GraceAnn Walden
Many people today have multiple careers, but when you're a top chef who started an apprenticeship in Europe at age 14, and you've risen to a prominent position in the industry, cooking is usually your life's profession. But imagine you're a top chef, 30 years old, and you have a severe heart attack. You recover and decide to take a job at a big hotel, where your duties will be more managerial and less pressure-filled than cooking on the line.
Eventually you open a business with your energetic and entrepreneurial wife. Cut to happy ending.
This is Jean Marc Gorce's story. For five years, he was the chef de cuisine at the always-packed Fringale, south of Market. In 1997, while on his honeymoon with his wife, Casimira, he suffered a serious heart attack. His heart condition is genetic -- both his father and grandfather also have heart trouble. After his recovery, he became the chef de cuisine at the Westin St. Francis Hotel and stayed there 1 1/2 years.
Meanwhile, his wife -- a salesperson for a large food supplier -- asked Gorce one day, ``Why don't you make something I can sell?'' And XOX Truffles was born.
Six months ago, the Gorces opened a little shop at 754 Columbus (near Greenwich Street) in San Francisco. Every day, Casimira is out selling her husband's truffles to corporations, retailers and restaurants while Jean Marc tends the shop, making coffee drinks and tres yummy truffles. ``Long hours aren't a problem for me, it's stress that is dangerous,'' he says cheerfully. The liquored truffles come in 10 flavors, including Kahlua and Triple Sec. The un-liqueur truffles are made in 10 flavors, ranging from the popular hazelnut to a deep, rich dark chocolate.
Gorce's truffles are just a bite, not enough to break your diet, but delicious enough to make you want just one more. Five truffles cost $1; one pound (about 70 to 80 truffles) is $16. One attractive way to buy them is to purchase a colorful dessert plate and fill it with 40 truffles. Wrapped in plastic and decorated with a nice bow, it's a perfect gift.
XOX Truffles is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and until 6 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (415) 421-4814.
GraceAnn
Walden, a former cook, leads history-food tours of NorthBeach and the
Real Fisherman's Wharf. Her e-mail address is [email protected]
Website: graceannwalden.com .
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