[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

At the Napa Valley-based Woodhouse Chocolate, both the chocolates and packaging are stunning. The company's signature shades of soft blues and pale yellow evoke a sort of elegance and thoughtfulness, and the chocolates are created with just as much care by the Anderson family (who also own the winery S. Anderson Vineyard).

Flavors cover the classics, like a fresh Mint Ganache of milk and dark chocolate, Espresso Ovals, and Champagne Truffles, coupling white chocolate ganache and Grande Champagne Cognac. You'll also find more playful truffles, such as Browned Butter Ganache with milk chocolate, and "Cinnamon Toast" with cinnamon-spiked white chocolate ganache dipped in dark chocolate. In the Bananas Foster, an indulgent layer of brown sugar caramel meets butter and rum-flambéed bananas whipped with cream.

As with every box of truffles, it's hard not to play favorites. But save the exotic flavors for yourself. Look out for the fan-shaped Thai Ginger with a center of crystallized ginger and ganache boldly infused with lemongrass and coconut, and the silky white chocolate-topped Quartre Epices: black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove-spiked milk chocolate ganache.

Chocolate assortments start at $22 for 12 pieces and go up to $168 for 96 pieces (pictured above is the 24-piece set). Should you be more of a caramel than a chocolate person, Woodhouse makes ridiculously buttery, thin caramel squares. Dipped in either milk or dark chocolate, the caramels are sprinkled with just enough fleur de sel; six pieces for $9.

Woodhouse Chocolate

woodhousechocolate.com

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.