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Chocolatier and founder of MarieBelle New York (SoHo) Mariben Lieberman has a refined palate, a worldly perspective, and an extraordinary expertise in cacao as evidenced by her signature artisanal ganache, equisitely roasted coffee, and world-class Aztec Hot Chocolate.

Now she's paying homage to her native Honduras with the opening of Cacao Market by MarieBelle in the hip and thriving neighborhood of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, proving that the sky's the limit when it comes to exotic and uniquely crafted cacao creations.

Sourced exclusively from various Honduran farms, the cacao beans are dried, roasted and pressed in Lieberman's brand new facility in La Masica, Honduras. The "magical paste-to-bar transformation" takes place in the Brooklyn factory, where Cacao Market goers can view a part of the chocolate making process in action.

Lieberman points out that Honduras, at one point before 1979, was one of the biggest exporters of cacao. However, a major hurricane and a tree-killing virus slowed things down.

"It was really bad and people started concentrating on coffee," Lieberman told Latin Post during an interview. "When I started making chocolate I met up with the farmers from Honduras -- we're talking about 10 years ago. I told them how cacao was growing and of its quality. I met with government officials to try to help the farmers ... The government started helping to coach them how to grow the best cacao beans. It starts from the plant, then it goes to the fermentation, then to the drying -- everything at the end has to do with the flavor of the chocolate. It's been a 10-year journey. When I opened the Cacao Market I wanted to introduce the cacao from Honduras." 

Chocoholics can also witness a Swiss style raclette maker (derived from the French word racler meaning "to scrape") that's used to melt cheese as well as melt bricks of Cacao Market dark, white and milk chocolates, which also serve as toppings to be poured over croissants, crèpes and churro style Waffles.

"When people walk into the store, they say 'I feel like I am in another world. I feel transported in every corner. I don't feel like I am in New York.' When I did the store I wanted the inspiration of the old-fashioned market, the candy store ... I feel so excited, that's the feeling that I want people to have," she said.

Lieberman is most known for her famous MarieBelle New York's Aztec Hot Chocolate, a recipe that she created 15 years ago that was featured as one of "Oprah's Favorite Things."

However, her classic French-inspired dry cured sausage, Saucisson au Chocolat at Cacao Market just might gain the same notoriety as her Aztec Hot Chocolate. The inventive treat is comprised of dark chocolate, dried cranberries, roasted Spanish almonds, caramelized cashews, salted crunchy pretzels and sun-dried raisins. She also created another savory version with Salted Marshmallow, Spicy Chipotle Pepper or Candied Orange Peel.

"The old-fashioned sausage, the Saucisson has been done in Europe for many years, but in America they have never done this," she explained. 

An avid world traveler, Lieberman finds inspiration from chocolate shops all over the globe. "I do my own mixing. Like the marshmallows, they don't use them in Europe. Marshmallows are much more traditonal American. Over there they use more nuts. So I added in marshmallows, of course home-made because I don't like those hard, rubbery marshmallows," she laughed. "We also roast our ganache that goes in it. I like every ingredient that goes in every product of mine to really get the full flavor of it."

There is also an assortment of mini chocolate balls that feature unique ingredients inspired from local and international flavors. 

"There are many exotic ones. Bacon and pretzel is a very American flavor. It has a smoky flavor. I love the pistachio covered in caramel chocolate. The Ginger chocolate balls are great. I am also coming out with a Wasabi bean covered in chocolate," she explained.

Featuring 100 percent Central American Cacao with an emphasis on Honduras decadent offerings, in addition to Lieberman's spicy chipotle Aztec King Hot Chocolate, she's created other delicious concoctions such as the Hindu Cardamom Hot Chocolate, Snow White Chocolate with Madagascar Vanilla, Tropical Orange Hot Chocolate with confit orange peels and cold chocolate beverages like Caribbean White Chocolate with coconut and the passion fruit-infused Sunrise Aztec.

"Oh my God! I like everything! Of course my hot chocolate is my inspiration," she added. "I love the tradition of hot chocolate -- the American, the Indian, the Aztec, I love that."

Lieberman also ups the ante with her spirituous concoctions that include the Tequila Night Cap (a combination of 65 percent Ecuadorian cacao and tequila) and the Havana White Chocolate with rum.

Cacao Market will also be the first to introduce Lieberman's latest creation, an exquisite collection of Fine Eclairs with unique flavors and colorful artwork that include ingredients such as Lavender, Passion Fruit, and Champagne. 

A graduate of Parsons New School for Design, Lieberman takes pride in her hand-crafted edible designs.

"I come from a design background. I am an artist at heart," she said. "I am not saying that chocolate isn't a beautiful color, however the mind picks up different colors."

The artwork on the éclairs is created and sent to Paris where they use a silkscreen and then the images are sent back to New York and transferred onto the chocolate.

"Most of the images are lifestyle images of my life in New York, life in New York and what goes on in the city," she said. "I have a Brooklyn inspiration line. I have Dumbo, Greenpoint, of course I have SoHo; I have the theater district."

Cacoa Market, which opened on April 21, also offers an array of delicious gelato and will soon offer a savory lunch menu as well.

"We have had good traffic. I think this is going to be a destination. I just like to share my chocolate with the world. That's what excites me!" she said.

Lieberman's love affair with confections started when she was an eight-year-old making sugar candies and selling them to the neighborhood children in her native Honduras.

She came to New York to attend Parsons School of Design, where her love for fashion and design thrived. After a brief period working in the fashion industry, she found that her heart truly wanted to be the culinary world. Lieberman then ran her own elegant catering company, Maribel's Gourmet Cuisine, for five years.

Her first New York City storefront, Lunettes et Chocolat, was a shop focused on both designer chocolates and glasses. Her entrepreneurial spirit then led her to open her treasured MarieBelle New York's Soho shop in 2002.  Now, she welcomes the Cacao Market in Brooklyn as well as the Japanese transplants of both stores in Kyoto, Japan.

If you want to be transported to a decadent world with endless possibilities of cacao, visit Cacao Market by MarieBelle located at 67 Guernsey Street, Brooklyn, New York.