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| - I don't think Las Vegans realize what a gem we have located in an otherwise awkward experimental downtown development called the Container Park. How does Jin Caldwell, a world class master chocolatier, come to open a sweets boutique inside the second floor of a shipping container, just a stone's throw from a tree house playground? For a fan of surrealism, it's almost too good to be true.
Chef Jin's name has been a familiar one since 2007, when she led a trio of female pastry chefs from Las Vegas to a silver medal finish at the National Pastry Team Championship. I was attending culinary school at the time and I remember reading about Team Caldwell in the pages of Pastry Art & Design and being inspired by the only all girl power team competing in this demanding test of pastry skills and expertise. Seven years later, I'm cruising around the Container Park on a Trikke, yielding to alpacas, with a bag of JinJu's chocolate covered gummy worms in my hand.
While every item in the store will demand your attention, do not miss the unique selection of Peruvian chocolates. Peru is frequently recognized for growing the highest quality cacao and coca, and JinJu is one of a handful of exclusive chocolatiers offering Fortunato No. 4 Pure Nacional, the rarest cacao in the world. I made black sesame gelato just a day prior to my visit to JinJu, so the sesame seed toffee was another "must try" treat. With its combination of black and white sesame seeds, buttery toffee, and dark chocolate, this delectable confection became an instant favorite.
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