No refugee stories today, I promise. We've heard such a litany of horrors for the past two days that I just want to take a minute to focus on something frivolous and fun. Namely, chocolate.

Perhaps you've heard about Syrian pastries -- flaky, syrup-soaked confections that smell of rose water and orange blossoms. But the Syrians have another sweet specialty, something the British Airways in-flight magazine recently called "Damascus' darkest secret." Syria is home to one of the world's foremost chocolatiers, the Ghraoui company.

The in-flight magazine mentioned above had interviewed one of the Ghraoui scions, who said sales have grown fivefold since the company was honored with the 2005 award for best foreign chocolatier at the prestigious Paris Salon du Chocolat, a gathering of leading connoisseurs. The company that once had to lure customers by giving away free gold spoons with purchases now has several branches in Syria and Jordan, and plans to open boutiques in Paris, London, Budapest, Dubai and other cities.

Ghraoui began as a fruit and vegetable canning outfit in 1805, but didn't really delve into chocolate until the early 1930s, when one of the founders returned from a business trip to Paris with an idea to tempt the Arab world's sweet tooth with a new delicacy. The company's Web site claims it was the first to manufacture chocolate in the Middle East, and had to work hard to convince Arabs to set aside their sticky pastries and try something different.

The Web site says the first products were made from imported European chocolate blocks that were melted locally and converted into shapes and bars. Admittedly, it took some practice to craft the visually stunning, palate-pleasing products of today.

I first discovered the splendor that is Ghraoui two years ago, when I was in Syria on holiday and stayed at a bed & breakfast where the host left a tiny sampler box on my pillow each night. I was sold after one bite, and have since been a loyal customer, carting Ghraoui sweets to friends in Baghdad, Tehran, Cairo and even to our home newsroom in Washington, DC. Far and away, the most-requested item is a box of orangettes, slivers of jellied orange peels coated with rich, dark chocolate.

Just visiting a Ghraoui boutique is a treat. Rows of tantalizing selections sit behind glass: truffles and mocha and fondants and every nut in the world that can be drowned in chocolate. Apart from the main attraction, Ghraoui also makes a variety of nougats and regionally famous candied fruits. The well-heeled shopkeepers insist on several tasting rounds; you can't refuse. When you finally decide on some favorites and make a purchase, the shopkeepers place the sweets in the signature dark-orange box and tie the package up with with a brown satin bow. Give them as gifts and you won't get any complaints.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that a U.S. branch is coming anytime soon. But the store brochure says it can ship products and lists an email address for customer inquiries. Bien sur, the email address is chocolat@net.sy