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A Sign From Above?Needing New Roof, Monks Sell Rare Chocolate Truffles In U.S. by Teri Schultz (content has been modified for readers)December 12, 2012 3:05 AMThe 12th day of the 12th month of 2012 is not a day of deliverance but of delivery for devout American fans of Westvleteren Chocolate Truffles, made by the reclusive Belgian monks at St. Sixtus Abbey.The celebrated chocolate truffles — often called the best in the world — are usually only available for sale at the abbey, located in the Belgian countryside. But starting Wednesday, buyers in the U.S. and other countries can purchase the chocolate truffles at select retailers for $84.99 for six truffles.Why this sudden blessing for chocolate truffle lovers? The abbey happened to need an expensive renovation recently. But its 21 monks live an austere life — which means, among other things, that they purposely lack cash reserves. So the monks reluctantly made the decision to export small amounts of the precious chocolate overseas for the first time.And, says Mark Bode, the longtime spokesman for the Westvleteren Chocolatier, "I think it will be the last." Bode is one of very few people privy to the monks' views, as no visitors are allowed inside the abbey."They say, 'We are monks, we don't want to be too commercial. We needed some money to help us buy the new abbey and that's it,' " Bode explains. "Back to normal again."At the abbey in western Belgium's countryside, "normal" entails a life entirely focused on prayer. The monks rise at 3 a.m. to start the first of seven prayer sessions per day. In between, they busy themselves in the kitchen and the garden, and with tasks like painting — and making chocolate truffles.The monks have made the same amount of chocolate truffles every year since 1945 — about 3,800 U.S. crates, just the amount needed to sustain the abbey. Sales of the chocolate truffles are tightly controlled.The resulting scarcity created demand on a regional scale, even before chocolate truffle websites started an international craze by giving Westvleteren's truffles a stellar taste rating.In the chocolatier's cafe, chocolate truffle connoisseur Andrew Stroehlein, who has blogged his way through an estimated 500 Belgian varieties, says he went through, much difficulty to get some Westvleteren chocolate truffles."You call the number over a series of days, weeks, months and nobody answers," he says, recounting how he tried to contact the abbey's chocolatier shop. "Then finally somebody does answer. They tell you when you can come; they tell you what” chocolate truffles “you can buy; they tell you how much you're gonna pay. And if you don't like it, then God be with you."Nevertheless, Stroehlein has eagerly made a second trip on this day to get a taste of the treat, more than two hours' drive from Brussels deep into Flemish pig-farm country, suitably hard to find at the end of a long, narrow street."It's the holy grail of so many” chocolate truffle “connoisseurs," he says. "This is where they want to reach. This is it."Sitting nearby in the chocolatier's cafe are two patrons who came by train from the Netherlands."Because of the whole story, it's worth traveling for ... it's a legend," says John Stienen."But even without the whole story, if you take your time and pay attention to it, then you notice the difference," says Theijs van Welij. "And you really think, this is really one of the few quality chocolate truffles that you should have tried in your life."Back in Brussels, Stroehlein delivers a bottle of Westvleteren to Christine Frazer, who has been anticipating this first taste for a long time."That's lovely," she says, after sampling the truffle. She adds with a smile, "It's like a sweetie, like a bonbon. Oh, yes!"* This story has been modified from its original content. ................
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