Saturday, January 31, 2015

Chocolate and Love - Dark Chocolate Orange 65% bar - Jan. 31, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate and Love
Dark Chocolate with Orange 65% bar
Good ++
Weight: .466 oz. (13.3 g.) / 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 74.5 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $ N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - sample from Chocolate and Love

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

I found this very attractively packaged Orange 65% bar from Chocolate and Love Ltd. (Perth, UK) at the company's booth at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, CA.

This organic dark chocolate bar was flavored with "natural orange oil," and was made with "99% Fairly Traded Ingredients.*" The chocolate was Swiss-made, with cacao beans from farmer cooperatives in Peru, Dominican Republic and Panama.

I look forward to trying more Chocolate and Love bars in the near future, and hope this Scotland-based company is able to expand their distribution in the U.S.

*Cacao, cane sugar and vanilla came from certified Fairtrade cooperatives.

Friday, January 30, 2015

Spicely - Rosemary Orange Chocolate - Jan. 30, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Organic Spices Inc.
Spicely Rosemary Orange Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .2 oz. (5.6 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) in total tin
Calories: 30 calories (estimate) in 1 piece/disc
Cost: $11.99 (less $2.50 discount) = $9.49 for 1 tin
Purchased from: Spicely, online order

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

These Spicely Rosemary and Orange infused, organic chocolates were from Organic Spices Inc. (Fremont, CA).

The disc-shaped pieces had subtle, natural flavors that were tough to pin down at first. I first thought I smelled and tasted a hint of ginger.

The fact that rosemary is not paired often with chocolate made it tougher to recognize. I picked some fresh rosemary from my backyard and it was indeed a close match to the faint herb aroma and flavor in this chocolate. The orange peel was tough to detect as well but contributed to the almost spicy, "bright" flavor note.

Citrus and rosemary are often companions in savory dishes (lemon herb chicken); and it was fun and different to experience them together in chocolate.


Jelly Belly - Sunkist Dark Chocolate Orange Sticks - Jan. 29, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Jelly Belly Candy Company
Sunkist Dark Chocolate Orange Sticks
Good
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 2.55 oz. (72 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 package, 4 pieces
Cost: $2.69 for 1 package
Purchased from: Orchard Supply Hardware, Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

These Sunkist Dark Chocolate Orange Sticks from Jelly Belly Candy Company (Fairfield, CA) contained natural tasting, soft citrus gel centers that were covered in chocolate.

These orange sticks were gluten free and peanut free (made in a peanut-free facility), and had no added coloring.

Jelly Belly and Sunkist co-branded products included these sticks, and a range of non-chocolate items such as fruit gems, orange slices, and lemon and lime jelly beans.






Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Baron Chocolatier - Dark Chocolate with Orange bar - Jan. 28, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Baron Chocolatier (European Chocolate Milano)
Dark Chocolate with Orange and Almond bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Michael's, Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week. Chocolate with orange and almond flavors and textures blend nicely in bars, confections and desserts, and this was also the third item this week with all three flavors.

Today's smooth, 50% cocoa Baron Chocolatier (European Chocolate Milano, a division of The Milano Group*) was similar to yesterday's orange and almond bar, but with a bit more dark chocolate flavor. The bar broke with a hard snap (a sign of a good temper). Almond pieces appeared throughout the bar. And the subtle orange flavor added a hint of sweet citrus.

This bar was GMO Free and Kosher.

*The Milano Group business started in Poland 30 years ago, and grew into a larger company, with  off-shoots/different divisions, and a U.S. location in Buffalo Grove, IL.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The Fresh Market - Bittersweet Chocolate Orange Almond bar - Jan. 27, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Fresh Market
(made for)
Bittersweet Chocolate Orange with Almond Slivers bar
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 206 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.69 for 2 bars
Purchased from: The Fresh Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

This Bittersweet Chocolate Orange with Almond Slivers bar was made in Italy for The Fresh Market (Greensboro, NC).

The dark milk bittersweet bar broke with a hard snap (a sign of a good temper) and bits of almond were immediately visible throughout. The orange flavor (supplied with flecks of candied orange peel) was subtle and natural tasting.

The size was perfect for a single serving, or two. Many dark chocolate bars being sold now are three times this size, and I find I end up throwing chocolate away (a small crime) when I buy these larger bars.


