Happy New Year! We hope you enjoyed the holidays and wish you a happy, healthy new year. We were as busy as Santa’s elves, making thousands of truffles and bonbons and hundreds of gift boxes that seemed to fly off the shelf as soon as we put them out for sale! When New Hampshire Magazine featured us in the December issue, then the NH Chronicle segment aired, well, let me just say, it was standing room only for two days straight. Some of you traveled from far away to taste our exquisite chocolates or to try the drinking chocolate, and of course, we didn’t disappoint. We were thankful when Christmas Eve arrived and Rich hung a sign on the door saying we were closing at 3 PM for a well deserved rest!

We’re now focusing our attention on Valentine’s Day, and are offering a limited edition collection of 50 elegant Rose Hearts boxes ($49.50) by special order only, so if you are interested in reserving one for your “someone special,” make sure to call the shop soon. As you probably know, we wrap every box in beautiful handmade paper. Several of the papers are just perfect for Valentine’s Day; one is red and embossed with hearts and another is red with textured gold marbling. All of the Rose Hearts have gold trim and tassels to make them extra beautiful, and inside you’ll find some of Rich’s brush art and poetry describing the chocolates. Rich and Laura have already begun making chocolate hearts and decorating tasting squares with hearts, so this gift box will be truly special.

On Tuesday, February 7th, Rich will be hosting the third He Said Chocolate, She Said Wine event with Svetlana Yanushkevich at WineNot Boutique at 170 Main Street in Nashua. Rich will introduce several new chocolates, including a rare Xocunusco cacao from Mexico and Kenshi, a very special new Dancing Lion custom chocolate, and Svetlana will showcase her finest wines, including Ex Umbris Syrah 2008 and Heitz Grigolino Port 2004. They’ve paired the chocolates and wines some very special cheeses. The event starts at 6:30 PM, will run about an hour and a half, and costs $50 per person. There are only 20 seats, so please call the shop at 603.625.4043 to reserve your spot.

Thank you to all our fantastic customers who made our two months in 2011 so great! Here’s to 2012, may it be a wonderful year for all of you and may Dancing Lion Chocolate continue to prosper in the new year. We can now all “toast” to that on Thursdays and Saturdays – Rich is now baking real Parisian croissants, and they are getting rave reviews. We serve them with bowls of hot drinking chocolate or with our new Chocolate Espressos. Do I have anybody drooling yet?!

Fondly,

Kathy

Fresh out of the oven and ready to enjoy. All the butter, all the layers. A Good Croissant.

Yes, they are tres difficile; and
Yes, the learning curve is steep steep steep; and
Yes, they take hours and hours to make.

But, Montreal is too far to go for a Good Croissant;
And Par-eee is far to far to go for a Good Croissant
(And I need the gastronomic satisfaction of a Good Croissant)
And so we take time from our busy schedule
Of making truffles and bonbons and bars
And hot chocolate frothy in bowls (with water or milk) and
Fine tea and espresso that’s not bitter

And we make a Good Croissant. Really.

Tasting Chocolate and Wine with Dancing Lion Chocolate at Vino Aromas

Join Master Chocolatier Richard Tango-Lowy on January 12th at Vino Aromas for a special evening of Chocolate & Wine. We’ll be pairing five exquisite chocolates from around the world with five magnificent wines. Finish with a deep round ‘cab sauv’ and a luscious bonbon from Dancing Lion Chocolate

Reservations are $25 per person. Call 603.625.4043 to reserve your seat.

View the NH Chronicle segment on Dancing Lion Chocolate

And this just in from the lady who designed our beautiful shop, Beth Ehrie:

Days left 'till Christmas, the Dancing Lion shop,
chocolate is tempering, Richard can't stop. 

The bon bons are flying right out of the case,
shoppers are waiting, anxious to taste. 

Chocolate is warming, served in a bowl,
Brioche is baking, tables are full. 

Boxes and baskets, Panettone and bars,
for sinful temptations, you needn't go far.

Amazing sensations taste you won't beat,
Manchester, New Hampshire... 917 Elm Street

Cindy, oh Cindy, your video was fine;
You Chronicled our little shop;
The segment was divine!
You spread the word and folks have flocked;
Our old wood door unlocked today,
Your TV viewers came our way
And bought and ate our chocolate until
There was nothing left to buy, but

“Do not fear, my Friends,” I say,
We’re making stuff to bring your way:
Truffles, bonbons through the day–
Try some Blueberries with Chardonnay,
Or Moonlight Mead with almonds and
Cacao nibs and (it’s not gonna rhyme…)
Chocolate! Or Blood Oranges with honey
From Tasmania. And gift baskets!
And Hot Drinking Chocolate! And bars bars bars bars bars!

Enough already! We’ll see ya’ll tomorrah;
Stop in, relax, take your time (we ain’t so quick)
The hot chocolate’s thick… We’ll see ya’ll tomorrah!

Wednesday, December 7th.
Perhaps it’s my age, but I find
it difficult to leave the thought
hanging on my tongue unsaid.
“A day that will live in infamy!”
Just a few of the “boys” from that era
remain with us. To them, Thank You!
What you did was important.

Two Melanges for the drinking bowls today. Both dark, one in water, one in milk. I hold up my bowl to the men who remain! And Masks, only a few left, but I’m making more today. New Hampshire Chronicle was in the shop filming yesterday. We made “Rainforest Rising” for the camera–Unctuous sweet Tannat wine from Uruguay (and also from Vino Aromas, just down the street), Ranier cherries and Tango chocolate in a swirly gold dome. The episode airs next Thursday on WMUR at 7PM.