Suggestions for decadent chocolates, preferably dark (611 views)

I've not had Ethel's, but they come up often when people are talking about chocolates. Some others you may want to consider (taken from a travel site - I deleted those that do not ship of that do bars and baking chocolate since you want filled chocolates)):


Teuscher (Zurich, Switzerland)
The Teuscher chocolate tradition began more than 70 years ago in a small town in the Swiss Alps. Dolf Teuscher scoured the world to find the finest cocoa, marzipan, fruits, nuts, and other ingredients with which to make his confectionery. After years of experimenting, he skillfully blended these ingredients into his now famous recipes. Today the Teuscher kitchens in Zurich make more than 100 varieties of chocolates using these original recipes, which have been handed down from father to son. Only the finest and most expensive natural ingredients are used, and absolutely no chemicals, additives, or preservatives are added. The house specialty is a champagne truffle, a blend of fresh cream, butter, and chocolate with a champagne cream center, dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Chocolates are flown to Teuscher stores worldwide weekly.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Owner and chocolatier Katrina Markoff chooses every spice, flower, and chocolate that is flown into the Vosges kitchen to be transformed into fine chocolates. She learned the art of French confectionery at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Further inspired by her global apprenticeships, infusions of rare spices and flowers are combined with premium chocolate in truffles such as Mexican vanilla bean and Argentinean dulce de leche. (I have ordered these for DH -- we were surprised at how much we liked some of the unusual flavors. I just saw a today only offer for 20% off and $5 shipping if you see this in time.)

Jacques Torres Chocolate (New York, New York, USA)
When you step into Jacques Torres Chocolate, you feel as though you’ve stepped into a small European specialty store. Many customers compare the experience to the movie Chocolat. Jacques specializes in fresh, handcrafted chocolates. Eat them there, where cafe tables encourage you to sit, sip hot chocolate, and enjoy a freshly baked pain au chocolat — or take a selection home. Visitors often can see the chocolate goodies being prepared behind large glass windows. There are five Jacques Torres Chocolate shops in the city, plus one in Harrah’s in Atlantic City.

Norman Love Confections (Ft. Myers, Florida, USA)
“Chocolate is my passion,” says Norman Love, who dreamed of making chocolate that was visually stunning as well as delicious. Love and a partner perfected a technique in which the colored designs for each candy are hand-painted or airbrushed into chocolate molds, which are then filled with the finest chocolate imported from Belgium, France, and Switzerland. The pumpkin white chocolate bonbon is almost too gorgeous to eat. Using only the freshest ingredients, his recipes call for pureed raspberries, bananas, ginger, caramel, passionfruit, and hazelnuts, to name a few.

Godiva Chocolatier (Brussels, Belgium and worldwide)
The beginning of Godiva chocolates traces back to a 1920s chocolate- and sweet-making workshop owned and operated by the Draps family in Brussels, Belgium. Their “pralines,” typical Belgian filled chocolates, were sold in the large, highly fashionable shops. At the age of 14, Joseph Draps went into the family business. Over the years, he developed both his ability and creative talent as a master chocolate-maker as well as his business sense. He decided to create a prestige range of chocolates and to give it an evocative name. He chose “Godiva” and marketed his chocolates in instantly recognizable gold boxes. In recognition of its excellence, Godiva has been rewarded with an appointment as supplier to the Court of Belgium. Godiva continues to be an innovator in gourmet chocolate.

Richard Donnelly Fine Chocolates (Santa Cruz, California, USA)
These chocolates are unusual, to say the least. Richard Donnelly likes to push the chocolate experience by combining its rich tones — he uses Belgian and French chocolate — with ingredients such as lavender, chipotle, saffron, cardamom, and Earl Grey tea. Such innovation helped Donnelly win the Best Artisan award at the prestigious Euro Chocolate Festival in Perugia, Italy, just ten years after he opened his shop. To maintain quality and ensure freshness, Donnelly produces no more than 50 pounds of chocolate a day. If you need a break from the exotic and unusual flavors, try Donnelly’s white chocolate macadamia nut or a honey vanilla caramel.

I know I've had or heard of some others, but I don't remember names right now....hope that gets you started.

ooh - I have a good one from our local store - John Kelly Chocolates - I've had these and LOVE them

www.johnkellychocolates.com/visit-our-boutiques/hollywood/

This is a chocolatier that I visit every time I visit a friend who lives outside of Cleveland. www.lillytremont.com/shoponline. The chocolates are gorgeous, innovative, and delicious.

I can second PattiA's recommendation of Lilly Chocolates. On their site it says you can make requests so I am sure they could do an all-dark box for you.

gilgamesh37, another idea is that you could make a batch of chocolate truffles for her. This could give you some inspiration. When I had a corporate job, I made many batches of truffles for coworker gifts, now I make them for a few chocolate loving friends.