They had known each other since a very early age. Most likely, they had even played together as very young children. Their parents had known each other and had been friends for a long time, even before they were born.

He had a distinct memory of being on a highway, getting a flat tire, and feeling panicked. He also remembered her being very calm and in control, even when they were so young.

It was many, many years later—decades, actually—when they would be together again.

They synced immediately after the initial awkwardness of conversation with someone you don't know well, but have a natural connection with.

They shared life stories, though she was reserved and in control. He was still immature in the way young men often are, with a charm of being open and without a care in the world. She liked that.

She was the advanced businessperson with focus and goals. She was in town to meet with a particular lawyer in a large law firm to discuss import and export matters. He was happy to wake up every day. They shared a common life goal: personal success with the aim of helping others at the same time.

Both were artists who took their creative sides and morphed them into life businesses they had built.

When they did get together every decade or so, it was like reuniting with old friends who shared a bond that was inexplicable to anyone, even to themselves, yet remained a very important relationship in their lives.

Paris was the meeting point this year. She had a favorite, out-of-the-way cafe that was quiet and warm (as it would be a cold December) where they could, for hours, undisturbed, talk about everything.

They had a tradition that developed from the very beginning: giving each other chocolate.

This year, she would bring him these amazing cherries, that were bathing in a bath of armagnac, enrobed in dark chocolate. The explosion of flavor when one popped the whole cherry in the mouth was special, eye closing fun.

And he would personally select his favorite flavors of handmade chocolates. The flavors he chose were unique and surprising. The combinations blending together to make it feel like it was the first time you ever had tasted chocolate.

He would carefully place them in his carry-on bag and fly across the pond for a wonderful cup of tea with his friend for life.

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These Armagnac chocolate-covered cherries by Mademoiselle de Margaux are a revelation. Named "La Guinette," these grown-up indulgences are pitted griotte (morello) cherries dipped in Armagnac and then coated in rich, dark chocolate. The French cherry's slightly tart fruitiness and the warmth of the Armagnac blend gloriously with chocolate. This is what chocolate-covered cherries were always meant to be.

Remember, don't eat and drive!

Shop now for Chocolate-Covered Cherries with Armagnac!

Sometimes 24 is better than 48. This box satisfies just like the 48 piece does.

These are a made-to-order chocolates and will take up to two weeks to finish. We plan to have them to you before the 24th of December.

Shop now for Chocolat Moderne Bonbon Selects 24!

Francois Doucet Pate de Fruits are one of THE fruit jellies from France. Assortment includes: Apricot, Fig, William pear, Mirabelle plum, Strawberry and more.

Established in 1969 by Francois and Maggy Doucet, Francois Doucet started with a candied almond as their first product. In the 50+ years since they have widened their range of confections to include these Pate de Fruits. Starting with hand selected fruits of the region with 75% coming from Provence, these fruit jellies are a wonderful sweet jelly treat!

Sweet, with fruit flavor, soft to the teeth, you can enjoy these anytime! It is, if you didn't know, like an adult gummy bear but much, much better!

Shop now for Francois Doucet Confiseur Terroir Pates de Fruits!

These shortbread cookies smell just like any good cookie with lemon would smell! Awesome!!

Like a round cookie wearing a light lemon-colored sugar hat. The nose and the finish in the taste are when you get the most lemon. Otherwise, it is just a presence that blends wonderfully with the lightness of the shortbread.

If you look at the cross-section of the cookie, you see a crumbly texture, and the bite tells you the same. It is a nice, thin crunch bite.

Shop now for Island Bakery Lemon Melts!

These wonderful treats are slim rounds of creamy peppermint centers enrobed in dark chocolate. And not just any peppermint. So powerful is the mint you can smell it through the wrapping.

This mint's particular flavor is soft and lingering with a cool intensity. The chocolate pairs perfectly with the mint cream, just the right amount of both!

Never too sweet, these are my favorite mints of all time and are exactly what you wish your peppermint creams to be!

Perfect Little Peppermints!
"These are addictive. They are the Platonic ideal of the peppermint bite. They taste just like you hope they will."
-- Laura

Shop now for Summerdown Mint Chocolate Peppermint Creams!

The Le Petit Duc Gateau Calisson is a unique confection from Le Petit Duc, a renowned French confectionery celebrated for its dedication to traditional Provencal sweets.

This Gateau combines elements of the classic calisson with cake, or gateau, creating a fusion dessert.

This dessert starts with the classic calisson, a staple of Provence made from ground almonds, candied melon, and orange peel, topped with a delicate layer of royal icing. Calisson has a distinct almond-melon flavor and a sweet, chewy texture.

Le Petit Duc has transformed the calisson into a cake format, adding a more tender, moist crumb to the bite while preserving the essential flavors of almonds and candied fruits.

This innovative fusion brings a new depth to a beloved flavor profile, offering both, the comforting softness of a cake and the rich almond and candied fruit essence of a calisson.

Perfect as a treat paired with coffee or tea, the Gateau Calisson is the perfect choice for anyone who loves traditional French flavors.

Shop now for Le Petit Duc Gateau Calisson!

Unlike the Gateau Calisson, which emphasizes almond, candied fruit, and a hint of citrus in a nod to the traditional Provencal calisson, the Gateau Chocolat Noir focuses entirely on high-quality dark chocolate as its star ingredient.

This Gateau has an intense chocolate profile, with a dense yet smooth texture that highlights the flavors of dark chocolate. Where the Gateau Calisson is light, fruity, and almond-based, the Gateau Chocolat Noir is bold and rich with a delightful chocolate experience.

