February 11th, 2011
Posted in Reviews
Written by brooklynglutton.com
Somehow, it took me 35 years to find JOMART CHOCOLATES (2917 Avenue R @ Nostrand Avenue, Gravesend, Brooklyn, 718.375.1277) which has been in business in Brooklyn for 64 years. In 1989, I slept in line overnight to buy tickets for The Who’s 25th Anniversary Reunion Tour on Nostrand Avenue and Avenue R in Gravesend, Brooklyn, and I was completely oblivious to the existence of JoMart Chocolates less than a block away. At that point, it had been around for 43 years. When The Who formed as a band in 1964, JoMart was in its eighteenth year. This delicious chocolate shop where everything is freshly made on the premises is a hidden jewel deep in the heart of Brooklyn that is not to be missed, but is missed by many. This is why you read THE BROOKLYN GLUTTON…to learn about places like JoMart Chocolates.
New Yorkers are generally pretty hip about chocolate. There are plenty of great chocolate shops in NYC, and you can easily spend a fortune on very good fancy chocolate in every part of town. Vosges Haut Chocolate in Soho is obscenely expensive but admittedly delicious. Jacques Torres Chocolate, with locations in DUMBO, Brooklyn and in Manhattan’s West Village has its moments, but it is often more satisfying as eye candy than as chocolate candy. Little, hidden boutique chocolate shops in the East Village, Bond Street Chocolate and Bespoke Chocolates are both quite special and frankly worthy of their own Brooklyn Glutton posts someday. As far as the international chocolatier showrooms scattered about Midtown, Neuhaus Belgian Chocolate is probably the most interesting of the lot when compared to others such as Leonidas, Lindt and Godiva.
But JoMart is nothing like any of these places. JoMart is a family business in which three generations still participate in the creation and distribution of their handmade products. Current owner, Michael Rogak took over the business from his father, Martin (the “Mart” in JoMart), who was also the son of a candymaker. Today, Michael runs the business alongside his 84 year old mother, Esther, who assists virtually every patron who enters the store. His two daughters also help out when it gets busy around the holidays. Michael still uses his grandfather’s copper kettles to make the chocolate along with his father’s stove and mixer, both of which were purchased new when the store opened in 1946. Esther and her granddaughters hold court out front, offering samples for customers and distributing tastes of rich, delicious hot chocolate in the winter. They all have such love for their family’s confectionary creations and speak so adoringly of the chocolates, unafraid to offer wholehearted opinions and recommendations to anyone who is interested and who shares in their enthusiasm.
Pictured above is the last bite of my last Dark Chocolate covered Vanilla Marshmallow remaining from the 1 lb. box I purchased on Sunday afternoon. The Marshmallows at JoMart are unbeatable. Of all the varieties offered in Milk or Dark Chocolate, I adore the Dark Chocolate S’Mores, which are basically vanilla marshmallows set atop a graham cracker square and covered in dark chocolate. The dark chocolate at JoMart is particularly awesome, and it is offered as an option for every variety of candy. They make caramels, and simple truffles, and homemade ‘Chunky’ bars, and peanut butter cups unmistakeably filled with “Skippy” peanut butter, and chocolate covered pretzels, and the list goes on. Nothing fancy, everything delicious. At around $25 per pound for most of the chocolate in the store, they are not exactly giving it away, although they are very generous with the samples…if you’re nice. However, the volume of high quality chocolate that you can get for your money here blows away the designer alternatives when it comes to bang for your buck.
For THE BROOKLYN GLUTTON, JoMart Chocolates is a destination. There is a future post worth writing (and reading) about where to eat lunch in the vicinity of JoMart Chocolates when you trek out to the Gravesend section of Brooklyn in search of chocolate induced bliss. In fact, the list would be long enough that it would warrant multiple trips to JoMart on the basis of lunch alone. Here’s a friendly tip…call ahead before making the trip on a Sunday, as they are only open on Sundays during busy holiday seasons. If you can’t find your way, you can also order online at www.jomartchocolates.com, but then you’d miss out on lunch…and Esther.
