Hedonist, the South Wedge's Non Traditional Chocolatier
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The Rochester area has a few well known, longtime candy stores that sell specialty chocolates.
A smaller shop in a growing section of Rochester is taking on the bigger shops, and challenging some chocolate taste traditions at the same time.
A challenging taste tradition is a way of business at Hedonist Artisan Chocolate down an alleyway off South Avenue.
You'll be amazed by what flavors they'll mix with chocolate. This is not a candy store.
"We're traditional chocolatiers, not candy makers," said Jennifer Posey.
There's a difference and it has to do with ingredients.
"If you come in here and you say, 'I want a candy bar' really, we don't have candy bars - we have chocolate bars. That's what sets us apart. We are chocolatiers. We use a fine quality chocolate, a higher percentage of cacao, which is different than a candy maker.
Ours is about the quality and the beans and the chocolate versus maybe the sugar that's in candy, so there's candy and there's chocolate," Posey said.
And you can throw out any rules you might have about what goes with chocolate. In here, it might be goat cheese or jalapeno peppers or salt and vinegar.
"When we get an idea, we don't dismiss it because it sounds crazy. 'cause you never know. A lot of things go with chocolate."
A nontraditional approach, but each creation is designed to taste good.
"There's something out there a favorite for everybody, so what might not be good for you might be favorite for somebody else."
That's a philosophy that allows this store to fit in well with the burgeoning South Wedge.
Since opening two years ago, Posey sees more people coming here to live, work, play, and buy chocolates and other foods.
"We have a great market, Mise En Place. Is a great market, we have a great farmers market, lots of local foods. It's a real nice community, it's a community feeling which defines the Wedge."
Hedonist has tastings regularly and you can also try out samples if you come into the store.
Hedonist Chocolates