Shop now for Le Petit Duc Gateau Chocolat Noir!

Florentines are a delicate, wafer-thin "cookie" with a mix of crunchy and chewy textures, and Maison de Florentins adds to this classic profile with a chocolate-orange topping.

A real joy to enjoy with each bite. The chew is awesome and the flavors are super fun!

Orange has a sweet, slightly tangy flavor. It's juicy, with a well-rounded sweetness balanced by a mild acidity that varies depending on the variety.

Shop now for Maison de Florentins Chocolat Noir et Orange!

Oh! These are so wonderful! Thin, with a back covered in chocolate and a crunch and a chewy bite, these are a delight. It is hard to not eat them all in one length of a movie. Though one is super satisfying!

This is a treat worth indulging in!

Good for everyone!

Citron has a highly aromatic, floral scent with a very mild, understated sweetness and pronounced bitterness. Unlike oranges, it has a sour, almost lemon-like flavor but without the juiciness.

Shop now for Maison de Florentins Chocolat Noir et Citron!

The Guimauves a L'ancienne ("old-fashioned marshmallows") are crafted following an historic recipe that dates back to the origins of marshmallow-making, long before marshmallows became the mass-produced, fluffy treats we know today.

Originally, marshmallows were made with the root sap of the althaea officinalis plant, or marshmallow root, which was used for its medicinal properties and natural thickening abilities. Confectioners in France combined the sap with egg whites and sugar to create a soft, airy sweet with a unique texture and mild flavor.

Today, Arnaud-Soubeyran continues this tradition by using natural ingredients, often replacing marshmallow root with gelatin or other stabilizers while still honoring the original spirit and texture of the guimauve. The marshmallows are typically flavored with natural essences, such as vanilla or rose, giving them a delicate fragrance that captures the elegance of classic French sweets.

Unlike modern commercial marshmallows, which tend to be uniformly chewy, fluffy and sweet, Guimauves a L'ancienne have a more delicate feel and melt in the mouth with distinct flavors.

The Arnaud-Soubeyran company, one of the oldest and most respected candy-makers in Provence, was established in 1837 in Montelimar, a region famous for nougat. Over nearly two centuries, this family-owned company has gained renown for its artisanal sweets, particularly its traditional recipes that preserve the authentic flavors of Provencal confectionery.

Shop now for Arnaud-Soubeyran Guimauves a L'ancienne - Old Fashioned Marshmallows!

A lacy, crispy cookie.

See the Cranberry and Lemon Florentines Recipe Here!

When these French lemon peels arrive, we can't stop ourselves from immediately eating a few for testing, we are always testing! And every year we're reminded that these are the best candied peels we've ever tasted.

We eat them out of hand like candy.

Making candied citrus peel is time-consuming, nerve-wracking and takes a LOT of space, and to be sure, the results are always worthwhile. But we've managed to find peels that rival homemade.

They come from France, the country that wrote the book on preserving fruit!

These delicious peels are perfect for a whole host of applications.

Use them without alteration to dip in your favorite dark chocolate for a wonderful treat, that's delicious and elegant with after-dinner coffee. Or, dice them up and use them in baking and confections like scones and shortbread, cookies, cakes, puddings and tarts.

A note: Before dipping in chocolate or the like you should air dry for one to two days.

Shop now for French Candied Lemon Peel!

The gorgeous Pyramide des Tropiques is the piece de resistance of the Francois Pralus chocolate bar collection.

The Pyramide contains ten 50-gram bars, each hand-wrapped in a different color.

Each bar is created with cocoa beans that originate in different plantations across the worldwide cocoa zone, and each has a cocoa content of 75%.

This has a phenomenal range of flavor profiles; from the heady and full-bodied to the exotic and delicate.

The collection consists of: Papouasie, Indonesie, Sao Tome, Trinidad, Venezuela, Tanzanie, Ghana, Madagascar, Colombie and Equateur.

The pyramide is perfect for a chocolate-tasting party for you and your friends. Consider pairing with different wines for each bar.

The best deal in artisan chocolate! Equals 20 50 gram bars by weight!

Shop now for Pralus Pyramide des Tropiques of Chocolate!

I love it when I open a box of twigs from Mademoiselle de Margaux! Or, more correctly, when you remove the cellophane wrapper that encases the twigs inside, a waft of wonderfully aromatic, perfumed sweet chocolate joy arises into your olfactory system, and you become lightheaded with a sense that nirvana is close to your being.

Well, maybe not that far, but it certainly is fun.

This particular box of chocolate twigs has a new flavor of yuzu and ginger magically paired, not so that the resulting taste pronounces either flavor. Instead, when bitten and chewed, it is a warm dark chocolate with a twist of slight tang. As the chocolate melts, you get hints of yuzu citrus and the unidentified spice of ginger.

On the other hand, if you gently allow the twig to melt in your mouth, this is when the chocolate shines! Break a small piece off and place it in your mouth, and let it melt away.

This is when you get the yuzu citrus to divulge itself, and the distinct ginger flavor comes through from the bottom of your tongue. It may be best to experience this with your eyes closed.

Don't get too comfortable with this twig. Take a break between melting with a cup of jasmine tea to get the full effect. Just one or two twigs, and life is pretty good as you look out over the snow-covered lawn to the lake....

Shop now for Dark Chocolate Twigs with Yuzu and Ginger here!