Experiencing gourmet chocolate can be a life changing experience. Just ask Karen Neugebauer, the founder and master chocolatier behind Forté Chocolate. When she first enrolled in a culinary arts program, she was just out to prove that she could learn to cook– but she found a new passion in the least expected area.

 “I didn’t even like chocolate going in… but I had never had real chocolate,” Neugebauer reminisces. “We made a ganache, and there was something so magical about this… plain-ish chocolate, you chop it up, pour some hot cream over it, and the scent that came off of that was so transformative and magical… I was just in love for the rest of my life.” 

Photograph courtesy of Forte Chocolate

This love for chocolate came at the perfect time. Neugebauer was on medical leave from her previous career due to a back injury that had left her unable to walk. Going to culinary school helped rehabilitate her and gave her a whole new direction. She decided to put her three business degrees from the University of Washington to use and founded Forté Chocolate in 2006.

 “I’m stubborn. Very, very stubborn,” she laughs. “Everyone was telling me, ‘no, no, no, don’t do this,’ because the numbers just don’t pan out.” But Neugebauer is used to persevering. She has multiple sclerosis, which causes her issues with mobility and dexterity, especially in the right side of her body.

Photograph courtesy of Forte Chocolate

 “I don’t let that stop me. I find new ways of doing things. I just want to make sure that people out there with disabilities and women that are going into business thinking that they have limits [know]: you don’t. You can create anything with talent and power and sheer determination,” she says. 

Photograph courtesy of Forte Chocolate

After making her sweets solo for the first few years, Neugebauer upgraded with a commercial kitchen and hired her first employee in 2009. To this day, each confection is crafted by a small team that Neugebauer has trained to simulate her artistry. 

“I had to learn how to teach how to make art, and that’s incredibly difficult.” she says. “We produce everything by hand with the artisan touch, all for the love of taste and beauty.” 

And yes, alongside the fine ingredients and flavors, beauty is key to Forté’s luxury treats, which include chocolate bars, caramels, barks, hot cocoa, and the crowning jewels– truffles. 

As an artist, Neugebauer enjoys the challenge of working on the “1-inch canvas” of her truffles. Forté uses traditional methods of tempering, pouring, enrobing, and delicately adding final touches to create beauty that demands attention. Once people realize they’re about to taste something truly special, they can fully appreciate the chocolates. For their mastery of taste and beauty, Forté’s truffles have won more than 100 national and international awards, including World Gold awards from the International Chocolate Awards. 

Photograph courtesy of Forte Chocolate

One such winner is the Eggnog & Rum Truffle, which won World Gold in 2021. It also just so happens to be one of the many delicious winter season flavors Forté produces. You can also find a Pumpkin Spice Truffle, a Peppermint White Chocolate Truffle, and Dark Peppermint Bark. 

“Chocolate belongs everywhere, in everyday life. … [But] there’s something magical about chocolate in winter, especially,” Neugebauer says. “In winter, you just wanna snuggle up with a good book, and you have hot cocoa or a little truffle, and you can really sit and enjoy it.”

 Forté’s Mount Vernon showroom is a fantastic place to pick up a treat for yourself or a gift for others. For those further south, Forté is opening a boutique in the pavilion of Bellevue’s newest luxury development, Avenue Bellevue. You can also get inspired by shopping their collection online. However you choose to browse, don’t miss out on this lavish local experience! 700 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon, 360.588.4859, fortechocolate.com