Focus on Coop Suppliers: The Chocolate Gecko

by Suzanne Fisher

Have you decided what to give to those persons in your life who merit recognition on Valentine’s Day? Whether young or old, male or female, gourmet food lover or average eater, they are all sure to be delighted with some of the Coop’s offerings from The Chocolate Gecko.

Chocolate Gecko chocolates are produced locally in Albany by Lissa D’Aquanni, confection maker extraordinaire. The products are all made with the finest of ingredients and have been rated as the best of the region by Hudson Valley, Capital Region Living and Metroland. Lissa makes her toffees with turbinado sugar and Cabot butter from recipes she has developed herself. She uses antibiotic- and hormone- free cream, fresh fruit and liqueurs in her truffles. Her caramels are made with pure maple syrup. The pecans in her “turtles” are fresh from South Carolina, and the fine American-made milk and dark chocolate she uses is buttery smooth to compliment the flavors of the other ingredients.

She became intrigued with the world of chocolate as a child when she visited her Aunt Loretta’s chocolate factory. As an adult, Lissa began making chocolate herself for friends and coworkers, and her business grew out of her kitchen. Eventually, she purchased an abandoned building on Delaware Avenue and, with the help of 30-plus volunteers and several local funders, renovated it to house her store and production facility The building now houses her shop and two other locally owned small businesses.

The offerings from The Chocolate Gecko at Honest Weight vary from delivery to delivery. Gustav says that he lets Lissa choose what to bring over to sell, because she seems to know what Coop shoppers are looking for. Indeed, because her delicacies are so popular at Honest Weight, he finds it difficult to keep up with the demand. She is famous for her Galapagos Turtles which are composed of fresh nuts, maple syrup caramel, and a rich and creamy chocolate. The color and flavor of the chocolate varies from dark to white on special occasions, such as the 14th of February. The Komodo Crunch is made of layers of buttery toffee, crunchy nuts and smooth chocolate, and comes in two flavors: Regular and Spicy, which she makes with a blend of cayenne pepper she purchases from Honest Weight. Gustav describes Lissa’s toffee as “the quintessential English toffee, only better.” For those customers thinking about healthy chocolate, The Gecko’s website will tell you that dark chocolate may actually help fight cholesterol, and contains more antioxidants than milk chocolate. And chocolate reduces the body’s response to pain signals, and has been found in studies to relax the body while stimulating the brain.

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