Editor's Choice: Gary & Kit's Napa Valley Dark Chocolate Toffee Pistachios

This week Megan was rummaging around the cabinets in the office looking for a snack. Lucky for me, she came across Gary & Kit's Napa Valley Dark Chocolate Toffee Pistachios. She brought them back to her desk and tried them and offered them to the rest of us. I wasn't hungry but I thought I would try them and I am so glad that I did.

The delicious California pistachios are coated in rich toffee and dipped in a layer of premium dark chocolate.  The indulgent treats are irresistible for even the most discerning palates and make a perfect gift.  She ate a few and I admittedly ate the rest of the beautiful metal can over the next few days.

With only a few ingredients in the product, it was refreshing to know what I was eating; just organic dark chocolate, pistachios, sugar, butter and salt. They're extremely satisfying and clocking in at 210 calories for one serving, I didn't feel like I needed to go home and run five miles to burn them off. 

I was at the office when I was eating these so sadly, pairing them with wine wasn't an option. The website suggested that they be paired with Cliff Family Winery Climber Limited Release, Napa Valley Bordeaux style blend and served at parties.

-Claire

Editor's Choice: Justin's Peanut Butter Cups

When I was asked if I could take my little nephew out for trick or treating a few weeks ago, I couldn't have jumped higher at the chance. Not only was it a great excuse to dress up in costume (which I did, as Chewbacca from Star Wars), but it brought back great memories of sifting through a pillowcase of candy, looking for the "good stuff."

In my day, the "good stuff" was any kind of king-size candy bar. After looking through my nephew's haul at the end of the night, it was pretty evident that his total volume of "good stuff" was way larger than what it used to be when I was a kid. Thankfully, my nephew is a kind, sharing sort of fellow, and as he sat surrounded by his candy treasures, he granted me permission to partake from his sweet stockpile.

I have a crippling weakness for peanut butter, so I was intrigued by the clean, white packaging of some Justin's Peanut Butter Cups that some unknown neighbor was kind enough to introduce into our lives. I popped the packaging open, and we both had one. The results were unanimous: this was the most delicious peanut butter and chocolate item possible.

To make the deal even sweeter, each individually-wrapped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup is 100 percent organic, vegan and Rainforest Alliance certified. The company uses only the highest quality organic and fair-trade peanut butter in their products.

The company also works hard to lessen their environmental footprint. All of their cartons, boxes and caddies are made with wind power, while all packaging cardboard is made with 100 percent recycled paper. All ingredients are sourced as locally and sustainably as possible. For example, they get the nuts for their peanut butter from Georgia, not China, using local ingredients to support local economies and lower their carbon footprint.

Their peanut butter cups come in Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate. Retailers can order them in packs of 12. These would be great items to stick by the register almost anywhere. Learn how to order some for your store, or check out their other peanut butter-related products at Justin's.com.

-Marc

Editor's Choice: Aunt Aggie De's Pralines

If you're a retailer looking for something unique, sweet, delicious, and visually appealing to display during the holiday season, I have just the thing for you: Aunt Aggie De's Pralines.

The first thing you'll notice about these wonderful treats is the many wonderful packaging options. We here at Fancy Food received the beautiful gold gift box with a red ribbon (shown above), which more than one staffer commented on how nice it looked -- it would really make a snazzy gift. If you look on the company's website, you will also see some other really neat gift basket arrangements. There's baskets shaped like the state of Texas, a Kicker boot, a Santa boot, and even a Texas hat, all filled with the company's varieties of pralines. They also come in brightly colored striped tubes, each containing 8 individually wrapped pralines. There's no doubt that these would be perfect gifts for almost any occasion.

After getting inside the package, the next thing you'll notice is that these babies are BIG. Texas big! They make a great afternoon snack. These pralines are made with the highest quality, USA grown and processed ingredients in batches. Each one is still hand-dipped and chock full of pecans. An unusually large amount of pecans and consistent creamy texture set them apart and create a praline you can feel good about buying, eating and giving.

