Chocolates for the Holidays

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Sophie Gayot - Hasty Torres

Chocolatier Hasty Torres with Sophie Gayot

by Sophie Gayot If you are planning to spend the weekend chocolate shopping for the holidays, allow me to make a suggestion. Log on to chocolatier Hasty Torres’s website where you will find some 100 chocolate items in twenty-three different flavors. Her nickname is Madame Chocolat, as she is the wife of Mr. Chocolate, Jacques Torres. (Remember the chocolate kitchen ovens he created at Le Cirque?) From bonbons to chocolates in the shapes of watches, shoes, purses, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Hanukkah items, holiday glitter truffles and much more, the result will surely be a sweet ending. If you are in the Los Angeles area, head to Hasty’s pop up store at D.L. & Co in Beverly Hills. Since the gift store is famous for its “skulls” in many styles, she has created a line of chocolate skulls in both black and white. I could not resist putting as much of the store’s skull jewelry as possible in my photo. Luckily, Hasty did not break the three-pound chocolate bar she is holding over my head, as that would have hurt! One other dangerous item: the chocolate chip cookies made with 60 per cent dark chocolate are addictive, so be careful. D.L. & Co is located at 417 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 310-205-0025. It is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday noon – 5 p.m. Madame Chocolat will be there through Valentine’s Day. You can click on each photo to enlarge. All photos by Sophie Gayot.