For a chocolate fix, head to Artisan Confections (1025 N. Fillmore St.; 703-524-0007), where Jason Andelman is turning out elegant miniature candy bars, such as the melt-in-the-mouth crispy peanut butter praline, in addition to his exquisite filled chocolates.

If you’re looking for a unique yet stylish hostess gift, then look no further than Artisan Confections in Arlington, VA (1025 North Fillmore Street; 703.524.0007). Both delicious and aesthetically pleasing, these beautiful bonbons are the creation of Chocolatier Jason Andelman. Timeless techniques go into making the small batches of these exquisite chocolates at Artisan’s workshop/retail shop in Clarendon.

Setting the table: Chocolatier Jason Andelman doesn’t expect all students in his popular classes to begin making truffles the second they get home. It takes time, patience and a Willy Wonka-like piece of equipment to create the pieces he sells at Artisan Confections. But his twice-monthly classes allow 12 adults to frolic in the back of his white-tiled Clarendon chocolate factory for two hours and take home a bagful of treats. “It’s a behind the-scenes look at what we do here,” he said. Not to mention a lot of fun.

Is it food? Is it art? Is it both? Okay, it’s food, but it’s still pretty to look at. And definitely more delicious to eat. Owner (and former TenPenh pastry chef) Jason Andelman’s chocolate creations have been a hit since his store opened in June 2006. But a November move from a Lee Highway storefront into the heart of Clarendon has helped business pick up.

Washington is in the midst of a sweet culture shift. And it has nothing to do with elections. Across the country, artisanal chocolate is closing in on wine and coffee as the next hot luxury food to claim a cult of personalities.

Today it's trendy to combine chocolate with chili peppers, but the pairing is ancient: Mayans and Aztecs mixed ground cacao seeds with chili peppers to make a spicy, frothy drink long before chocolate started being made in solid form.

Jason Andelman’s confectionery dreams finally came true in June 2006. In earlier years, as the pastry chef of Washington’s TenPenh Restaurant, Andelman sold chocolates as a side venture, on-line and to small gourmet stores.

The Willy Wonka of Arlington, Jason Andelman, has switched from solely peddling his wares to other shops to opening his own: Artisan Confections.

Jason Andelman’s dream of creating art from scratch was realized last year when he opened his retail business, Artisan Confections, in Arlington, VA,

Jason Andelman was the pastry chef at Washington's TenPenh Restaurant for five years, but all that time he had a secret passion: chocolate making.

The best Valentine's chocolates are like romance: mysterious, sensual, and satisfying. In recent years, local makers have upped the bar on a simple box of chocolates with offbeat flavors, custom designs, and singular packaging.

Cloaked in fall’s darkness, they may arrive alone, paired off or in small clusters. They give the front door a quick rap, their minds filling with the delectable goodies they’ll soon receive.

Blizzards? Seasonal Affective Disorder? Ice Storms? Bring it on J Frost. You're insulated against the worst - from the inside out.

Jason Andelman, owner and founder of Artisan Confections, takes great pleasure in preparing and teaching the art of making chocolate.

An entrepreneurial pastry chef tries to capitalize on the growing trend of high end chocolates.