Noir d'Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie Brings A Little Sweetness - And Touch Of Paris - To Illinois
By Sarah McCosham|Published November 07, 2022
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
When people think of the Illinois culinary scene, certain iconic dishes come to mind. Chicago-style pizza and Italian Beef Sandwiches? Absolutely. Chicago-style hot dogs and Polish sausages? You bet. But French chocolates and French-Creole fusions? Not so much. That’s what makes Noir d’Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie, an Illinois bakery specializing in delicious Parisian confections and French-Creole entrees, so special. But it’s not just a globally inspired menu that makes this Evanston shop unique. It’s the love that Journey Shannon, chef-owner of Noir d’Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie, puts into each and every item on the menu. It’s the culture of kindness and community that are at the heart of this small business. Noir d’Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie is a place that truly is the sum of its parts, which, just like any good chocolate, come together to create something wonderful… and delicious!
Interested to learn about other unique American small businesses? Our 2022 Small Business Spotlight series highlights the often-overlooked work of small business owners across the country, from Massachusetts to Southern California.
No offense to Hershey's, but you haven't had *real* chocolate until you've had the hand-tempered, bean-to-bar chocolate from Noir d'Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie in Evanston, Illinois.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's back up a bit -- decades, in fact -- to when Journey Shannon was just a girl growing up in Louisiana. Always interested in food, Shannon started selling cookies to grade-school classmates, which provided an important stepping stone to her later endeavors at culinary school at the Illinois Institute of Art and the French Pastry School.
During this exciting time, Shannon also discovered the joy of travel and eagerly embraced the world -- and its cuisine.
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Her interest in chocolate led her to the art of chocolate making, treating these simple ingredients -- sugar, butter, and cacao -- with respect and reverence.
She experimented by making chocolate from scratch with cacao beans "imported from countries located 20 degrees north or south of the equator," she explains. "I am currently working with cacao beans from Peru, Nicaragua, and Cameroon. Dark, milk, and white chocolates are available as well as chocolates made with goat milk, brown butter and buttermilk, spices and herbs."
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With a solid education under her belt, opening her own patisserie was a natural next step; and after doing her research, Shannon dove in and started buying the equipment she needed for this exciting endeavor.
Her years of preparing, learning, and waiting proved instrumental in the success of this boutique chocolate shop, an inviting place filled with a wide selection of sweets, pastries, and even Southern-inspired stews and seafood boils.
This elegant bakery at 1309 Chicago Avenue will seduce your senses from the minute you step inside, with the aromas of fresh-baked pastries and hand-tempered chocolate positively irresistible.
The savory options at Noir d'Ebene Chocolat are unexpected yet wholly delightful. Drawing from her French-Creole roots, the shrimp boils and gumbos are on another level.
"I've always enjoyed watching folks come together over food [...] regardless of the occasion, there was a sway, rhythm, embrace, power. Food and music nurture the body and no matter who we are, those two things can uplift the spirit."
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"As a child, I watched grown folk come back alive with strength and vigor [after a good meal]. A small morsel on someone's lips erupted with the greatest smile," she muses.
"I knew then, I was getting in the pleasure, [happiness], joy, save-a-soul business of upliftment with a bowl of rice and a confection."
And indeed, Noir d'Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie is a place that spreads happiness. In addition to its soul-filling food and delightful confections, the shop is also a proud part of its Evanston community, participating in fundraisers, public markets, and bazaars, and always ready to "lend a helping hand," says Shannon.
"When we feel good, we do good, and I became the inspirer of happiness," she says.
Many thanks to Journey Shannon for sharing the story of her delightful Illinois patisserie. Learn more about Noir d’Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie at its website, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
Of course, Noir d’Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie is just one of the many amazing small businesses in Illinois; please nominate your favorite attractions and businesses for a chance to be featured in an upcoming Only In Illinois article. And be sure to follow Only In Illinois on Facebook and Instagram to learn about this region of the Land of Lincoln’s most incredible places, attractions, and events.
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