Chicago - September 23, 2009

Forget Paris

Flora Confections

It takes hours to create a bite-size French confection.

Shame you brutally destroy it in seconds.

Send your sincerest apologies to chocolatier Flora Lazar, who traded a career in public affairs for pastry bags and gelées. With a little help from her husband, the French Pastry School grad masterfully creates European delights like salted caramel ganache, apricot-vanilla pâte de fruit, and Szechuan peppercorn bonbons.

Lazar uses local ingredients (when possible) and crafts each delectable morsel with her bare (glove-covered) hands. So there’s Midwestern goodness squeezed into every exquisite tart, fruit paste, and confiture.

You’ll dive right in.

And maybe go for thirds.

Available at Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand, 66 East Randolph Street, between Michigan and Wabash Avenues (312-742-8419); Provenance Logan Square, 2528 North California Avenue, between Fullerton Avenue and Logan Boulevard (773-384-0699 or provenancefoodandwine.com); Provenance Lincoln Square, 2312 West Leland Avenue, between Eastwood and Lawrence Avenues (773-784-2314); For more information, go to floraconfections.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Flora Confections