The creamy pecan pralines surprisingly melt in your mouth, despite being crammed full with pecans. It's a very rich, textured and flavorful experience with every bite. The experience is heightened even more with the addition of chocolate; the company also offers their pralines covered in high-quality Belgian chocolate. These would make terrific Valentine's Day gifts, offering a unique twist on regular ol' boxed chocolates. 

I really can't emphasize enough how great of a gift these would make. I gave a lot of these (since the ones that come in tubes are conveniently individually wrapped) away to friends, and without fail, everyone really enjoyed them (while making happy MMMMM! sounds). Whether for an impressive gift or for casual snacking, Aunt Aggie De's has something for you - head on over to their website for more information.

-Marc

Editor's Choice: Gearharts Peanut Butter Pups

If you've read this blog, you know that I am a fan of chocolate, peanut butter, and chocolate with peanut butter in it. It's not surprising that I loved these Peanut Butter Pups from Gearharts Fine Chocolates - they feature premium milk chocolate and Virginia artisan peanut butter, and are then decorated with a dark chocolate face and toasted almond ears. The puppy-faced treats are extremely cute and would make a great gift.

I am also a fan of dogs - to be specific, shelter dogs. Cursed with a tiny apartment and a huge heart for dogs, I have never been able to have a dog of my own so far in life. To get my puppy fix, I spent time volunteering at Chicago Animal Care & Control, and fell in love daily with every dog there. I was overjoyed to spend time with these friendly and lovable pups, but left feeling empty because of the enormous quantity of dogs that were brought in daily, knowing that many would inevitably not get adopted. 

That's why I love that Gearharts has decided to donate 5% of sales for their Peanut Butter Pups to Companions for Heroes, a terrific organization that provides companion animals, skilled companion dogs, and service dogs obtained from shelters and/or rescues, who might otherwise be euthanized, free of charge to active duty military personnel, military veterans, and first-responders recovering from the psychological challenges they suffered during service to our country. C4H increases public awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other challenges confronting our country’s heroes; and rally’s support for animal welfare and the adoption of shelter and/or rescue animals.

Tim Gearhart, the owner of Gearhart's Chocolates, started cooking as a Marine in Kuwait. He's created a quality chocolate item and partnered with a great organization to make something to be proud of. 

Editor's Choice: Guittard Gourmet Baking Bars

I can't imagine a situation in where I turn down the opportunity to try some chocolate. Even if I was told that if I were to eat one more bite of chocolate, someone would kick me in the shins and steal my wallet, I would still probably take the chocolate. I can always get another wallet, and I can be distracted from the physical pain to my shins by candy. Gimmie the chocolate!!

As if chocolate in bar form wasn't irresistible enough, Guittard Chocolate Company had the genius idea to put THREE of their 2 oz. gourmet baking bars in an attractive box package. These all-natural, Fair Trade certified products are a great way to infuse your desserts with elegance, style, and taste. And I will also vouch for the idea of simply eating it by itself.

The three varieties sampled were Semisweet, Bittersweet, and Unsweetened, with each being made with 64, 70, and 100 percent cacao respectively. When you see a number such as 64 percent cacao on these bars, this means that 64 percent of what is in that bar comes from the cocoa bean as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter. The remaining 36 percent is mainly sugar. The higher the percentage on the package, the more chocolate there is in the product. Which means the Unsweetened version is an all-out cacao explosion. I made some hot chocolate with it, and it was tremendous. I can also imagine that using this in brownies would be an awesome idea.

The quality of Guittard chocolate is undeniable. The flavor is so incredibly rich, that you know you are enjoying a truly gourmet item. Guittard Chocolate is made with shade-grown cacao, the overall quality of which is superior because the delicate pods are protected from excessive direct sunlight during development. Guittard's emphasis on shade-grown cacao also means the jungle environment surrounding the cacao is preserved. Guittard has over 135 years of custom chocolate making and conching experience, and some conching formulas have been handed down over four generations.

