Tag Archive for: Asheville

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Chocolate Bunnies

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Handmade Chocolate BunniesEver wondered why we celebrate Easter with Chocolate Bunnies?  Or how they are made?  Or how big the largest one ever made was?   Read on for the answers to these questions and everything else you ever wanted to know about chocolate bunnies.

When was the first Chocolate Bunny made?

Chocolate bunnies were initially created in Germany in the mid-19th century.  They gained mass appeal in 1890 when American shop owner Robert Strohecker created a five-foot-tall chocolate bunny as an Easter promotion in his drug store.

Why Bunnies for Easter?

In medieval Europe the rabbit was a popular symbol for spring because of it’s fecundity.  A German legend said that after a long winter’s sleep an Easter bunny would lay bright-colored eggs in the grass for good children to find.

How many Chocolate Bunnies are made each year?

Popular estimates say that about ninety million chocolate Easter bunnies are produced worldwide every year.

Why are Chocolate Bunnies hollow?

One major reason Chocolate Bunnies are made hollow is that once a piece of chocolate is over about ½ inch thick it becomes nearly impossible to bite into and enjoy.  Making bunnies hollow allows chocolatiers to make them larger for visual impact but still enjoyable to eat.  The practice of making bunnies hollow gained popularity in America during WWII cocoa rationing.  Hollow bunnies could be produced using far less chocolate than their solid counterparts.

How are Chocolate Bunnies made?

To make a chocolate bunny, molten chocolate is poured into a bunny shaped mold.  The mold is then shaken to remove air bubbles and rotated so that the chocolate forms a thin, even shell.  After the chocolate cools it can be removed from the mold and packaged for sale.  Large factories do this all by machine, smaller shops (like us) pour, shake, and rotate all by hand.

How big is the World’s largest chocolate bunny

The largest chocolate bunny ever made was made in 2014 for Chocofest in Brazil.  It weighed over 8,000 pounds and was over 13 feet tall.  If you are interested in purchasing a giant chocolate bunny the largest one we could find comes from Miesse Candies in Lancaster, PA.  Miesse’s giant bunnies weigh over 25 pounds, are 3 feet tall and cost $500 each.  If you’re looking for a more reasonable big bunny we offer a hand decorated extra large bunny in our shop that weighs over 2 pounds and cost $49.95.

How much is the Most Expensive Chocolate Bunny?1

The world’s most expensive bunny was hand carved by a European chef and sells for about $49,000.   Careful when you bite into him, his eyes are made of 1.7 carat diamonds.

What are the different kinds of chocolate bunnies?

These days chocolate bunnies can be found dressed up like cowboys, riding a motorcycle, getting married, playing sports and just about anything you or your local chocolatier can imagine.  The Bortz Chocolate Company in Reading, Pa. is credited with being the first company to introduce bunny personalities with its accordion playing bunny in 1934.   You can check out the bunny personalities we offer here.

What’s the most popular kind of Chocolate Bunny?

While chocolate bunnies can be found in milk, dark and white chocolates hollow or filled with a variety of nuts, caramels, and ganaches; the most popular bunny is still a hollow milk chocolate bunny.

 

How long does it take to eat a 1.25 pound chocolate bunny?

At the Wolfgang Candy Company’s annual chocolate bunny eating competition the record is about 9 minutes.  We suspect it will take you a little longer.

Weirdest Chocolate Bunny?

We can’t decide which is weirder, Benedict Cummberbunny or the Zombie bunny.  Leave your comment below and let us know what you think.

Other fun bunny facts

87% of parents will buy or make Easter baskets for their children—and 81% will then proceed to steal candy from them.

89% of Americans think chocolate bunnies should be eaten ears first.  5% prefer to begin with the tail.

A Fluffle is a group of bunnies… if you are in Northern Canada.

Fall at The Chocolate Fetish

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The cool mountain air of fall has once again settled upon Asheville.  Autumn’s cool days offer a much appreciated respite from the sometimes blistering heat that this summer brought us.  Our chocolate and those who like to leave the shop with a box or two of it are rejoicing as well.  Already the leaves are starting to turn and the mountainsides are soon to be ablaze with the gorgeous colors that make this area such a desired fall vacation spot.   Natures beauty in fall is a constant inspiration for us here at The Chocolate Fetish, evident in this years fall product offerings.

Drawing on fall's inspiration to create beautiful Chocolate High Heels

Back on the shelves are our Maple Walnut Caramel Cups, a personal favorite.  These delightful dark chocolate shells, shaped like maple leaves are filled with a gooey liquid caramel made with Vermont Grade B maple syrup and toasted walnuts.  I grew up spending summer’s in Vermont with my grandparents and one bite of these takes me back to our summer excursions to buy maple syrup direct from the farmer.  I remember him climbing up the rickety old ladder to the rafters of the barn and handing down old mason jars and tins thick with dust.  Inside was the thickest sweetest most delectable Grade B maple syrup you’ve ever tasted.  (To learn more about Maple Syrup grades and why I think Grade B is better check out this website http://www.vermontmaple.org/grades.php)  This year my thoughts turn often to Vermont as I hear towns I visited in my childhood ravaged by flood.  I am glad that in one small way we can help the people of Vermont through our continued purchasing of their maple syrup.

Also on our shelves are our brand new Pumpkin Pie Truffles.  Over  a year in the works we finally found the perfect marriage of chocolate and pumpkin.  To get the perfect balance we sought out a new chocolate (which brings us to more than 6 different milk chocolates that we blend to make our delectable flavors) a single origin Milk chocolate from Hawaii.  This milk chocolate is made entirely from beans grown on one estate in Hawaii giving a distinct fruity flavor.  This delicious chocolate is quickly becoming a personal favorite and is also available as a Single Origin bar in our shop.  The Pumpkin Pie Truffle marries fresh organic pumpkin with this delicious chocolate and a hint of spice.

Hand Painted Chocolate Pumpkins

Fall marks the beginning of what we at The Chocolate Fetish refer to as 3-D season.  Starting with three dimensional pumpkins, turkeys, and cats and continuing through the seasons with Santas and snowmen, then on to Easter with bunnies and eggs.  This year’s pumpkins are particularly beautiful.  Hand painted in oranges, yellows and reds and dusted with shimmering luster dust, they make a great addition to table centerpieces for Thanksgiving or fall entertaining. As usual we are offering a wide array of chocolate leaves including some hand painted maple leaves, another great way to add a little flair to fall table decorations.

The cool air means it’s hot cocoa season again and this year we have a new product that will knock your socks (it had our samplers eyes rolling back in their heads, and I am not exaggerating).  Gone is the plain old American style hot cocoa of the past instead we are now offering European Style Sipping Chocolate.  This decidedly decadent and indulgent beverage is made from our premium blend of freshly shaved dark chocolate mixed with half and half.   If you don’t live in Asheville be sure you make it up here this winter to try some… trust me you won’t want to miss it!  For those of you that live a little to far for a Sunday drive we’re working on a make at home version that we can ship to you, just another thing you’ll want to be on the look out for.

For us at The Chocolate Fetish fall is just the beginning. The busy holiday season is close on fall’s heels and the excitement of more new products keeps me jazzed about coming to work everyday.  We have more single origins, more seasonal flavors, and a whole new line of truffles coming soon!  As usual stay tuned to all our social media to be the first to hear about all the new flavors coming your way.