A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

The 9th annual legendary lovers collection from Garrison (outside)

(inside)

The insert that came with the chocolates (above).

Rubens and Fourment (39% milk) Pure Milk chocolate ganache, enrobed in milk chocolate.

Rubens, a 17th century Baroque painter (53) married a 16 year old girl, Helen Fourment. Her portraits and those of them together are among his most joyous and personal paintings.

I was impressed at how smooth and creamy the ganache was-it just melted away in your mouth.

Semiramis:(Mango Lime) Mango pate de fruit on top of a lime juice ganache enrobed in milk chocolate.

To ancient Greeks, she was a legendary goddess, born from a fish goddess and a mortal. Her husband was killed in battle and she posed as her son to conquer much of Asia. She is credited with the invention of the chastity belt. Men were driven to madness by her beauty.

I don’t usually like fruit with my chocolate-and this was no exception, the pate de fruit was a little weird for me consistency wise, but the lime flavor really was the star.

John & Yoko:(Pistachio Marzipan) Home made pistachio marzipan enrobed in dark chocolate.

Lenon, one of the Founding members of the Beatles, was married to another woman when he met Yoko Ono. While his wife was on vacation, he invited Ono to his apartment. Lennon’s wife came home to Ono in her robe, and they were later divorced. Lennon married Ono in 1969 and he regarded her as a magical being who could solve all his problems.

It was pistachio and almondy-the consistency was a little grittier but I loved the nutty flavor.

Rembrandt & Hendrickje: (84% Dark) Pure dark chocolate ganache enrobed in dark chocolate.

The famous painter in the 1640’s had an affair with Hendrickje, his much younger former maid. They had a daughter together and were considered wed under common law, but Rembrandt never married her because he didn’t want to lose the money his mother set up for his son in a trust.

A little bit more fudge-like ganache but reallys mooth and tasty.

Laurence & Vivien: (Kahlua Cookie Crunch) Andes coffee infused ganache atop a chocolate cookie ganache, enrobed in milk chocolate.

Two very  famous actors, who had an affair (they were both married to other people). She was best known for her roles in Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire. He was known for his roles in Shakespeare plays on stage and in films such as Wuthering Heights. They were married for 20 years before she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and they separated. He remarried and she found companionship with a fellow actor.

The coffee flavor comes second-at first you are hit with the consistency of the cookie ganache, which I have to say, was a little confusing for me.

Kong & Ann: (Andes Mtn.Coffee) Milk chocolate ganache steeped in fresh ground coffee enrobed in milk chocolate.

The gorilla like monster that tried to possess the beautiful young woman in the 1933 movie “King Kong”.

Again, the coffee doesn’t hit you right away, but it is strong and tasty!

Rumpoey & Dum: (Lemon Tea) Lemon tea infused ganache spiked with fresh lemon juice enrobed in dark chocolate.

From the movie Tears of the Black Tiger- the story of Rumpoey, an upper class daughter of a governor and Dum a fatalistic working class hero. They meet as children and he defends her honor, and they meet as adults and he must once again defend her honor.

The lemon was a mild flavor, you could almost miss it.

Francois Bouche: (Raspberry) Raspberry ganache under raspberry pate de fruit, enrobed in dark chocolate.

A French painter in the 1700’s that was known for his voluptuous paintings of women.

The pate de fruit was less gummy for me on this one, the texture was more bearable. I really liked the raspberry flavor.

Julia & Ovid:(Prickly Pear) Rich coffee ganache with hints of coffee liqueur. Enrobed in milk chocolate.

Ovid, a Roman poet, known for his work the Metamorphosis, was banished by Augustus for his work, a didactic poem purporting to instruct first men and then women on the arts of seduction. Augustus also banished his granddaughter that same year and there were rumors of an affair between the two.

I was confused about this one…I got none of what the description said…

Clark & Lana: (Orange Cognac) Dark chocolate ganache with a hint of orange and chocolate liqueur enrobed in dark chocolate.

Lana Lang  was ‘the girl next door’ and the romantic interest of Clark Kent (aka Superman).

Holy booze! I missed the orange completely and was overwhelmed by the liquer

Peshwah & Mastani: (Fruits of the Forest) Fruits of the forest pate de fruit on top of a mixed berry ganache enrobed in dark.

Mastani was the wife of  Peshwa, an Indian general and prime minister. Wikipedia says, “Mastani was the wife of Bajirao. She bore him a son, named Krishnarao at birth, but the brahmins did not accept him as a pure Hindu Brahmin since his mother was a Muslim, (the daughter of Maharaja Chhatrasal of Panna by a Muslim wife) Mastani was also the single biggest complication in Bajirao’s personal life. Their love affair caused much rift in the orthodox Pune society of the time and led to a major crisis within the royal Peshwa family.”

Very fruity, strong mixed berry taste.

Paco & Luisa: (Passionate Heart) Passion Fruit ganache in hand painted molded white chocolate shell.

From the movie “Lovers”, Paco, a young man finishing up his military service is engaged to marry Trini, and needs a place to stay before the wedding. She refers him to Louisa, who often rents out a room to boarders. Louisa is smitten with Paco and quickly seduces him. Louis plots for her and Paco to steal money from Trini, kill her and run away together. The plan fails because Paco can not go through with it, and seeing that Paco will never return her love, Trini begs him to kill her rather than him abandon her. He does so, and runs off to be with Louisa. After biting into this one, I realized that I don’t like passion fruit.

The ganache is smooth and creamy but the flavor wasn’t for me.

Tags: chocolate