Chocorific - Chocolates

Chocolates

If you're a true chocoholic, you can prbably think of a few different name brands of chocolate (gourmet or not) right off the top of your head. Of course, the biggest manufacturers of chocolates in the United States are probably Hershey and Nestle, but you don't have to look outside of the U.S. for gourmet chocolate. There are some good gourmet chocolate makers right here in the good 'ol U.S.A.

American-Made Chocolates

One of the best manufacturers of chocolates in America is right in the heart of the country--Russell Stover's Candies in Kansas City, MO. The company was actually started in 1923 in Denver, CO. Russell Stover's wife was actually the candy maker in the family, and Mr. Stover was the salesman. They moved the headquarters in Kansas City, MO in 1931 to make distribution easier. They make almost any kind of chocolate you can think of--chocolate covered cherries, low-carb chocolates, sugar-free chocolates, pre-packaged assortments, truffles, milkchocolates, dark chocolates, nuts, whips, mints and creams.

Another excellent chocolate maker is in Kansas City called Andre's. The owner, Andre Bollier, is actually from Switzerland, and he studied there. He was a head pastry chef at a restaurant in Switzerland until 1955 when he moved his family to Kansas City and opened Andre's Confiserie Suisse where he makes Swiss Chocolates.

Of course, other areas of the United States have good chocolate makers as well, like Rocky Mountain Chocolate based in Durango, CO and See's Chocolates in San Francisco, CA. So if you think the only good chocolate is imported, think again. Of course, everyone has different tastes, but who can resist chocolate from any one of these fine chocolatiers? Not all chocolates are created equal, but neither are our particular palates!