New Site, New Blog!

Dearest Choco-friends and -philes...

If you are reading this, then you likely live under a rock. But at least its a chocolate-covered rock... but seriously, I digress...

We launched a new site and apparently you missed it! Not only does the new site boast better online ordering, better company profiling, and improved communication, but it is pretty much pure awesomeness all around. And the it hosts the new blog internally!

So close this window and bookmark this instead:

http://eclipsechocolat.com/blog/

Cya on the flip side,

-Will, and the Eclipse Chocolat Tem.

5-Course Valentine's Day Dinner

We've been cooking up a storm in the last few days finishing the last of our recipe tests for next weekend's Valentine's Dinner. One of the more exciting aspects of running these special event dinners is that each month is a new theme and therefore new food! That means lots and lots of recipe testing and lots of eating. Rest assured, no one seems to have a problem with the eating part! Take a look at two of the shots we've prepared... and prepare yourself for salivation:

We've still got some space, but don't wait as all good things come to and end... Call the cafe to make an RSVP at 619.578.2984.

Small Plate, Valentine's Dinner with Eclipse Chocolat

Exclusively, February 12th & 13th, seatings at 4, 6, and 8pm

$95.00 a couple, rsvp required

Enjoy 5 plates of chocolate, vanilla, and caramel-infused savory food perfect for the romantic couple.

Guests will enjoy:

Baked Crab Dib with Bacon & Herbed Flatbread (optional appetizer)

Amuse Bouche of Two Exclusive Savory Chocolate Truffles, including:

72% dark chocolate raspberry-mustard & 31% white chocolate lemon-thyme

Roasted Beet & Green Apple Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Cocoa Nib

French Onion Soup with White Chocolate Lemon-Thyme Croute

Choice of Entree: Beef Bourguignon or Baked Brie en Croute

both served with blackberry-mustard jus & hasselback potato

Rose Petal-Burnt Caramel Creme Caramel

Valentine's Day with Eclipse Chocolat

Today is January 6th. For you chocophiles out there that might not mean much, but for myself and the other 10 cocoa-clad kids here in the shop its already full-steam ahead for Vday! The big holiday may be 5 weeks away, but a few thousand pounds of chocolate doesn't make itself. Thankfully, our staff has nearly doubled since this time last year so I have plenty of help.

Don't let the big day creep up without proper planning! Each year we host guests at various heart-warming events and each one sells out. So here comin' atcha is all the first-hand information you need to make your loved ones feel extra loved this Valentine's Day. Take a look at all the fun things we've got going on:

New Chocolates:

The Sweet Heart Collection

$30 set. Over half a pound of heart-warming chocolates including:

1 Large Blackberry Sage 61% dark chocolate bar

1 Small Macadamia Ginger 31% white chocolate bar

1 Small Chile Hazelnut 38% milk chocolate bar

1 Small Orange Peel Anise 61% dark chocolate bar

9 Creme Fraiche Caramels in dark and white chocolate, topped with pink peppercorn, merlot-infused sea salt, or candied rose petals

Exotic Artisan Truffles, New Seasonal Infusions!

In boxes of 2 ($5), 10 ($20), or 28 ($50), we will continue our tradition of Valentines-specific flavors featuring the following new infusions for the holiday:

Champagne Violet (rose champagne+violet confit+candied violet+31% white)

Raspberry Chipotle (chipotle puree+desiccated raspberry+38% milk)

and the return the of the popular:

Cardamom Rose Petal (cardamom+rose petal+61% dark)

Special Events:

Chocolate, Cheese, & Wine Threeway

Exclusively, February 14th, at 6 and 8pm

$25 per person, rsvp required, seating very limited

Enjoy a formally-seated hour-long guided tasting with Eclipse owner, Will Gustwiller. Guests will enjoy 3 exotic chocolate truffles paired with 3 artisan cheeses paired with 3 exquisite wines.

Small Plate, Valentine's Dinner with Eclipse Chocolat

Exclusively, February 12th & 13th, seatings at 4, 6, and 8pm

$95.00 a couple, rsvp required

Enjoy 5 plates of chocolate, vanilla, and caramel-infused savory food perfect for the romantic couple. Guests will enjoy:

Baked Crab Dib with Bacon & Herbed Flatbread (optional appetizer)

Amuse Bouche of Two Exclusive Savory Chocolate Truffles, including:

72% dark chocolate blackberry-mustard & 31% white chocolate lemon-thyme

Roasted Beet & Green Apple Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Cocoa Nib

French Onion Soup with White Chocolate Lemon-Thyme Croute

Choice of Entree: Beef Bourguignon or Baked Brie en Croute

both served with blackberry-mustard jus & hasselback potato

Rose Petal-Burnt Caramel Creme Brulee

Latin Tamale Dinner

It's been a long time since my last post... in fact, its been a long time since I've posted anything other than upcoming dinners. Once upon a time when I first opened the cafe, I clocked in at 9am six days a week and staffed my own cafe and made all my own chocolate until I was relieved each evening by 6pm by my only barista. Oh... those were the days:) Plenty of time for blogging those days.

