Pierre Marcolini….sounds like a French Italian. Nope, it’s a Blegian chocolatier! Happened upon by yours truly, quite by accident, my eye was caught and I was lured in by the most charming item I have ever seen in a chocolate boutique window display… jewel-sized boxes with one little red painted heart made of choclate. How to resist?!?

I bought one, then five… as I envisioned them accompanying my dinner party dessert that evening. Three euro fifty too much for ONE chocolate? Nooon! Pas du tout! when it comes packaged like a bijou. And it makes for a perfect little special ‘I love you’… Valentine’s day IS around the corner.

But more than just lovely little red chocolate hearts, this fine chocolatier, has many more things to boast. I happened to be in their newest boutique in the world, at number 3, rue Scribe in the 9th arrondissement, in the Garnier Opera district in Paris, inaugurated in 2009. Pierre Marcolini started in 1995, near Brussels, and won in that very same year the World Champion Pastry hosted in Lyon, France. From then boutiques were opened all over Belgium, Japan, London, Paris (the first Parisian one in the posh 6th arrondissement), New York (2006) and Kuwait City (2006). In 2000 Marcolini won the Tourisme Ambassador prise of the European Pastry chef Championship hosted in Rome. A man with a vision for quality, in 2004 Pierre Marcolini started making his own chocolate from pure cocoa instead of using pre-manufactured chocolate. He travels the world in search of the best beans. Nothing less will do.

But everyone know these days, that looks mean everything, even for chocolate. In 2003 Marcolini began using a more “cutting edge” packaging, made in black and white… they seem to have added red bows to it. I would have purchased those boxes empty if I could have!

It’s charming, exclusive, beautiful and delicious!