I moved to Chester County some 36 years ago now. What attracted me then is pretty much the same as why I love living here now. I moved here from the suburbs of London, when I say suburbs we lived some 20-25 miles from the center of London. In ten minutes driving or so you could be walking in rural farmland and woods. It was idyllic. When we first came to look for houses we had been told to look north east of the city, but it just did not gel for us. Then our agent suggested looking in Chester County, which is west of the city and along the Main Line. It felt like a different world, very similar to home, to the country roads I was used to and yet surrounded by everything you wanted and needed, hospitals, schools, restaurants, a shopping mall, King of Prussia. Today, I live in a more rural area of Chester County, but we are less than a mile to our supermarket, plenty of restaurants and close to hospitals and doctors. And then yesterday this happened.
I was getting my haircut for Easter, as it had become totally unruly so needed some loving attention. As Annie puts it I was having some Albert, as in Albert Einstein, moments. Anyway I got talking with my hairdresser, she mentions that she is going to buy her daughter some chocolates from this Swiss chocolate shop nearby.
I had not heard anything about this place, and have from time to time wanted to purchase some good chocolates as gifts. But the closest chocolate shop I had found was in West Chester. Well it seems this chocolate maker has permission from Neuchatel in Switzerland to use their name as long as he only uses Swiss Chocolate. We chatted some more and she told me where to go as it is set back a little from the road behind some storage spaces in Oxford.
Intrigued, I set out and quickly found it. To say it is unassuming would be an understatement, but the "shop" is a decent size with one lady serving customers. The chocolates are actually made in the barn behind the house, and they make a wide assortment of plain bars, truffles, boxed chocolates, cremes, pralines etc. Check out these photos I took, I tried a couple of samples and the flavor is still in my mouth and brain. They were so good!
The Easter display.
I think Nina Hollander, Broker would be in heaven here. I know I felt like I was and will definitely be going back.
They even had a shelf with what they termed seconds, but I bet they tasted just as good. They are located in Oxford, almost next door to Wyncote Golf Club, but as I mentioned set back from the road, although there is a sign. I am looking forward to trying some of those chocolates I bought for Annie for Easter.
I love discovering these special places in and around where we live. It is the fun of discovery. We actually are close to the Herr's Factory, and have yet to do the factory tour which we keep intending to do as I hear they give out free samples. We are always enjoying discovering new wineries and breweries as well as restaurants in the countryside around us.
This is my entry to the April Challenge, hosted by Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 and Carol Williams Why do you love where you live.
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