Ignorance is bliss, no? Don't get me wrong, I'm still very happy and very proud of my career, but with 11 employees and counting now there is so much chocolate flying around here these days that my life seems more comical than ever (or dramatic if you know me well!). With Xmas only a few days away, things around here are busier than ever!

If you were disappointed about not seeing a dinner in December, well those are the times. Xmas is all consuming! But don't fret, my cocoa-crazed friends... January and a brand new year is just around the corner! Take a look at our first special event of the new year:

Join us on January 15th, with seatings at 2, 4, 6, and 8pm for a full-service chocolate-infused dinner featuring the best of Latin America! For just $30 a person, guests will enjoy three courses of chocolatey-goodness including:

Shrimp Quesadilla with Serano Sea-salt Guacamole (optional appetiser)

Black Been Soup with Caramelized Shallot, White Chocolate Crema, & Poached Egg

Choice of Two Pollo Asado or Green Chile-Cotija Tamales (or one of each!)

served with House-made Dark Chocolate Mole & Herbed Rice

Milk Chocolate Empanada with Vanilla Bean Gelato, Chile Hazelnut, & Smoked Sea Salt

This will be the second time we've featured a house-made mole. If you're not familiar, it is undeniably the most famous application of chocolate in savory food. And mine is not to miss! Traditionally, mole is made from roasting a variety of chiles with various herbs, seeds, spices, and even toasted corn and peanut... all with cacao of course. But we can never leave "good enough" alone here at Eclipse, so other surprises are in the works. This one is not to miss!

Heads up on this one, cocoa-kids, our Latin Dinner sold out faster than any other last year and we expect the same response this time. Make your reservation by calling the cafe at 619.578.2984!

Sunday Brunch with Eclipse Chocolat!!!

So this weekend is our Third Year Anniversary Party and while we are all very excited to begin another year of deliciousness, there is one other tiny thing that is capitalizing on our enthusiasm. You may have heard already, but if not prepared to be excited! Starting on Sunday November 7th, we will be serving an Eclipse-style brunch complete with various options for only $12!!!

For those of you who attend our monthly dinners, you will know the extremes of the foodie-foods that we like to serve. Our brunch concept is certainly no exception, but in honor of affordability, we are toning down the service size: hence the new name for our dining concept" Small Plate". For just $12, guests can choose three small plate from a selection of over 15! Creating your own three course brunch for only $12??? What more can you ask for?

Many of you have asked for a copy of the menu, so I'm finally posting it here (if its too small to read on your screen, right click and save it as a picture and you can zoom in on it on your desktop).Commence salivation:

Autumn Harvest Dinner

Its just around the corner, folks... my favorite time of year... Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away! While Tday isn't as busy as its other holiday counterparts (Xmas, Vday, and Mday), its certainly still a busy time for us. After all, what food spread would be complete without our famous Pumpkin Muscavado??? Its pure deliciousness in holiday format.

But myself and the rest of the Eclipse Chocolat Team and beginning early this year. How else can you get enough gluttony packed into the holiday season? Check what we've got goin' next:

Join us Saturday, November 13th, at 4, 6, or 8pm for four courses of holiday deliciousness... and all for just $35 a person. Guests will enjoy:

Caramelized Shallot Tartletts with Goat Cheese Brulee (optional appetiser)

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Candied Cocoa Nib and Lavender Sea Salt

Savory Root Vegetable Bread Pudding with Cocoa-Brown Sugar Gravy

Open-faced Brioche Sandwich with Rosemary Turkey & Parmesan Mornay Sauce -OR-

Butternut, Ricotta, & Chile Burnt Caramel Hazelnut Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

both served with Sweet Potato Souffle with Bruleed Vanilla Bean Marshmallow

White Chocolate-Cranberry Creme Brulee

Call the cafe ASAP to reserve your space: 619.5778.2984

Eclipse Third Annual Anniversary Partee

Its that time again, cocoa babies! In just one week, we will be one more year older!!! And that means one thing... lotsa chocolate-covered celebration. Strangely enough, the big date for this year happens to fall on Halloween. Even more fun for everyone!

Join us Sunday, October 31st, from 3-6pm to celebrate another year of everything chocolate. And since its a holiday already, show up in costume and we will treat you to a free small chocolate bar of your choice. We have a few more goodies in mind including:

Samples of our upcoming holiday truffles including: Goat Cheese & Fig, Pomegranate Sage, and Pumpkin Muscavado... AND samples of our upcoming Chocolate Brunch including: Grilled Fruit Skewers with Milk Chocolate Curry Sauce, and Sausage Gravy Biscuit Bites.

We're even extending our Happy Hour (enjoy a free truffle with every wine or beer purchase) in case you havent had enough yet.

ALSO... have you seen the new Salty Dulce De Leche bar? Its delicious, but only available in a small size until Xmas. But in honor of the happy occasion, we will be previewing it for sale in the large size... but only for the day, so stock up!

Looking forward to seeing you all then,

Will & the Eclipse Chocolat Team.