Francesca (已結業)

為了要答謝2位友人..........所以mar 23, 11來買禮物 : 1) sea salt & pistachios (hk$128)-因為這個口味很特別,而且食過嘅朋友通常都好受落,所以買來比友人試吓-詳細意見,可以睇番我上次嘅食評2) maracaibo 65% rosemary & thyme (hk$128)-這是另1個很特別嘅口味,女店主以前都有介紹比我-知道友人喜歡香草味,所以估計佢應該會鍾意/接受到-後來友人請了我食1格,很開心,因我好有想知喺咩味,但又唔好意思開聲-黑朱古力本身同海鹽1樣,醇厚,不過after taste不重-個露絲瑪莉同百里香味唔強烈,溫和,不過都明顯-很有個性的味道3) cd (送)-因為同女店主吹水,講到我要送朱古力比友人俩嘅原因,令我諗起1串近來嘅心結同屈氣,情緒突然來得很強烈,變得悲慟起嚟........幸好沒有掉下眼淚, hahaha.....店主有見及此,喺我臨走前送了我這張店內有售嘅cd............真喺好多謝她的窩心美意.............thank you so much for her kind gift-這張cd是由ian parkison compose的,西樂中帶有很重嘅東方音樂元素*女店主同我講近來佢推出1個叫love & destiny reading嘅test (單對單,1.5-2hrs),outcome會得到1個personal destiny analysis,包括有personality, job/career suggestions, supporting colors, matching partner and more insights............不過收貨都幾貴,要$1200/位 繼續閱讀

又上Yan屋企打搞，各人都買了點東西上去，我買的是Francesca & Giovanni的曲奇餅，而好食友小JJ買的是Francesca的朱古力。又是Francesca? 兩者有否關係?後來，甜魔會長上網了解，原來Francesca是一個女生的名字，另一意思就是自由的心，兩個品牌是沒有關係的。真佩服甜魔會長認真的態度，我就懶得去查了。言歸正傳，在三款口味之中，我揀選了Trinitario 64% Sea Salt and Pistachio。朱古力味道不會很甜，卻很醇厚，口感尚算幼滑細緻。嗒真一點，可嚐到柔和的咸味，就是海鹽的成分了。再者，朱古力裡頭混入開心果仁，脆口之餘，亦增添層次感，是很出色的。據聞這排朱古力要$98，可真不便宜呀！感激好食友JJ的一番心意。 繼續閱讀

上週日很巧收到兩份店名都有Francesca的禮物，好奇之下就上網查查；原來這是一個女生的名字，在意文中指白色的鴿子，而追溯至拉丁文字根寓意的話，就是自由的人!　至於這家以FRANCESCA為名的瑞士品牌朱古力店，來頭也一點不少，連投資推廣署也特別就著朱古力的開張，發表了新聞公報，大意是創辦人Cornelia Maeder在高檔朱古力市場擁有近20年經驗，其出品是專為懂得欣賞生活美事的顧客而製作，產品選料來自全球的優質素材，並以瑞士傳統方法製造，云云，全文可見：http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200905/08/P200905060266.htm　是日jj很客氣帶來的，就包括精緻的小盒裝Bari Almonds in Grand Cru Chocolate，以及3款不同口味的黑朱古力bars，Java 64%、Trinitario 64% Sea Salt and Pistachio及Maracaibo With Hazelnuts 65% 。上網一搜，優質朱古力的定價殊不便宜，一排朱古力bar就是$98了；金色的小禮盒未找到標價，但相信索價也不低，在此真的感激食友的心意! 　派對當日未能抽空細嗜各款朱古力，兩日後與老友飯聚才開啟了精緻金色禮盒，一起共嗜Bari Almonds in Grand Cru Chocolate滋味：大小平均的清脆杏仁，被甘醇細滑的朱古力包裹著，口味不會過甜，可可味與杏仁香則齊放異彩，風頭誰也不蓋過誰，是款很可口的朱古力小吃。當時還有半杯餐酒未飲盡，伴上這杏粒自是愜意極了!　至於另一排Java 64%朱古力bar，為不破壞旅行前減肥大計，又不想擺放太久影響風味，決定忍痛割愛轉贈老友。不過對這間標榜自由與優質的瑞士品牌朱古力店，小妹心中還是無限嚮往的；見到小店也有開辦不少朱古力鑒賞班，內容廣泛包括朱古力與綠茶、朱古力與健康等，一於8月旅行回歸、回復飲食自由後，再來這裡大開朱古力戒，甚或一起約去參加workshops吧! 　FRANCESCA的官方網址：www.enrichyourpotential.com各式Workshops：http://www.enrichyourpotential.com/chocolate-connoisseur/ 繼續閱讀