Monday, January 26, 2015

Quaranta - Nougat with Orange Peel, Dark Chocolate bar - Jan. 26, 2015

Nougat Chocolate of the Day: 

Industria Dolciaria Quaranta Srl
Nougat Passion - Orange Peel and Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 calories in 30 g. serving
Cost: $4.49 in total bar
Purchased from: Crossroads International Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

This rectangular, cream-colored soft Nougat Passion bar from Industria Dolciaria Quaranta (Caravaggio BG, Italy) was a visual feast -- loaded with tiny dark chocolate chips, almonds and hazelnuts, and colorful striplets of candied orange peel.

The sweetness of the soft nougat dominated, but the other ingredients contributed to a well-balanced flavor and texture blend. The nuts added crunchy texture and helped to balance the sugar.




Sunday, January 25, 2015

Enstrom Candies - Almond Toffee Single - Jan. 25, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Enstrom Candies
Almond Toffee Single
Good+
Weight: .75 oz. (21 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ 0.99 for 1 packet/bar
Purchased from: The Fresh Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

This petite Almond Toffee Single bar from Enstrom Candies (Grand Junction, CO), packed a lot of good flavor in a single serving.

The core of this tiny bar was a slab of buttery, crunchy toffee with generously sized pieces of almond that was enveloped in dark (61% cacao) chocolate.

The convenient single-serving size was large enough to satisfy, and small enough to avoid over-indulgence.












Saturday, January 24, 2015

Amazing Grass - Sweet and Savory Almond Bar - Jan. 24, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amazing Grass
Sweet and Savory Almond
Whole Food Energy Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA


Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week, the chocolate of the day was this Sweet and Savory Almond energy bar from Amazing Grass (Newport Beach, CA).

Gluten and Soy Free, Organic and Vegan, this Green Superfood Almond Whole Food Energy Bar was also "cold processed." I'm assuming keeping temperatures down helps preserve nutritional value.

Rather than a chocolate coating, organic chocolate chips were incorporated into the bar, along with a long list of other ingredients. Normally, a long list means additives, preservatives, emulsifiers and such, but not here.

The bar contained a blend of greens, fruits and vegetables, and an Amazing Grass Green Superfood blend found in the company's other bars as well. The green blend included grasses, alfalfa, spirulina, spinach, and broccoli.

As indicated by the term "whole food," generous layers of whole almonds, peanuts, and cashew pieces were visible in this energy bar.




Friday, January 23, 2015

Endangered Species - Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar - Jan. 23, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Endangered Species Chocolate
Natural Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 184 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $3.59 for one bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

For those that abhor strong, robust or bitter flavors in dark chocolate, there are several milk chocolate bars that might fill the bill. This Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar from Endangered Species Chocolate (Indianapolis, IN) offers mild, authentic chocolate flavor with a creamy mouthfeel, and a sprinkling of embedded, roasted almond bits.

Made with 48% cocoa (from Rainforest Alliance Certified Farms), Endangered Species Chocolate creates chocolate with a purpose.

This gluten-free bar with almonds features a photograph of a Sandhill Crane on the front. The company has chosen to highlight the plight of dozens of endangered animals and birds on their bars (each flavor features a different animal or bird) as part of their mission to support habitat and species conservation. Ten percent of net proceeds are donated to partner organizations that support this cause.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Charles Chocolates - Tres Cojones bar - Jan. 22, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Charles Chocolates
Tres Cojones Bar (Triple Nut Bar)
Very Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 262 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Calafia Cafe and Market A Go-Go, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

The Tres Cojones Bar (Triple Nut Bar) from Charles Chocolates (San Francisco, CA) was chock full of nuts (roasted almonds, hazelnuts and pine nuts) in 65% bittersweet chocolate.

The bar's description on the back label acknowledged the slightly risque name: "While not the most serious name, this is one serious chocolate bar..."

I have to agree, it was seriously good. The nuts were perfectly roasted, adding satisfying, crunchy texture. And a hint of sweet, nutty perfume infused this thick and smooth bittersweet bar.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Artisan du Chocolat - Almond Milk bar - Jan. 21, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Artisan du Chocolat
Almond Milk bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .95 oz. (27 g.)/ 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 144 calories (estimate) for 3/5 bar
Cost: $8.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: n/a - sample

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week, and I was watching squirrels frolic in the sun and winter greenery in my California backyard this morning. (Winter is when we see green shoots and grass here.) I guiltily admit, I occasionally throw a few left-over almonds outside for these little furry, forest-planters*.

At the same time, I reached into my chocolate vault to pick a bar with almonds, and found this one (packaging adorned with an array of active, green squirrels). Perfect.

Almonds come in many forms: raw, toasted, sliced, and ground into almond butter. However, until today, I had yet to taste a "milk" chocolate bar made from almond milk.

