“Give the the gift that won't be regifted," exclaims Dahlia Rissman Graham, cofounder and CEO of Fruition Chocolate Works in Shokan. While a box of Russell Stover holiday candies may languish on the kitchen counter for days, the same won’t be said for the award-winning chocolatier’s signature chocolate bars and confections, which have earned accolades in the pages of magazines and on the national and international culinary award stage.
The difference comes from Fruition’s bean-to-bar approach to making chocolate, which Dahlia and her husband, acclaimed chocolatier and Culinary Institute grad Bryan Graham, helped popularize in the Hudson Valley over 10 years ago.
All of Fruition’s signature chocolate bars and confections are made from organically grown, ethically sourced cacao which they roast, winnow, refine, conche, temper, and mould by hand in small batches to highlight the cacao’s distinct flavor profile.
Here are four gifts you can find online or at Fruition’s shop sure to make any chocolate lover on your gift list pleased as punch. As Dahlia suggests, a bar of chocolate makes for a thoughtful thank you for everyone from your kids’ teachers to your office besties to your favorite postal worker.
For the Bean-to-Bar Enthusiast
When it comes to the holidays, presentation is everything—and the bowtied stacks of Fruition’s classic chocolate bars sure do make a handsome gift.
The Award-Winning Milk Chocolate Bar Set is sure to delight those who aren’t big dark chocolate fans, while the Dark Chocolate Bars Gift Set with cacao sourced from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Bolivia, and Madagascar is perfect for those who relish higher cacao percentages and robust flavor profiles.
Or pick out a few of the newly released seasonal bars and DIY your own holiday bundle! The Coquito Spiced White Chocolate 39% with Candied Cocoa Nibs, Tanzania Latte 61% Dark Milk Chocolate, and Spiced Rum Oko-Caribe 66% Dark Chocolate are chock-full of rich, warming flavors like coffee, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and spiced rum, which are perfect for savoring with a glass of wine on a brisk winter night.
For the Kiddos or the Kids at Heart
Nothing quite says it’s time to cozy up by the fire like a warm mug of hot chocolate with a few tiny marshmallows bobbing on top. Fruition’s Sipping Chocolate Mix, with its lightly roasted Dominican-origin dark chocolate at its base, is sure to take your friends’ or loved ones’ hot cocoa game to the next level.
For the Candy Connoisseurs
If boxed chocolates are the way to your friend’s heart, look no further than Fruition’s Seasonal Confection Collection. The nine-piece box of bonbons includes three rich new flavors: Maple Cinnamon Latte, Hazelnut Praline, and Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Praline, all crafted with Dominican dark chocolate and decorated in their best sparkling holiday attire.
For the Whole Family to Enjoy
If diversity is the name of the game, you can’t go wrong with Fruition’s Deluxe Gift Box. With seven assorted chocolate bars from the Brown Butter Milk 43% to the Madagascar Sambrano 74%, a tin of sipping chocolate mix, a box of the ever-popular Brown Butter Bourbon Caramels, and two varieties of chocolate-covered nuts, there’s something for everyone in the fam to enjoy.
For When You Want a Treat Too
You can order your gifts directly from Fruition’s website, or indulge your senses with a visit to the Shokan store, which is located right next to the Ashokan Rail Trail. After a major renovation in honor of its 10th year in business, Fruition reopened its shop and cafe last year with eye-popping new counters and displays in shades of sky blue custom-built by artisan woodworker Ian Von Miller.
While you peruse all the offerings on display, be sure to order one of Fruition’s decadent cafe drinks like its bourbon caramel latte (made with the same caramel that goes into the brown butter bourbon caramels) or shake up your drink order with something more adventurous like an orange cardamom latte or non-dairy strawberry almond steamer.
You’ll find the full range of gift options in store, as well as exclusive offerings like flourless chocolate chip cookies and even a curated assortment of food products from local purveyors, including jam, coffee beans, spices, and other gourmet goodies.
Fruition Chocolate Works
3091 NY-28, Shokan
Shop open daily, 9am-5pm
Instagram @fruitionchocolate
