Chocolate(s) of the Day:The Grain Exchange
Jar Full of Cupcakes - Red Velvet with Vanilla
Good + - Very Good
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $39.50 for total box of 6
Purchased from: Abe's Market, online
Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Truffle Theme Week. Since it was a holiday in the U.S. (Presidents Day), I had time to experiment with an entire lunch flavored with black truffles.Appetizer: Black Truffle Popcorn
First course was an appetizer -- a small bowl of Black Truffle + White Cheddar popcorn from 479 degrees Popcorn (San Francisco, CA) with an optional dark chocolate drizzle. The black truffle flavor was delicate and unique enough that I cut way back on the (melted) chocolate here. Cacao nibs might have been a better choice.
Main Course: Chicken Vegetable and Truffle Soup
The second course was a homemade bowl of chicken and vegetable soup with Infused Black Truffle Oil from La Tourangelle (Woodland, CA).Dessert: Jar Full of Cupcakes with Truffle Salt
Dessert (Chocolate of the Day) consisted of wonderfully moist and delicious gluten-free, red velvet cupcakes and vanilla frosting in a small mason jar.Surprisingly, this Jar Full of Cupcakes from The Grain Exchange (Doylestown, PA) was also quite good with a sprinkle of Black Truffle Sea Salt (Smith and Truslow). The salt balanced out some of the sugar, harmonized with the vanilla; and the truffle flavor provided a beautifully blended accent note with these cupcakes.
Truffle Cocktail: Heaven and Earth
Marginally successful first attempt: the "Black Cat Truffle" martini. The rim of the glass was coated with black truffle sea salt, and the drink included chilled cream, milk, vanilla, creme de cacao, and Kahlua (pictured).
Much more successful second attempt: the "Heaven and Earth": a combination of Frangelico liqueur, and honey, with a splash of milk (or cream or unsweetened coconut milk), served in a glass with the rim coated with black truffle sea salt (not pictured).
