The Chocolate Lab Brings The Original Beer City Truffle to Woodfin

Lisa Klepzig was a family practice nurse for twenty years, but has been known for years as the chocolate expert by her friends, showing up to holiday parties and feasts with loads of chocolates to share. Five years ago she started The Chocolate Lab, but this year, she and her husband Kier decided to take it to the next level. She worked on her recipes and began to incorporate local beers into her truffles. She was invited to display her wares at the Asheville Wine and Food Festival, where she crossed my path, and this month has opened up her very own chocolate shop in north Asheville: The Chocolate Lab.

Lisa started with Highland Beer, but plans to incorporate many more local brews into her ganaches. I sampled all of her Highland beer truffles at the festival, finding her Highland Cold Mountain truffles embodied the very essence of the Western North Carolina environment which supports our rich food culture. Soft and delicious, her French technique and hand-dipped ganache really makes her chocolates stand out, and although I am not a beer aficionado, I appreciated the hoppy notes that shone through in her candies.

She is also experimenting with various other flavor combination and ways to enjoy chocolate, including a hot chocolate bar.

 

 

The Chocolate Lab was formed to experiment with a wide variety of chocolate styles and flavor combinations, so we expect to see some interesting candies coming out. Stop in and see for yourself how a small business can bring a new perspective on a hot favorite.

Chocolate Lab is at 2 Weaverville Rd., Suite 201, Woodfin, NC.