Today's Almond Milk bar from Artisan du Chocolat (London**) is just that, made with almond "milk" -- as a replacement for dairy in this creamy, 40% cocoa chocolate bar with a slight hint of marzipan/almond paste flavor from the holidays.

Speaking of cow's milk alternatives, the company also makes a bar with buffalo milk.

*However surburban dwellers might feel about squirrels in their gardens (digging them up to plant nuts, seeds), it's good to remember that this same annoying habit has resulted in much of the forested land around the globe. 

** Factory moved to Ashford Kent in 2006


Mast Brothers - Almond Chocolate bar - Jan. 20, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mast Brothers
Almond Chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 188 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ lost receipt (between $8 - $12)
Purchased from: Oxbow Produce and Grocery, in the Oxbow Public Market, Napa, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

This dark chocolate 73% cacao Almond bar from Mast Brothers (Brooklyn, NY) was adorned with sliced almonds and contained a trace of olive oil and sea salt.  Although the word "adorned" seems out-of-place and a bit fancy for these two chocolate makers who appear to have pruned back their approach to serious, laser-focused basics.

They have a factory in Brooklyn. They make their chocolate from scratch. They craft two-ingredient chocolate bars (cacao beans and sugar). A few of their colorful "wallpaper style" outer wrappers seemed the only element tied to flights of aesthetic fancy.

But the resulting bars pay tribute to their focus. This Almond bar was full of tart, fruit/acidic flavor from the chocolate itself, and a bit of almond help balance this profile and add some texture. All the while the base chocolate was the star. This was not a bar where the inclusions overwhelmed, or helped cover up any shortcomings in, the chocolate. No soy lecithin or vanilla here. Just good, flavorful chocolate with an almond accent.




Monday, January 19, 2015

Notable Bites - Gingerbread, Chocolate Cakes - Jan. 19, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Notable Bites

Gingerbread Glazed Cake Mix
Weight: 4.4 oz. (124.5 g.) in dry mix

Dark Chocolate Glazed Cake Mix
Weight: 4.9 oz. (138.6 g.) in dry mix

Calories: 450 calories (estimate) for 1 large piece + toppings
Cost: $12.00 for 1 cake mix (x 2)
Purchased from: Notable Bites (at Palo Alto Farmers Market)

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week. And I chose two gluten-free cake mixes that incorporated these two flavors.

I consulted with Wendy at Notable Bites (Mountain View, CA) on the best way to combine her Gingerbread and Dark Chocolate gluten-free, vegan cake mixes, that are small and easy to make -- perfect for two people to share.

Each mix came with its own small foil pan. I just needed to add two Tablespoons of vegetable oil per cake mix and, if to keep it vegan, my choice of dairy-free milk (chocolate almond milk). No eggs were required.

As far as combining these two mixes to make a chocolate gingerbread cake, Wendy suggested switching (glaze) toppings that come packaged with the mixes -- e.g. giving the gingerbread cake a chocolate glaze. Wendy wisely recommended coconut oil as the vegetable oil of choice to add. I couldn't agree with her more. If you like coconut, I highly recommend using the more aromatic (and less processed) unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil; it smelled and tasted wonderful with this mix.

In the end, I blended the two cake mixes together, and poured the combined mix back into the two pans to bake. And to amp up the ginger flavor a bit, I added my own ginger crumb topping with the dry chocolate glazed mix, finely chopped candied ginger chips and gluten-free ginger snap cookie crumbs. I'd suggest following the instructions the first time through, but I enjoyed experimenting and embellishing a bit.



Sunday, January 18, 2015

Ethereal - Coriander, Orange, Ginger bar - Jan. 18, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ethereal Confections
66% Cacao Topped with Coriander, Candied Orange Peel and Ginger
Good - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (23 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 112 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: ordered online from Ethereal Confections

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

This 66% Cacao bar, Topped with Coriander, Candied Orange Peel and Ginger, from Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL), was loaded with a luscious and colorful jumble of Candied Orange Peel and Ginger pieces.

I did not see, or taste, much Coriander, but this lovely spicy seed but may have gotten overshadowed a bit by the generous serving of orange peel and ginger.

This bar was Dairy and Gluten Free, with no added preservatives. All the ingredients that I remember reading about on the label were also organic.

L'Amourette Ginger bar - Jan. 17, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

L'Amourette LLC
Ginger Chocolat Noir bar
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. of bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week. I sampled a piece of the Ginger Chocolat Noir (Dark Chocolate) bar from L'Amourette (San Francisco, CA).

