adventurous people are going to buy a box of Fig, Pistachio and Fennel mendiants without tasting one first. Visitors are offered demitasse cups filled with Petits Noirs' European style hot chocolate – a divinely thick and rich drink made with grated chocolate, hand blended with exotic spices.

Whatever you try at Petits Noirs, the taste experience will be just this side of heaven.

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