“I have always been fascinated with the passionate nature and patience of small craft brewers, winemakers and distillers,” says Sarah Amorese. Amorese knows passion and patience well, employing them as she crafts delectables in her Boulder shop, Piece, Love & Chocolate.

Her latest exploration centers on the growing number of local artisanal libations: a deep dive into visual art + food science = magic. She’s teamed up with 15 distillers, winemakers and even brewers to create the 15 truffles sold as the Colorado Spirits Collection.

“I was overwhelmed by the number of these crafters located right here in Colorado!” says Amorese. “I felt I needed to pay tribute to them in my own special way.”

Thus, “each piece was created on the specific flavor profiles… and the stories of each of the liquids,” she says.

Liquid stories told in truffles ranging from Stranahan’s Whiskey milk chocolates to Boulder Creek’s Zinfandel port with fig in dark chocolate; daring combinations like West Flanders’ hoppy black IPA butter caramels or Suerte Tequila, lime, sea salt and white chocolate “margaritas.” [Locavore triple plays, too, where Colorado-produce-turned-Coloradospirits are “enrobed” in Colorado cream ganache truffles. Spirits like Roundhouse Pumpkin Cordial, featuring Munson Farms’ pumpkins, or Hunter’s Moon mead, made with Palisade peaches.]

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I asked about love. First, her name.

“Yes,” she says. “Amorese is Italian… and means ‘lover of all things.’”

Then about chocolate. “We are Valentine’s Day 365 days of the year. That’s why ‘LOVE’ is the biggest part of our logo.” She waxes about “sexy” and “delicious” concluding that chocolate “gives your palate a sultry loving hug.”

Bringing us back to the Spirits collection: “Few people realize that chocolate is also a fermented food… that requires meticulous attention and, dare I say ‘love’ yet again?”

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