Leonidas Chocolates

Marzipans and Pralines and Tuffles, Oh My!

Great chocolate isn't hard to find these days, but it can cost serious money. Leonidas makes exquisite Belgian chocolates you would pay dearly for, but are surprisingly affordable. These generous bite-sized pralines, bestowed with names like Lingot Lait, Antoinette and Eve, come with decadent fillings like brandy ganache and vanilla buttercream, and are enrobed in finest quality bittersweet dark, milk or ivory cocoa chocolate.

Leonidas makes an exhausting but focused assortment of some 90-plus pralines filled with sinful caramels, liquors and buttercreams, as well as addictive "Orangettes" (candied orange peel dipped in bittersweet chocolate) and lovely fruit-shaped marzipans. Their "Perle" truffles are classy and delicious and come in nine varieties like Pistachio, Rhum Café and Champagne.

Leonidas flies their chocolates fresh from Belgium to the United States each week. If you can't get to Belgium, their flagship store on Madison Avenue in Manhattan carries nearly everything you'll find in Brussels. Their chocolates are also available in select locations in twelve states. Even better, you can buy them online or by phone at 800-900-CHOC. However, Perle truffles will need be purchased in person or by phone since they tend to be more delicate and tougher to ship.

For more information, visit www.leonidas-chocolate.com