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Spring never fails to remind me of one of my favorite books, “Chocolat.” The 1999 novel by Joanne Harris tells the story of a woman named Vianne Rocher who, with an innate cooking talent, sets an old dream into action and opens a chocolaterie in the small French town of Lansquenet.

Taking place during the Lenten season, “ Chocolat” details the fervor Vianne has for her craft and the obstacles she overcomes to share her handmade confections with others. When I think of the book, I long to visit such a shop and sample chocolates prepared with that same kind of ardor.

Serendipity came into play and recently I met two women who, like Vianne, are passionate about the delectable treats they create.

Seven years ago, after receiving several requests and plenty of encouragement from people who’d enjoyed the cakes, cookies and pastries she’d prepared, Sabrina Barthe and her husband, Hugo, both natives of France, opened Chocolatine, a quaint little shop at 2955 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks.

“I just thought I would make cookies and serve some coffee,” Barthe said. “When we opened, I had six teaspoons. I thought that would be enough,” she laughed as she looked around the restaurant, filled with customers even hours past lunchtime.

Today, the tea room with an old-world feel serves soups, salads, crepes, sandwiches, coffee, tea and, of course, hot and iced chocolate. While the food is freshly prepared and delicious, the desserts continue to define Chocolatine, and Sabrina Barthe continues to prepare everything herself.

“My mother was an amazing cook but she was not a baker,” Barthe explained. “I have a sweet tooth, so if I wanted something sweet I had to make it.” Entirely self-taught, Barthe learned everything she could about baking while growing up in France. She said she makes “what I know, what I grew up on and what I can do best.”

Working with dark chocolate only, Barthe prepares everything from the chocolate tart with fresh raspberries to the chocolate éclairs using 72 percent cocoa. “Butter, butter, butter and good chocolate and you can’t go wrong,” she said. Though the price of chocolate has tripled in the past five years, Barthe is unwilling to compromise the quality of the ingredients she uses.

“I make it from the heart. That’s how I learned to do it in France.”

Not all of the sweets Barthe prepares are chocolate. Macarons, French delicacies rapidly gaining popularity in the United States, are thin, soft, almond meringue cookies sandwiched with buttercream flavored with chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, lemon, hazelnut or the slightly tangy black currant. The light and delicate pastel cookies look particularly festive in the spring.

The charming storefront tea room with its superior products and warm and welcoming owners has fashioned a loyal following. Barthe said she and her husband are in agreement on the future of their creation.

“We want to stay authentic, stay little and keep the rapport we have with our customers.”

Sheri De Rose, owner of the online Calabasas Candy Company, has also long loved to bake. She’d enjoyed sharing her homemade creations with the people in her life, including her children’s teachers and school counselors.

The Calabasas resident and gift item designer received rave reviews for her culinary skills and the way she packaged her creations. But a middle-school counselor, who told De Rose she had to go into business, actually inspired a career change.

“The counselor told me that the candy was unbelievable and that my recipes were amazing,” De Rose said. “I thought well, I’m not a kid at the school but I’m going to listen to the counselor.”

De Rose ensures the excellence of her candy by paying specific attention to the origin of the chocolate she uses. Organic cocoa beans are selected from farmers—paid directly by De Rose–in Peru, Cameroon and Tahiti. The chocolate is processed by a family-owned company in Europe before being sent to De Rose.

In the same manner the fresh fruits used in the caramels, truffles and marshmallows are carefully selected to ensure that the pure flavor of the fruit will be present in both taste and aroma. The fresh strawberry caramel is prepared in a manner that combines the buttery richness of the caramel with the clean zest of fresh strawberry. Edible dried lavender flowers and a sprinkling of French sea salt are used in the fleur de sel caramels.

Equal attention is paid to the visual aspects of the truly gorgeous artisan products. The seasonal blueberry truffles bear a remarkable resemblance to a robin’s egg in both form and hue. The bananas foster truffles look like a spotted bird egg on the outside while the truffle center mirrors the yolk of an egg.

The enthusiastic candy maker continues to be inspired and develop new recipes.

“People have a more sophisticated palate now. They like to experiment. I have unusual candies but not bizarre. They are still considered a candy because they are sweet. Why make more of the same?”

Visit www.calabasascandy.com for a look at De Rose’s creations.

Contact Patti Feddersen at pattifeddersen@gmail.com.


Sabrina and Hugo Barthe

Sabrina and Hugo Barthe

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