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Talk about sweet timing...
On the brink of Valentine's Day--the busiest day of the year for the chocolate industry--comes news that Rick Jordan, owner of RJ Chocolatier in Chesterfield has been named one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professional, a trade magazine considered sacrosanct by pastry, baking, and dessert chefs and professionals. The announcement was made in the December 2012 issue of the magazine to "North American-based chocolatiers whose craft is distinctive and has elevated the chocolate industry."
Relish caught up with Jordan back in July of 2011 in this Q&A, weeks before he opened the doors to his stylish little storefront shop. It was a fascinating story, if we do say so ourselves, that taught us a lot about chocolate--from bean-to-bar to tempering to winnowing--and how, with a combination of inspiration, luck, and tough-love instruction from some of the best chocolatiers in Europe, he was able to venture out on his own, and present something unique to St. Louis.
The profile snapshot in Dessert Professional was revelatory as well, where Jordan described his flagship store is open and airy, "with breathing space between products," and 30 varieties of chocolate available but only 12 on display at any one time.
His signature item is the Cyclone (above), a milk chocolate salted caramel, an otherworldly demi-sphere with magical swirls and a mouthfeel to match. His most unique piece, as noted in the Dessert Professional article, is the Blix (below)--a balsamic, honey, and 64% dark chocolate ganache--with some of the honey coming from hives Jordan tends nearby. Also In the works: cocoa-infused honey.
After one visit to the shop, SLM contributing writer Byron Kerman (in a similarly gushing oratory here) described the experience as a "choc-o-gasm," calling it "not so much a shop as it is a church," where you can plan on "Jordan’s sinful communion knocking you straight into heaven."
Jordan tells us that his online boutique/website will be going live sometime before Valentine's Day. Until then, pay a visit to his shop...and prepare to be converted. Praise be to chocolate...
RJ Chocolatier 14882 Clayton (at Baxter) Chesterfield 636-230-9300 rjchocolatier.com