There is something wonderful about eating seven chocolates with ginger, and having them all taste completely different. Part of a larger industry trend, most of these chocolatiers (and chocolate makers) talk about wanting to produce a natural chocolate product with authentic ginger taste.

Today's 72% cacao dark chocolate had dark, slightly fruity/acidic and roasted coffee flavor notes. The pieces of ginger embedded in this glossy, multi-square bar tasted very authentic, and gave the bar a bit of ginger root texture and spicy flavor without being overly sweet as some sugared candied gingers can be.

According to the company's website, this bar is soy-free, gluten-free and vegan -- and the ginger was free of sulfur dioxide. (Also included on the website was printed a rumor about French notable, and mistress of King Louis XV, Madame Du Barry, offering her lovers a concoction with ginger in it.)

Thursday, January 15, 2015

SunRidge Farms - Wild Ginger Harvest mix - Jan. 16, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

SunRidge Farms
Wild Ginger Harvest mix
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving (per packaging)
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Trail mixes are great for hikes, trips or snacks on the go. I often load mine up with nuts (some toasted, some raw), seeds, chocolate, fruits, a pinch of savory salt and/or a hint of cinnamon.

Today's Wild Ginger Harvest Mix from SunRidge Farms (Santa Cruz, CA) seemed like a good choice, as I contemplated a drive down the rugged Pacific coast dotted with small farms and wild birds.

The mix was full of flavorful, natural-tasting (no preservatives, sulphur dioxide, artificial colors or preservatives) ingredients: chocolate chips, candied ginger, tamari* almonds, cranberries, papaya, roasted cashews, and an occasional sparkle of pineapple and apricot.

This blend delivered lots of satisfying chewy, sweet dried fruit texture and flavor, and some crunchy, nut taste. Generous chunks of ginger provided zingy bursts of sweet heat. The ingredients all meshed well together. While chocolate chips were listed as the first ingredients, the concentrated flavor of the dried fruit and ginger dominated the mix.

In my homemade version of this mix, I generally opt for a little less dried fruit and a few more nuts (walnuts in this case), to give the nuts and chocolate more of a chance to shine, and to cut the sweetness a little. But, that's the beauty of any good trail mix -- it's easier to customize or tweak to one's liking than a finished chocolate bar or confection. And a trail mix doesn't melt as fast as pure chocolate if left in the sun.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

*Note: there may be very small amount of wheat in the tamari sauce.

Sulpice Chocolat - Ginger and Lemon bar - Jan. 15, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sulpice Chocolat
Ginger and Lemon bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .92 oz. (26 g. )/ 2.3 oz. (65 g.)
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) in 2/5 bar
Cost: $4.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draegers, San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

Ginger is one of my favorite spices to blend with chocolate. And ginger, lemon and chocolate are wonderfully universally on their own --- they can work in either sweet or savory dishes.

So, today's Non-GMO and Gluten-Free, Ginger and Lemon Dark Chocolate bar from Sulpice Chocolat (Barrington, IL) felt like a natural choice of blended flavors.

This attractively hand-painted bar had a very faint chocolate and ginger aroma and broke with a hard snap (a sign of a good temper). It was very smooth in both flavor and texture.

Chocolate ginger and lemon flavors were uniformly melded together; and the bar had an almost creamy texture perhaps due to some additional cocoa butter and soy lecithin, an emulsifier. (Fortunately, not so much of the latter -- which can sometimes result in a gummy-creamy mouthfeel I find.)

The company name -- Sulpice Chocolat -- is named after Sulpice Debauve, an influential Frenchman who opened a chocolate shop in 1800, and became the official purveyor of chocolate to the Royal Court of France.




Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Chocolate Momotombo - Ginger and Coriander - Jan. 14, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
Ginger and Coriander chocolates
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: .3 oz. (8.8 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece / 4.6 oz. (132 g.) (estimate) for total box of 15 pieces
Calories: 46 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $22 for 1 box
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

This small box of 15 pieces of Ginger and Coriander chocolates, from Chocolate Momotombo (Managua, Nicaragua), were big on flavor. These bean-shaped beauties were fresh and glossy looking. Every bite was tremendously satisfying, and worth every penny. The chocolate was rich, flavorful and dark, and harmonized well with the bursts of fresh, spicy-floral coriander seed, and ginger.

