Anna Shea's Chocolates - Art and Pleasure

When you see a chocolate piece created by Anna Shea, you are under the impression that you are in the presence of a work of art, and that would not be far from the truth. The Finnish-born chocolate maker has studied art ardently for many years before being lured into the obsessive and rewarding world of chocolate. Anna has always looked for ways to express herself creatively, whether it was through a painting or a drawing, and now through tiny, adeptly-crafted bonbons.

In the beginning, she trained with a chocolatier in our famed city, New York, but then she went on to perfect her skills in the Rhone Valley, in France, the place where all wide-eyed pupils go to become masters of this demanding art. She also took the courses of Ecole Chocolat, the online school that aims to teach you as much as possible about the production of this delicacy. But as a serious professional she insists that "it is very important for her to keep up to date with the latest techniques, whether it is a new way to combine ingredients or a new way to decorate the shell."

Her pieces are the result of a balanced combination or artistry and craftsmanship, as the design of the chocolate is connected to the filling. For instance, the vanilla ganache ("Madagascar") is a molded dome that is hand-painted and airbrushed to resemble a vanilla flower. "My Precious" contains creamy caramel with a hint of cinnamon and it’s shaped like a delicate heart, and "Lia" is a French, dark chocolate infused with Earl Grey tea. Anna Shea Chocolates currently offers over 30 distinct pieces in their assortment and it also creates custom centerpieces such as antique jewelry boxes made entirely out of chocolate.

You can tell by the names of her chocolates, without even beholding one of her outstanding products, that Anna is a dreamy, creative person. A self-confessed romantic, she says she gets her inspiration from movies, songs, old memories and personal experiences. Her favorite bonbon is called "The Heart of the Ocean" and is a dark chocolate ganache with Greek sea salt on top. Anna’s husband and business partner, Tim, cannot choose one he likes best, but he says, "with us, the chocolate tastes as good as it looks." And it surely looks damn good. It’s not surprising that you feel like you are in a fairy tale when you step into her store. Zoom on "Original Sin" chocolates on the display window.

Their retail store was open in 2004 in Tarrytown, NY but a fire in May 2005 forced them to close it down until October of the same year. They are opening a new 3,000 sq feet production facility in New Rochelle in August that will allow more freedom in the creation of the chocolates. Moreover, there are some Anna Shea fans in New York City already, of which, the most faithful retailer is Russ & Daughters that carry six Anna Shea flavors at all times.

For this fall, Anna is preparing a special collection including flavors such as cranberry caramel, pumpkin spice and a new line including two special sauces, a chocolate one and a cinnamon caramel one. The good news is that you can order her confections online now, without having to go all the way outside New York (we know, taking the train outside Manhattan is a mood killer) or wait until more retailers realize what jewels of a chocolate she makes. For more info www.annasheachocolates.com