If you're looking for top-notch baking chocolate to use in a recipe, or just want some rich, delicious chocolate to snack on, you can't go wrong with Guittard. The packaging is attractive, and these new boxes would certainly stand out in your store. For more information, check out guittard.com.

Editor's Choice: Lake Champlain Chocolates

You know something is good when it arrives at our office and disappears within minutes of being opened. The wrappers are soon discovered by employees who weren't around when the package came in the mail, and they can do nothing but sadly comment, "Wait, there was chocolate here? It's gone already?!" Such is the case with the new line of organic chocolate bars from Lake Champlain Chocolates.

With 10 chocolate bars and five varieties of bite-size squares, the line includes a flavor for nearly every occasion: Peruvian Dark, Cherries & Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Sea Salt & Almonds, Spicy Aztec, Crunchy Granola, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter and Creamy Coconut. The bars are packaged in vibrant designs, which will really grab customers' attention.

Peanut Butter was the first bar I targeted, and I was not disappointed. Made with creamy organic peanut butter, the result is a powerful taste that melts in your mouth and is near impossible not to enjoy. Peanut butter and chocolate is a pretty unbeatable combo, and this particular bar would be right up there with the tastiest I've ever experienced. Best in Show!

I wasn't sure what to expect from Crunchy Granola, but I was instantly surprised (and pleasantly so) with the trace of cinnamon. The bits of oats and raisins combined well, and I happily welcomed this new chocolate flavor combination to my chocolate-eating repertoire. I was for some reason taken aback by the creaminess of the Creamy Coconut bar - even though it was clearly stated in the name. Pairing that flavor burst with dark chocolate was highly agreeable. There was no chance I wasn't going to like Sea Salt & Almonds - I love almonds and chocolate almost as much as peanut butter, and I really enjoyed the extra something that sea salt added to the overall impression.

All in all, this is a great new line of chocolates from a Vermont-based company that's been producing quality treats since 1983. Not to mention the fact that all of their products will be made with fair trade certified chocolate by 2014. Do your taste buds a favor and head on over to their website to pick some up for your store, or for yourself.

-Marc Kozak (mkozak@talcott.com)

Editor's Choice: Sixth Course Chocolates

I do not claim to have a trained or sophisticated palate. I can only tell when things are really good, or really bad. Everything in the middle just kinda registers as not bad. Sixth Course has reinforced to me what really good tastes like.

When we received the lovely package of chocolates in the mail, I was first impressed by the variety of flavor combinations held within. Caramels with Rosemary, smoked salt, Ceylon, Chai tea, passion fruit and sage and brown butter were delightful to the eye as well as the taste buds.  They fairly exploded with exotic yet familiar flavors and melted on the tongue.

As is my wont, I went back for more. And there they were! Malt Chocolate Crunch, Cayenne Caramel, Hazelnut Praline, Honey and Fennel Pollen, Earl Grey and Coconut Rum chocolates in a box labeled "Chef's Choice." Again, the familiar with the exotic was enticing and intoxicating, but sadly, I had finally reached the end of the new flavors to try.

Sixth Course is the beautiful brain child of Bridget Labus and Gianina Serrano, who together have decades of experience in the Bay Area's finest kitchens and luxury five-star hotels. They use Guittard Chocolate Couverture, the freshest local dairy products and hand-selected organic herbs and wrap it all up in sustainable, recycled packaging. The result is, in their words, "the bestest, tastiest, dopest truffles you've ever tasted." I dare you not to make yummy noises. I failed miserably.

-Elizabeth Dugan

Editor's Choice: Seattle Chocolates

It might not be Christmas time, but Seattle Chocolate's Hot Buttered Rum Milk Chocolate Truffle bar is certainly getting me into the season. I love hot buttered rum (the best I have had is available seasonally at The Duke of Perth in Chicago) and this creamy, rich candy bar brings to mind the cold afternoons in front of the Duke's warm fire.

This flavor, like the hot drink, appears to also be seasonal, but it will be well worth the wait. There is a light and fluffy truffle chocolate with little pieces of caramelized candy bits in the bar that combine to melt in the mouth in a soothing, tasty way.

