Chocolate: So Decadent, So Good
from The Chocolate Factory in Columbia
Story by Connye Griffin
Photos by Al Griffin
Independence Days arrive more often than once each year on July 4. One we all share is the day we begin to crawl and toddle. Whether we remember those days or not, they are among our first independence days for we are no longer entirely dependent on our parents to carry us from place to place. Other days that mark our slow, steady journey onto a path we cut for ourselves include being fully, reliably potty-trained, entering school, learning to drive, and graduating from high school.
One more recent day that deserves attention follows in the wake of a scientific announcement: dark chocolate with high cacao content of 70-85% has distinct health benefits. That report liberated so many from the guilt accompanying indulgences. Now we can indulge with moderation and smirk about the facts that dark chocolate
- provides soluble fiber and minerals
- provides more antioxidant power than most foods
- boosts blood flow and helps lower blood pressure
- improves heart disease risk factors including HDL and other conditions contributing to cardiovascular disease
- seems to protect the body’s single largest organ--our skin--from sun damage
- may improve blood flow to the brain
With all these benefits deriving from dark chocolate, it may seem unfair to include confections from The Candy Factory on Cherry Street in Columbia as “decadent,” but anything so extravagant in design, so luxurious in flavors, and so indulgent surely qualifies. The Candy Factory would likely agree although more humbly describes itself as a 40-year-old company in the business of “perfecting delicious, gourmet candy recipes.”
Customers enter The Candy Factory by passing under a striped awning as bright as a box of M & Ms or Skittles. Inside the doors is a short vestibule decorated for the season and opening to the glass candy cases where artisan chocolates and thick caramel-pecan candies awaken taste buds. On display are boxed chocolates and clever seasonal décor that can be used to fill a need for a unique hostess or housewarming gift.
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| Decadent Desserts from The Candy Factory add elegance, especially when served with a flute of Red Wine |
The Candy Factory is also well-known for custom chocolates designed and labeled for school fund-raisers. In addition, the company will customize a chocolate with lettering to honor a bride at her shower or the couple at their wedding.
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| (First Row, L-R) Caramel Macchiato, Key Lime, Ancho Chili, Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, and Banana Rum. (Middle, L-R), Forbidden Fruit, Les Bourgeois, Forbidden Fruit, Cinnamon Pecan Sticky Bun, and Les Bourgeois. (Top, L-R) Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, Banana Rum, Cinnamon Pecan Sticky Bun, Spumoni, and Caramel Macchiato |
The art of chocolate as expressed by The Candy Factory draws the eye. Many pieces tempt with painted designs. The colors of ripe fruits and intricate designs hint at the rich, satisfying flavors. A dark chocolate truffle, perfectly round with pastel green flourishes opens the palate for the lightly mint taste to follow. A milk chocolate truffle opens to a rich, dark and creamy interior--so satisfying.
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| A box of Truffles from The Candy Factory |
Light sage, dark brown, and white stripes are the design for a Banana Rum bite with a dark chocolate ganache exterior and a white chocolate creamy filling, lightly touched by fruit and rum.Another features the Les Bourgeois Vineyard logo, showcasing a delicious dark chocolate delight from hard exterior to soft, rich interior while also proving The Candy Factory’s expertise in customizing chocolates. The Caramel Macchiato has the savory bite of coffee blended well with rich, sweet caramel.
Served with a rich red wine or fine coffee, a single candy is all the decadence in dessert anyone needs. Now, thanks to science showing the benefits of chocolate, indulge in a single candy every night. Your heart will thank you.
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