These were made in Nicaragua (by Carlos Mann and team) for The Chocolate Garage (Palo Alto, CA). The Chocolate Garage is one of the few places where one can find Momotombo chocolates in the U.S. The chief curator and founder of the Garage, Sunita de Tourreil, has a loyal following among her customers for choosing (and crowd-funding) great chocolates that have a happy supply chain.

Warning: Momotombo chocolates can be addictive.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Lake Champlain - Gingerbread Molasses Bar - Jan. 13, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lake Champlain Chocolates
Organic, Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Molasses bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .81 oz. (23 g.) / 3.25 oz. (92 g.) in total bar
Calories: 125 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $2.64 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the last day of Chocolate Baked Goods Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

This Organic, Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Molasses bar from Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, VT) was part of a ginger-fueled trio. I paired this bar with two of my favorite gluten-free ginger cookies:
  1. Ginger Zinger cookies from Tate's Bake Shop (Southampton, NY) - thin, buttery and crunchy cookies with embedded chunks of crystallized ginger
  2. Ginger molasses cookie from Ginger and Fox Baked Goods (Santa Clarita, CA) - jumbo-sized, chewy, fragrant and flavorful ones just like mom used to bake.
Each square of this bar had a slightly raised area (embossed with the Lake Champlain stag by the lake and stars logo); and the raised pocket area held a smooth, gingerbread-chocolate ganache (with heavy cream, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg).


Winter Fancy Food Show - SF, Jan. 11, 2015

Winter Fancy Food Show
San Francisco, CA -- Jan. 11-13, 2015

The Winter Fancy Food Show (San Francisco, CA -- Jan. 11-13, 2015) was held this week. I saw as many of the 1,300 exhibitors from around the world as I could (in both halls of the Moscone Center Convention Center). I scouted for trends and new products, and spoke with colleagues and friends.

If you are part of the specialty food and beverage industry, I recommend attending this show at least once. Two full days are preferable than trying to do it one; but it's a bit easier if you focus on one food category, say cheese, or olive oil. Or, in my case, chocolate.

Chocolate: something for everyone
The chocolatiers and makers at this show ran the gamut -- novelty, classic, artisan, big and small. And the products range from chocolate bars, truffles and confections to chocolate being used as an inclusion in another food or dessert item -- energy bars, kale snacks, cookies, you name it.

It was great to see classic companies like Idaho Candy Co. (Boise, ID), maker of the potato-shaped,  Idaho Spud candy bar, the Cherry Cocktail and the Old Faithful. This is still a family run company after 100 years. Amazing. (Photo of three brothers at right.)

I enjoyed seeing marketing innovators like Vosges (Chicago, IL). They had a beautiful booth, decked out with great images, greenery, flowers, and new flavor combinations.

Chocolat (Fredericksburg, TX) impressed with liquor/spirits-filled chocolates (liquid centers encased with a crunchy corn starch casing and covered with chocolate). Toffee is a competitive market, there are several good, gluten-free ones out there these days. I enjoyed catching up with local (Bay Area-based) Toffee Talk founders/owners. They make some great toffees.

And, even after eating more than 3,000 chocolates, I'm still discovering companies with new flavors, and meeting great new chocolate-makers, and single origin bar chocolatiers.

For example, Lourdes Delgado de Pandzic, President of Chchukululu Arriba Dark Chocolate, traveled to the Bay Area from Guayaquil, Ecuador. She was very interesting to talk with, and a great booster for her country and cacao farmers there.


Across the aisle from her, was Richard O'Connor, co-founder of Chocolate and Love (U.K.), maker of "organic and ethical chocolate." I also enjoyed their fun bar packaging that featured celebrity-look-alike dog images.

Trends
More gluten-free and organic offerings were on display. For someone like me who can't have wheat or gluten, but who loves good food, the pasta and baked good sections are looking more appealing with each passing year. E.g., Walkers Shortbread (U.K. company known for their shortbread, biscuits and oatcakes) will be offering gluten-free regular (and chocolate chip) shortbread cookies. Look for them in stores this spring.


Other trends called out in a Show Press fact sheet included the growing number of items with Asian flavors (think higher quality green teas, soy, wasabi, rice, etc.); more snack bars and spreadable products. The "Melt" chocolate spread (made with coconut oil) was very light and could be incorporated into a variety of desserts and confections, as could some of the nut butters we saw.

I'd been looking for items to create a Chocolate and Indian Snack Theme Week. And now, after this show, I have enough for a theme week in February or March on this site, ChocolateBanquet.com. (Think spicy cashews, mango chutney, crispy peanuts, lentils, cardamom and chai spices, etc.)

For more information, check out the Specialty Food Association website.






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