By Richard Siemers
The Land Correspondent
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If your idea of paradise includes chocolate, then step into Mr. B Chocolatier in Willmar. Not only is the display case full of individual chocolates and the shelves laden with boxed chocolates and chocolate specialty items, you can also gaze through picture windows into the kitchen and watch the chocolates being made.
Dwight Barnes was a professional photographer visiting his children in Europe. A Swiss candy maker asked if Barnes would photograph his chocolate truffles. Barnes agreed, if the man would teach him how to make them.
Barnes later traveled to Belgium to study the chocolate craft with a renowned chocolatier. He returned to Willmar to make exquisite chocolate truffles for his family, who shared them with friends, and it all led to opening Mr. B Chocolatier, "Manufacturer of Handmade Swiss Truffles and Belgium Style Assorted Chocolates."
After 20 years of candy making, Barnes, now in his 80s, retired, but the business is still in family hands. His daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Steve Hanson, own Mr. B Chocolatier. His daughter, Mary Reishus, is director of sales, and another daughter, Susan Kallevig, oversees the chocolate kitchen. Grandson Braum Sharstrom is the chocolatier.
Only the finest ingredients are used. Eleven-pound bars of chocolate are imported from Belgium. There's marzipan from Germany and vanilla beans from Madagascar. Fresh Minnesota cream and a European style butter from Pennsylvania go into the fillings. Every piece of candy is a chocolate - dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate, but always a chocolate.
One customer bought a large box, planning to find out which ones she really liked. Later she told them, "I never came to one I didn't like. I ate the whole box."
Recently a line of specialty cakes has been added, filled with their creamy candy fillings. Not certain what you want? Sit at one of the two tables and order a cup of coffee with a cupcake, or a Dark Chocolate Swiss Truffle, or a Coconut Almond Cream, or a Milk Chocolate Pecan Truffle, or a Wild Strawberry Cream, or a Dark Chocolate Butter Caramel, or a ... Oh, it's a chocolate paradise.
Check out their variety of candies and contact information at www.mrbchocolates.com.
