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. You're packing Artisan Confections new Hot Chocolate Mix.

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.