CHOCOLEE CHOCOLATES REOPENS IN BOSTON

THE CITY OF BOSTON IS KNOWN FOR ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, JOIE DE VIVRE AND GOURMET OFFERINGS, BUT, HIDDEN IN ITS SOUTH END NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE INTERSECTION OF MONTGOMERY AND DARTMOUTH STREETS IS AN AMAZING CHOCOLATE SHOP OFFERING SOME OF THE BEST CHOCOLATE CREATIONS IN THE CITY. LEE WORKED IN VARIOUS RESTAURANT CAPACITIES FROM SERVER TO BARTENDER, FROM MANAGER TO CATERER, AND SEGUED INTO THE WORLD OF SWEETS AS A PASTRY CHEF AT ICARUS, ONE OF BOSTON'S MOST LEGENDARY FINE DINING RESTAURANTS, IN 1989. SINCE THEN, LEE HAS WORKED AT OR CONSULTED FOR COUNTLESS TOP-RATED RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY, INCLUDING MAISON ROBERT, GRILLE 23, ANAGO, METRO, BRICCO, THE BUTTERY AND SANDRINE'S BISTRO. IN THE EARLY 1990s, LEE ESTABLISHED NEW ENGLAND'S FIRST AND ONLY ASSOCIATION FOR PASTRY PROFESSIONAL'S AND STILL MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE ROLE. SHE IS ALSO PROUD OF HAVING COOKED AT NEW YORK'S JAMES BEARD HOUSE FOUR TIMES. WHILE WINNING CAKE AWARDS, CONSTRUCTING GINGERBREAD HOUSES, AND TURNING OUT THOUSANDS OF PERFECT COOKIES, TARTS, PIES AND PASTRIES, LEE BEGAN MAKING TRUFFLES IN HER DOWNTIME, SOLD WITHOUT FANFARE AT A SELECT FEW RETAIL VENUES. SHE ACHIEVED HER DREAM OF OPENING AN ARTISANAL CHOCOLATE SHOP OF HER OWN IN 2007 AND HAS NEVER LOOKED BACK.

AT CHOCOLEE'S RECENT GRAND REOPENING ON 20.MARCH, MADELEINE MARTINO OF MARBLEHEAD SAID: 'NOBODY MAKES CHOCOLATES LIKE LEE. WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE STORE, YOU CAN SEE HOW PASSIONATELY SHE LOVES CHOCOLATE! I ABSOLUTELY CRAVE THE SALTED CARMEL.' 'LEE DESIGNS AND MAKES THE CHOCOLATE HERE', SAID KAREN JANE OF BOSTON. 'SHE ISN'T BUYING SOMEONE ELSE'S DESIGNS, SHE ISN'T A GLOBAL FRANCHISE, AND SHE ISN'T COLLECTING THE WORLD OF OTHER ARTISANS. AFTER I FOUND THIS CHOCOLATE, I NEVER PREFERRED ANOTHER.' THE NEW SPACE, FORMALLY THE HALEY HOUSE BAKERY, SHOULD MAKE BUYING CHOCOLATES FROM CHOCOLEE EASIER FOR MORE CUSTOMERS. 'I'VE BEEN A PASTRY CHEF IN THE BOSTON AREA FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS. . . THE NAME OF THE SHOP IS THE WORD, CHOCOLATE, AND MY NAME, LEE . . . I MAKE ALL THE CHOCOLATE MYSELF AND THEY ARE MADE FRESH DAILY. WE OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF HANDMADE TRUFFLES WHICH WE HAND SCOOP, HAND ROLL AND DIP', EXPLAINS LEE NAPOLI. 'WE CREATE NEW VARIETIES EVERY WEEK.'
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