Tarts & Truffles in Sincerely by S. Magazine of March-June 2025

Paris by Gourmandise

Chocolate and Wine by Lisa ALLEN

“Lisa Allen, pastry chef and ambassador of French know-how in California,” translated from the website of the Consulate General of France in San Francisco

In late February, pastry chef Lisa Allen was invited by the Villa Albertine San Francisco cultural inititative of the French Consul General to host workshops and conferences in California as part of an educational intervention, combining language and gastronomy.

The classes were held from February 24 to 28, in partnership with the École Bilingue de Berkeley and the Lycée Français de San Francisco.

Trained at the Ferrandi school in Paris, Lisa Allen is a recognized chocolate specialist and member of the Grand Jury of the Academy of Chocolate. Founder of Tarts & Truffles Paris, she shares her expertise by organizing workshops and tastings to promote French pastry and gastronomy. Her international career and her commitment to education make her an ideal ambassador for the French language and culture.

During her stay in California, she led hands-on chocolate making workshops for elementary school students, highlighting her expertise while illustrating the richness of the French language. She also used this time to teach the young students about how chocolate is made, some of the secrets of the rainforest and lead them in an introductory tasting of fine flavor craft chocolate. These sessions were made possible thanks to a collaboration with Dandelion Chocolate, who kindly lent her some necessary equipment. A conference for parents of students was also held at the École Bilingue de Berkeley, in partnership with the Alliance Française de Berkeley and the French department of the University of California at Berkeley.

When she wasn't leading workshops with the elementary children, Lisa Allen spoke to groups of sudents at Cupertino High School and The Harker School in San Jose to introduce them to the importance of French in an international career path. These presentations were punctuated by chocolate tastings as well, offering students a unique sensory experience combining language and gastronomy.

This initiative is part of the "French for All" programs, which aim to make the French language more visible and accessible through educational and cultural activities. The Cheffe en Residence initiative falls squarely within the program's objectives, encouraging linguistic and cultural exchanges between the United States and France through educational and cultural activities, scholarships and training for French teachers.

Read article in french on the Consulate General of France in San Francisco

The Tarts & Truffles "Meet the Makers" series part 2: XOCO Chocolate!

Dear Gourmands,

Following an intense year of diving deeper into the world of fine flavor cacao, this fall I’ve started a new series of events here in Paris geared towards sharing some of the coolest small chocolate makers I know with our local community.

It’s called “Meet the Makers,” and I couldn’t be more excited!

The first event in November was a roaring success, thanks to the talented women behind Ara Chocolat here in Paris and Kontiti Chocolate from Peru.

The next event is coming up fast, next Wednesday, December 11th at 7pm.

We will be hosting the CEO and head chocolate maker at XOCO, in the lovely space at A. Lacroix Patisserie in Paris 70005.

Xoco’s three cacao varietals.

The chocolate industry and economy is going through some pretty rough growing pains right now. A variety of environmental, economic and political factors have completely upturned the market, the supply-and-demand-chain, and ultimately the consumer prices.

Here is an interesting article by Cocoa Runners that lends some insight.

For day to day chocolate consumers, this spike in shelf prices will come as a bit of a shock but there is a silver lining! The cost of high quality, single origin craft chocolate being produced by small businesses will no longer seem like such a leap from the lower quality mass-produced options, and hopefully the 'normal’ consumer will start buying better chocolate.

These smaller craft chocolate makers are using sustainably farmed beans from around the world, often traveling to origin themselves to be sure they are working with ethical, traceable beans. Typically, these beans are being harvested by family businesses and locally run co-ops that work hard to be sure everyone in the chain of gets paid a fair wage.

This is a far cry from the business practices of companies producing industrial, over-processed chocolate who have historically used large harvest beans from West Africa. These plantations prioritize quantity over quality every step of the way, resulting in beans with a flat, bitter taste and lots of defects and contaminants that have to be compensated for with over-roasting, extra added sugar, chemical flavorings and other ingredients.

Who wants to eat that? Certainly not us. But how can you be sure you’re eating the right stuff?

Frank and Diana will dive into Xoco’s unique solution to creating excellent, craft chocolate on a larger scale for accessibility and consistent flavor, through a very special project that was born in Honduras…

Has your interest been piqued? GOOD!!!

Please come join us next Wednesday evening, December 11th at A. Lacroix Patisserie to hear from our special guests Frank Homann and Diana Cruz of XOCO Chocolate.

This incredible team has created three new varietals of cacao trees that they have successfully nurtured by developing large-scale regenerative farming in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.This presentation is of particular interest to anyone interested in cacao farming, agriculture and sustainable farming, as well as pastry chefs and bakers who may be interested in Xoco chocolate for your kitchens! Generous samples are available, as well as 2.5kg bags of couverture, smaller bags of nibs, and chocolate sticks for pain au chocolat.

You will have plenty of samples to taste, as well as some surprise goodies from the Tarts & Truffles kitchen. If it’s cold enough, we may even prepare some hot chocolate to further taste the subtle differences between the Maya Red and Tuma Yellow chocolates.

Seats are limited so go to the Tarts & Truffles website to register and purchase tickets.

As Tarts & Truffles followers, use your code TNTLOYALTY10 to enjoy 10% off any purchase on the website.

Feel free to throw in some chocolate bars to your order and cross some names off your holiday gift list!

Individual bars are also available during all events.

If you’re not free on the 11th, don’t worry- there’s a fun Family-Friendly Chocolate Tasting and Goûter scheduled for December 18th, a Chocolate & Wine Tasting & Pairing Class coming on January 23rd, and a Chocolate Sensory Experience to be booked by mid-February. Private bookings can be made for any of these classes for groups of 2-15 participants, so don’t hesitate to send an inquiry.

I look forward to sharing some incredible chocolate with you soon!

Warm wishes,

Lisa Allen

Spring is time for Chocolate Education!

Since the last time I wrote on this blog, in a freshly post-Covid world, a LOT has happened here in Paris. The best news item to report is of course the birth of my amazing baby girl, who is already about to turn three — definitely not a baby anymore! If you make it to the bottom of the newsletter you’ll get to see her in action =). Motherhood has definitely given me a new perspective on life, the universe, and everything, including how to redefine my business.

Last fall, I stepped away from my role as manager of the chocolate workshop at Edwart to focus more on Tarts & Truffles and my own projects (toddler included). I can still rent the space for my own clients, so hands-on chocolate class bookings are still possible! French pastry classes, walking tours, made-to-order cakes for special occasions and “just because” are also still in the mix.

The BIG new focus, though, is what I like to call Chocolate Education. You may or may not know that I have been judging for the Academy of Chocolate in London since 2019, eventually becoming a Grand Juror for filled chocolates in 2022. In 2024, I took it to the next level by attending the annual Chocoa trade fair in Amsterdam, and then completing the Level 1 and 2 certification as an official Chocolate Taster with the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting in Bucharest! I hope to complete the Level 3 training at origin in Peru or India by 2025.

The incredible breadth and depth of what I have learned, the people I’ve met, the chocolate I’ve tasted, and the ideas and collaborations that were born from these experiences are mind-blowing. So here I am, ready to share it all with you! I’ve brought some new hands, collaborators, and experts on board to offer even more interesting experiences.

Check out the ‘Order Now’ page for the current Spring line-up! If you don’t see a course that fits your interest or schedule, drop me a line and let me know what you’d like to add. More exciting events will definitely pop up in the next months. All courses are also available for private bookings. Please indicate your time zone, location, and whether you’re interested in an in-person or online event.

I’m always open to travel, new experiences and collaborations so if you’ve got a more “out of the box” idea or request, don’t be shy!