WELCOME TO OUR

 CHOCOLATERIA

& INTERNATIONAL        GROCERY  

   Here at Aji we stock a broad range of outstanding quality, exotic International ingredients, revolving around the commodities of the ancient trade routes: cacao, tea, spices and chiles, resulting in a store bursting with inspiracion, pasion, aventura!

   Aji is a destination shop for people seeking Mexican and South American fare. Click on 'Mexican' in the top left hand menu, for our comprehensive range. And from Argentina; we are pleased to stock Yerba Mate and Dulce de Leche!

 
   Fresh, top quality spices, spice blends, rubs and pastes, are a point of pride; affording our customers a culinary tour of the Globe - without leaving the country!

   And on to Chocolate. At Aji, we specialise in Artisan-quality Dark Chocolate, and are the Christchurch stockists of ‘SCHOC CHOCOLATE’.
  The history of chocolate goes back to Mayan times, where the bitter substance “cacao”, was combined with chile, cinnamon, vanilla, achiote or flower petals to make it palatable.
   In a similar tradition; a New Zealand company is blending chocolate with all manner of spices, herbs and extracts; inspiring something of a cult following amongst adventurous chocolate-lovers.

   Aji stocks a fabulous range of exceptional dark chocolate from Europe's finest Chocolate Houses - click on "view newsletters" for notes on 'Fine Chocolate-tasting'.
   We also stock your every requirement for baking;  make your own - Truffles and Ganache,  Souffles, Flans, Tortes and Brownies  with best-quality dark chocolate couverture from Belgium, pure “dutched” cocoa; gelatine leaves for chocolate mousse... edible gold leaf (23 carat) for decorating truffles, pralines and wedding cakes; pure vanilla essence, lemon extract, orange extract, and top grade “superior cinnamon”.
   And for the seriously chocolate-dedicated, we stock 100% cocoa content Dark Chocolate; this substitutes well for the 'pure cacao product' of Willie's Wonky Chocolate Factory fame.

   In the Mediterranean category; Spanish, French & Italian fine foods are well represented. Epicurean essentials include: truffles, truffle oils, and the  'Tetsuya' product range.. 'Herbes de Provence', balsamic and chardonnay vinegars, graisse de canard, Calasparra rice for risotto, smoked paprika, and porcini mushrooms.
 
   Take your time browsing the categories, or for your convenience - utilise the search engine for quick results. Please enjoy the website, and we look forward to hearing from you. Inquiries welcome.

Imogen Taylor  22.03.10

N.B. GLUTEN & DAIRY FREE.
    It is worth noting that most of the products sold at Aji are coeliac-friendly, that is to say - GLUTEN FREE (yes, even the Turkish delight)!  And most crucially - MASA HARINA (Mexican Corn Flour) for making Tortillas, Tamales, Enchiladas, Arepas, Empanadas, and GLUTEN-FREE BREAD!
    We specialise in Artisan, Single-Origin Dark Chocolate which is DAIRY FREE (as well as gluten-free), and currently have Sugar-free chocolate from Italy suitable for diabetics. This comes in tablet form - sublime quality, and also individually wrapped triple-layered chocolates for a glamorous option!

We are a retail store based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Visit us at 129 MANCHESTER ST

(look for the PINK shop)!

Established in the year 2002