By Joslyn Hildebrand
Each season brings with it a fresh palette of colours and tastes. For Rebecca Grant, creator and owner of Violet Chocolate Company, summer means a new collection of flavours for her unique chocolate bars.
Grant introduces us to the pleasant and playful tastes of summer. This includes award winners like the Lemon Espresso and London Fog bars.
“The summer collection has a nice balance between flavours that are part of current food trends or nostalgic flavours we love and people always enjoy,” Grant says.
Strawberry Basil — sweet strawberry and candied basil perfectly blended with creamy milk chocolate — is a fan favourite and back by popular demand this season. This bar has won two national awards in the past.
Since Grant launched the Violet Chocolate Company in 2012, she has won 37 national awards and 12 international awards. The recognition Grant has received over the years is well-deserved. Using traditional chocolatier techniques to create one-of-a-kind combinations and flavours, Grant has worked hard to bring her unique and delicious chocolates to the food scene in Edmonton.
“We like to incorporate a mix of sweet and savoury tastes, so there’s something for everyone,” she says.
There’s a new signature summer bar coming out June 24. Grant says it will be a dual flavour bar: half is milk chocolate with citrus kombucha, paired with half that is dark chocolate and orange. The Kombucha bar will be produced in partnership with local design company Salgado Fenwick, so keep an eye out for the fun prints it will be wrapped in.
“We have lots of different flavours that fit the season or things I am enjoying,” Grant says. “Rosemary is really popular right now, and the Ice Cream Sunday one is a fun flavour for summer.”
Grant says it is hard for her to choose a favourite because they are all special to her. When she tries to decide on her personal top pick, she ends up listing over 10 different flavours from the summer collection.
“Each flavour also brings up memories for me. I went to Hawaii in February and the buttery crunchy Macadamia Sea Salt bar always takes me back to the beach,” Grant says.