Palo Alto Daily News - Second Rule of Journalism Dept. by John Orr

Our Valentine's Day bonbons and marshmallows are reviewed by Arts & Entertainment Editor, John Orr...

Second Rule of Journalism Dept.:
I blush to mention it, but some candy arrived in the office for me this week, and what with Valentine's Day coming, my heart was briefly warmed. Then I remembered that I write this column, and that Anni Golding, owner and pastry chef of Gateau et Ganache in Palo Alto, probably just wanted me to mention her goods in the paper.

So, OK, that's fair. We passed them around the office, and I took a few home.

First up: Marshmallow Hearts. They are handmade, Golding says, with real fruit purees and/or spices, in this case, vanilla bean in one, strawberries in the other. Lindsay, a cubicle away, said "Holding them is more fun than eating them. It's fun! Like Play Doh." My wife, Maria, on the other hand, loved the way they tasted and thought they were great.

Second up: The Passion & Spice Box. "La Cannelle" (cinnamon bonbon) and "La Passion" (passion-fruit bonbon). In a word: yum. Exquisite thin dark chocolate over amazing innards. Fabulous. And beautiful.

I confess to a serious error regarding the cinnamon bonbons: I neglected to save one for my little boy Riley, who loves cinnamon. My co-workers and I gobbled them up, tout de suite. Don't blab to Riley about that.

Third up: Anniversary box, containing little bonbons that are that wonderful thin dark chocolate again, covering a fabulous raspberry center.

Take your time eating these things. For one thing, they deserve thoughtful contemplation of their exemplary treatment of one's taste buds. For another, they cost a lot more than a Milky Way bar. At the company's Web site, gateauetganache.com, that box of anniversary bonbons is priced at $10 for four pieces, each smaller than the first joint of my thumb.

Fabulous treats such as these might well warm the heart of someone near and dear to you. You can find Gateau et Ganache's goods at Piazza's in Palo Alto and Draeger's in Los Altos, Menlo Park and San Mateo. Also, of course, at gateauetganache.com.

Oh yeah. The Second Rule of Journalism is: Never turn down free food. Because usually you don't know where your next meal is coming from.

E-mail John Orr at jorr@dailynewsgroup.com