Chicagodefender 02 07 18

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City.Life.Style Let’s Eat: My Chocolate Soul Provides the Sweetest Treats By The Black Foodies With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of us will be gifting a box of chocolates to the ones we love. According to the National Confectioners Association, chocolate candy is the most popular gift given every February 14. The Black That being said, Foodies let us introduce you to Chocolatier Ramona Thomas, owner of My Chocolate Soul, located at 4442 North Broadway in the Uptown Neighborhood on Chicago’s Far North Side. Ramona founded My Chocolate Soul seven years ago and formally opened the retail store in January 2017. After having taken a French pastry course, “Chief Sweets Officer” Ramona was determined to start a company that makes amazing, all natural, artisan chocolates and sweets. Ramona doesn’t use boxed mixes, high fructose corn syrup or artificial coloring in her recipes, ensuring top quality products. My Chocolate Soul has a diverse variety of offerings . . . from caramels to truffles, candy bars to turtles. She uses a wide range of imported chocolates, from countries such as Madagascar, Mexico and Belgium, to name a few. Some of the delicious fare we sampled at My Chocolate Soul included Ramona’s Amazing Almond Crunch . . . we still haven’t found our socks! This decadent treat is best described as a rich and buttery toffee bar on steroids which, deservedly, was a finalist for the 2018 Good Food Awards. This incredible Almond Crunch is the perfect bite for the true toffee connoisseur.

The Hazelnut Praline Truffle was simply delightful. Praline ganache is partnered with bits of hazelnut, its exterior a silky and luxurious milk chocolate – a surefire hit for Valentine’s Day. Ramona expertly pairs ingredients like chipotle, lavender, cilantro and lime with her chocolates to create imaginative and innovative flavor profiles, which only serves to prove that she is a true master of her craft. Ramona’s chocolates were part of the 2014 ESPY Awards VIP gift bags and the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend. She also bakes sinfully delicious brownies, cupcakes and cookies. So, for Valentine’s Day – or any other time you are in the mood for fine chocolates – make your way over to My Chocolate Soul. These delectable sweet treats can also be ordered online at www.mychocolatesoul.com. My Chocolate Soul’s mission is spreading joy through chocolate. We say, “Mission accomplished!” Check out My Chocolate Soul in The Black Foodies Flavor-it Destinations Chicago Sweet edition. https://youtu.be/sTSJto3Pjd8 The Black Foodies are food bloggers/ vloggers and husband and wife of 25 years. We are also home cooks that believe in group economics and LOVE great food. We write the food blog “Let’s Eat,” where we review Black-owned and other ethnic restaurants. FOLLOW us on Instagram and Twitter @theblackfoodies, SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel “The Black Foodies,” where we review restaurants, share recipes, and give cooking tips. https://youtu.be/f1fsSQ24wgQ. Also LIKE us on Facebook and join our Facebook group, “World Wide Black Foodies.” Lastly, if you have a restaurant you would like The Black Foodies to review, email us at theblackfoodies@gmail.com. One love. . .

Chocolatier Ramona Thomas

Almond Crunch

Gift boxes

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