Discovering a new establishment gives me a sense of satisfaction not unlike feeling a new outlet where I can exercise my passion within. At times the discoveries are made en route to another destination, or at other times they can be found through an accidental detour on the journey. There it was, up in a dingy building in Central is the boutique that doubles as the office of FRANCESCA. First opened in Switzerland, and now a new location for this small business comprised of no more than a few people covering most of the companies’ duties. Cornelia Francesca MAEDA, owner of the company she named after herself, is no stranger to chocolate, and by that I mean chocolate itself and the chocolates her brand is all about. The boutique is located in a small space of minimalist designs not unlike a meeting space with a glass counter showcasing the chocolates. Marked at $25 each there are the truffles (Champagne, Rum, Rosewater, Pure Criollo). The special thing about FRANCESCA is that each piece is placed in a dainty golden box not unlike a special gift for friends and loved ones. The heart-shaped ROSEWATER Chocolate is comprised of a whipped ganache flavored with rosewater – sweet and floral without getting overly fragrant, encased in a shell so thin that gives way to the bite. The CRIOLLO is a dense one filled so intensely with cocoa (minus the overdose in bitterness) that has a slightly nutty finish. The round Rum truffle is also thin on the coating, but the ganache is denser than the Rosewater kin, and has a slight liqueur aftertaste not unlike roasted chestnuts. Other than the truffles, FRANCESCA introduces the chocolate bars (labeled “Grand Cru”) as well, which are equally exciting. There are typical flavours like almonds, but look for an herbal take on chocolate bars with rosemary and thyme folded within. I was assured, that it would feel like savoring chocolate through a brief stroll in the pine forest. Through brief conversations, our views on chocolate and preferences were shared, as well as pleasurable experiences on chocolates that were too good to be true. While many chocolate lovers count on the percentage of cocoa content to tell them if their choices are dark-enough, they seemed to have forgotten that the very origin of the cocoa bean itself can affect the taste of the chocolate. A 64% Java may be more smoky than nutty on the aftertaste compared to a Madagascar on the same cocoa content. It’s crucial to note that it’s not just about the percentage that we’re after, but also the type of chocolate used in the chocolates we consume. Throughout the enjoyable company of the brand’s owner I have come to realized that FRANCESCA is more than just a newly developed brand, or a chocolate boutique which displays its own creations, but one that show us other glimpses into the world of chocolate not unlike different variations on the same theme. The MILK (no sugar added) CHOCOLATE BAR ($68/100g bar) has minimal sugar content, yet when it enters the mouth it yields a familiar taste of caramel as the chocolate slowly mellows out and widespread onto every taste bud on the tongue until the dairy taste subsides, followed by a sharper hit of cocoa in the chocolate. The ORGANIC FAIRTRADE DARK CHOCOLATE BAR is another magical journey where the mild aroma of fresh walnut collides with the crisp texture of the chocolate bar. The intertwining sensations of bitterness, laced with the tinge of stimulating acidic notes, then sweet (like lollipop), and back to bitterness, and again the sweetness…excites the palates and seduces the mind as if chocolate has cleansed the mind anew. The brand is still relatively new, and with many activities planned ahead, Francesca (the owner) intends to expand on her repertoire to sharing views across chocolate lovers alike with sharing and tasting classes. In time there will be more adventurous flavors coming out. That’d be good news for Chocolate-lovers, and perhaps a good place to recognize that chocolate tasting can be something similar to wine-tasting – throughout the process you can locate a favorite of your own. Reveling in the sheer luxury of this experience, I savored the deceptive simplicity of the boutique and the chocolates it featured, as well as the aromatic notes of cocoa that lingered on my palate as I walked out of FRANCESCA, feeling the climatic joy that the city now has a place where chocolate is more than just a commodity, but something to be appreciated and treasured, in so many levels we have never imagined possible. 繼續閱讀