I love chocolate. I am not alone – there are many chocolate lovers amongst us – and with Christmas only just a week away, thoughts turn to gifts… chocolate gifts…
The Sunshine Coast is blessed with many fabulous producers and one of those producers is Sebastien Clerc, the young artisan chocolatier behind Cocorico Chocolate that is located in our beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Chocolates are a gift that rarely go unappreciated, add to that equation artisan and locally made and I think you have all boxes ticked of what constitutes a great gift.
Sebastien is passionate about chocolate and it is easy to understand why. I have often entertained romanticised thoughts myself of becoming a chocolatier. I have come to the conclusion that I am much more suited to eating chocolate to making them and I am okay with that.
Fortunately Sebastien is the opposite. While he still enjoys eating chocolate and trying out newly created combinations, his passion is in the creation – one that began when he was just 16, under the creative guidance of Eric Pernoud the owner and chef of the fabulous Maison de Provence in Cooroy. Three years down the track, Sebastien started operating his own chocolate making business at the cottage at Le Relais Bressan in Flaxton.
Cocorico Handmade Chocolates boasts a large range of flavours and combinations. All made with quality imported Belgium coverture chocolate, the surprise centres are many. I have a bit of a soft spot for truffles and watching Sebastien skilfully coat his truffles with their final layers, inhaling the heavenly heady fragrance that the chocolate was imparting while he was doing so was quite heavenly.
Japanese Sencha, Cardamom, Chilli, Wasabi – now these are not your everyday truffle – and the chilli has quite a bite, but boy, are they yummy!
Cocorico is open to the public, so you can watch Sebastien while he creates as well as have the opportunity to sample some of the flavours. There is even a chocolate deluxe degustation…
So if you are having difficulty finding gifts, or better still, you would like to by a locally created gift, or you just want an excuse to try some chocolate yourself, visit Cocorico Chocolate, treat yourself to a tasting and the select a number of favourites for your favourite friends and family.
Visit Cocorico’s website for more information:
http://www.cocoricochocolate.com
This story was written by Petra Frieser – Pebbles + Pomegranate Seeds
