In some ways, the story of Richard Donnelly Chocolates is charmed.

Richard did not set out to be a chocolatier. He was interning at a legal office early on in his college career and found the people there to be overworked, unhappy, and unfulfilled. Not wanting to find himself in his mid-40s and in a similar position, he ended up taking a six-week apprenticeship in chocolate arranged through a friend. That apprenticeship was in Paris with Robert Linxe, founder of La Maison du Chocolat. Although Richard says that most of his time there was spent doing things like cleaning up, it is obvious that he learned a great deal about what goes into making a great chocolate.

Type(s): Prestige Chocolatier
Style: European
Taste Rating: Very Good to Superior
Overall Value Rating: Superior

After completing his apprenticeship, Richard spent more time learning the craft in Europe before returning to the United States. He settled in Santa Cruz for a number of reasons: he liked the lifestyle; he didn’t want to set up a retail business, preferring instead mainly mail order and wholesale; and he managed to take over a fully-equipped shop for not too much money.

That shop, located on Highway 1 in Santa Cruz on the way to Half Moon Bay, is the very modest headquarters for what many people believe is one of the top chocolatiers in the US.

After visiting the shop and spending nearly 90 mostly uninterrupted minutes with him one rainy day, I learned that the modest shop is a reflection of the man himself, an artist who wants to do things his way and who is very good at what he does.

Another thing I liked is that everyone who walked into the shop was offered a free piece to taste, with the option of choosing some pretty adventurous flavors (more on that in the review).

I have to admit that I like Richard’s story—that he did not set out to be a chocolatier—because of the parallels with my journey. For that reason I found my visit to be particularly inspiring.

While Donnelly’s apprenticeship at La Maison du Chocolat was very short, it is apparent that he learned the fundamental sensibilities for making what are truly superior chocolates.

Overall, the shell molds are very well-made with a nice sheen and a nice balance between the shell and the ganache. The ganaches are very clean with crisp distinct flavors that also let the flavors of the chocolate he uses (mostly Valrhona) shine through. There is remarkably little astringency in any of his pieces, irrespective of the flavors. The texture of the ganaches is silken, melting irresistibly on the tongue with very clean finishes.

And such flavors! I tasted a chipotle piece that was a remarkable blend of chocolate and smoky fire. This was the least-spicy of three different chipotle pieces (I love hot food and I can’t imagine what the other pieces might be like). He also makes a habanero piece.

I purchased a custom boxed assortment and asked Richard to fill it with the pieces he thought I should eat. These included Tahitian vanilla (milk and dark), rum raisin, cardamom, and star anise. One of Richard’s assistants overheard me, and she piped up to say that her favorites were the brandy and rose pieces, but they weren’t done yet and if I was willing to wait a few minutes she’d put the bottoms on them for me. Would I wait? Absolutely.

Interactions like this are one of the reasons I like to visit local chocolatiers and not just eat pieces that are made from some place far off across an ocean. While I was waiting for the bottoms to set, Richard proffered me a small spoon of some really excellent lavender ganache.

It may have been a rainy day in Santa Cruz, but I thought I was in heaven.

Although Richard seems to have learned the basic sensibilities for what he does from Linxe, it is also true that he has evolved his own style and in particular the flavors, at least in that the truffles are not as subtle as Linxe’s are. I tried three of his bars, the ginger, cardamom, and the Chinese five spice. The flavors in the bars are very subtle and very beguiling. Their texture is wonderful, and the balance of all of the tactile and sensual feelings in the mouth is truly wonderful.

Conclusion

At about $70/lb retail, these chocolates are definitely up there in the Prestige category. The presentation is comparatively plain, with the assortment I purchased packed in a plain box and then wrapped in Japanese rice paper printed with dragonflies and tied with a beautiful organza ribbon. It’s not a flashy box like La Maison du Chocolat or MarieBelle or Richart, but these chocolates are definitely for people who appreciate substance in addition to style: that what goes into the box is as important or more important than the box itself.

One part of the presentation I did like was the addition of a card that explained that the chocolates were very fresh and needed to be eaten within ten days (I think they lasted three in my house), and provided specific instructions for storage.

If you’re anywhere near Santa Cruz, make a point of stopping by the shop to pick up a custom assortment of absolutely fresh and wonderful chocolates, making sure to go outside your comfort zone and taste something Richard offers you that you might not normally taste. You are in the hands of a master who won’t steer you wrong.

If you can’t make it to Santa Cruz, Donnelly Chocolates ships. So, find some excuse to order; a holiday, birthday, anniversary, or make one up.

Company Information:
Donnelly Chocolates
1509 Mission St.
Santa Cruz, Ca 95060
888-685-1871

http://www.donnellychocolates.com/