Review: Christopher Chocolates

Restaurant:
Address: 3519 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073
Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★1/2
Style: Confectionary and fine food emporium
Food: Good, many items are made in-house.
Atmosphere: Bright and cozy shop
Parking: Lot in front
Service: Very friendly
Price Range: Inexpensive
Unique Features: Sugar-free section, gift baskets and vintage candy.

Review: offers so much more than milk, dark and white chocolate. One step into the veritable candyland and you’ll feel your sweet tooth calling out to you. I was overwhelmed by the selection of sweet and savory items in the store. All your favorite candies and chocolates line the shelves and fill the cases in the shop. What was most surprising though was the selection of specialty goods including apple butter, dipping mustards and chocolate molds for fancy desserts.

In an effort to write a thorough review, I tried to get an interesting cross section of items, chocolate-related or not. I tossed together some candy-filled wafers, a bag of imported caramel corn, a half pound box of assorted Christopher chocolates, two “It’s a Boy” bubble gum cigars, dark chocolate covered espresso beans and some house apple butter.

The flying saucer-shaped wafers came in a rainbow of pastel colors and while they were pretty to look at, they were not my cup of tea. The wafer shells were perfectly fine but the hundreds of tiny candy balls inside (imagine the candy balls on non pareils) didn’t mesh flavor wise with the starchy exterior. I say this as an adult, I’m sure kids aged 10 and under will find these totally awesome.

But the caramel corn was indeed totally awesome at any age. Rich and buttery with wonderfully airy popcorn underneath, these treats had me continually reaching into the bag for more. There was no comparing them to Crunch n’ Munch and Cracker Jacks, these were a far superior version of the popular snack.

The box of chocolates looked very elegant in the rich brown colored box and thin gold rope bow. The gold oval sticker completed the package. When I opened the box there was a fantastic assortment of filled dark and milk chocolates.

As luck would have it, the first one I bit into was orange cream, which needed to be spit out (I’m allergic to oranges) but the subsequent chocolates were delicious. You can tell that the chocolates are made with real ingredients rather than imitation vanilla and other horrifying items. The chocolate is of high quality and has a pleasing texture that melts evenly and smoothly.

The “It’s a Boy” cigars would make nice decorations for baby shower gifts or baby shower party favors. The staff at Christopher Chocolates can make a basket for you filled with their own goods or you can prepare one on your own. For upcoming baby showers, I have an idea of tying the cigars to the boxes with decorative ribbon for an added festive touch.

The dark chocolate covered espresso beans features the same high-quality chocolate and robust espresso beans. These caffeine-filled treats are highly addictive but should be consumed with caution. Someone once told me they are the most effective way to ingest caffeine since the bean is the least altered.

The house apple butter was a nice warm chestnut color and had a pleasant aroma but I found it to be really sweet, too sweet. Most apple butter recipes call for an obscene amount of sugar in my opinion, so it was most likely a tick on my part that I found it too sweet. For fans of apple butter, this version would pair well with peasant bread, brioche or savory pork chops.

The staff at Christopher Chocolates is unbelievably friendly and accommodating. I felt welcome as soon as I came through the door. The prices are reasonable and the quality of products is evident. If you’ve never been inside Christopher Chocolates, I highly suggest you find some time to explore.