Truffles Etc

Local, hand-made, and delicious – Truffles, etc!

By Chelsea Chambers   Photos Kimberlee Miller

The beauty and intricacy of Lisa Black’s truffles is envied only by the unique and melt-in-your-mouth flavors—a treat for both the eyes and the palate. From the impressive hand-painted designs to the heavenly essences of various fruits, Truffles, etc captures what every chocolatier desires to create: distinct and delicious flavor profiles combined with an artistic beauty of the craft.

Being the mother of four, Lisa almost always has a reason to bake. From cookies and cakes to candies and holiday treats, she found herself experimenting with a lot of different recipes over the years. Baking has been something her family has always done, so when she decided to start making chocolates, it came as no surprise.

So, what makes a truffle different from traditional chocolate? Lisa explains that it all has to do with ganache—a mouth-watering mixture of chocolate and cream. And with this delicious main ingredient, she began playing with the science of chocolatiering. “I would just make them at home for my family and bring the extras to work and that’s how it all started.”
She was encouraged by her family and coworkers to start selling the chocolates, so she created a website and found a commercial kitchen to begin her experimentation.

Before Truffles, etc, Lisa worked at the Ambrose School for 17 years, a job she truly enjoyed. But after four years of working all day and making chocolate all night, she left the school and became a fulltime chocolate-creator. This allowed her more time to spend with her family, who are huge supporters of Truffles, etc and have a lot of the ideas for new and unique truffle flavors.

She has also been collaborating with several local businesses to create new tastes and pairings. One of our absolute favorites is the truffle infusions with 44 North Vodka—a creamy, tasty hint of huckleberry wrapped in a smooth chocolate finish. She’s also done some blends with Cinder Wine, which is so deliciously satisfying. Recently, she’s experimented with a passionfruit infusion that is unlike any other chocolate that we’ve ever encountered.

Boise has welcomed Lisa’a business with open arms (and open mouths, of course) and her truffles can be found all over the Treasure Valley. They are sold at the Boise Co-Op, Cinder Wines, various coffee shops (Thomas Hammer and Aero Café to name a few), Idaho Made, The Vine Wine Shop, and many other places. She also sells from her website at www.trufflesetc.org.

It’s important to treat yourself and your mouth will feel absolutely pampered. They make great gifts for family and friends as well, if you can resist the temptation not to eat them all yourself! Admittedly, it’s a little difficult to stop once you’ve started… but maybe you’ll have more self-control than we did!

Be sure to follow her on social media to see what other great new flavors she comes up with next! Lisa can also be found pairing her truffles at wine shops across the valley, because chocolate and wine go together like sunshine and springtime!