Seattle Chocolates has many fun flavors as well, if Hot Buttered Rum isn't your thing, including: Meltaway Mint, Rainer Chocolate Cherry and Birthday Cake Batter. I can't wait to try more of these fun flavors from Seattle Chocolates.

-Elizabeth Dugan

Editor's Choice: Chicago Cupcakes

Brendan Bolger, owner of Chicago Cupcake graciously supplied our office with some delectable samples of his unique take on cupcakes for us to try and I assure you, it made the whole office happy. Chicago Cupcake is just a year or so old, but has made an impact on the burgeoning cupcake scene.

Bolger brought in a plethora of tasty flavors for sampling: red velvet, pumpkin, chocolate, chocolate chip, Rocky Road, Bananas Foster, turtle and red raspberry/chocolate. But there are at least a dozen others available, including the Spring special Lavender Jane. My favorite was the classic chocolate chip with white frosting, but the red raspberry ran a close second.

What makes Chicago Cupcake different is the density of the cake (it has a cheesecake-like consistency that never struggles to be moist), the crust and the frosting. All of the cupcakes have a flavor-appropriate crust, like pretzel or graham cracker, that help the dense and heavy cake stay together and adds another flavor and texture to the mix. The frosting is like nothing I have ever tried. Admittedly, I am not a frosting fan. I usually scrape it off to get to the cake. This was flavorful, light without being too fluffy, tasty without being too sweet. It really added a lot to the overall experience.

Not your average cupcake, the Chicago Cupcake is a gourmet adventure into dessert. Dense, moist, flavorful, you will need a fork to consume this treat, and it will leave you wanting another. Chicagoans, keep an eye out for the new cupcake truck that will be cruising around town this summer. You won't regret it!

- Elizabeth Dugan

Editor's Choice: Komforte Chockolates

During my first post as the newest Associate Editor of Fancy Food and Culinary Products, I’m going to lay it all on the line. I have a strangely sad confession to reveal right off the bat. I am well passed my prime-time college years. Gone are the days of fraternity parties, house music and microwavable snacks. In fact, it’s been ages since I enjoyed the taste of my favorite nighttime treats (which were consumed after frazzled post-midnight studying sprees). However, thanks to Komforte (pronounced comfort) Chockolate Bars - I’ve reacquainted myself with flavors that aren’t traditionally associated with gourmet products.

The Seattle-based chocolatier produces three flavors. Their dark chocolate is combined with either: Ramen Noodles (a favorite of collegiate freshmen everywhere), French Toast (noshers can taste whole chunks of the flavorful batter) or Tortilla Lime + Salt (my favorite by far). Creators claim they “saw the chocolate industry was driving upscale and more sophisticated with every season. What was of more interest to us was doing chocolate that had fun, interesting ingredients with a ‘comfort feel’ to them that a kid, teenager and adult could all understand and enjoy.”

The candy is simply wrapped in bright packaging. They contain 2.5-oz. bars which can be easily divided (so you can share if you’re so inclined). The chocolate is good quality with a nice creamy texture and no bitter aftertaste. Moreover, it includes whole pieces of either tortilla chips, French toast batter or uncooked ramen noodles. The savory concoctions (even the ramen noodle - which I was a bit fearful of upon purchase) add an additional layer of both texture and flavor which elevates the overall tasting experience. Consider this the new, gourmet version of a Nestles’ Crunch bar.

As an added bonus, Komforte Chockolates is a true mom-and-pop operation that values family input. In fact the owner’s daughter, Emma, suggested adding the third flavor (ramen noodle) to their repitore. See if you can find her initials - ERS - hidden on Komforte’s Ramen Noodle packaging. To learn more about Komforte Chocolates, visit their website www.komfortechockolates.com. And be sure to enjoy its childish nature!

- Cathryn

Editor's Choice: Hagensborg Chocolates

Let's face it. We all have times when we feel like a total pig. Whether you're a stress eater (guilty!) or eating is part of your job (also guilty!) or you have a craving for... something... that you just can't satisfy, sometimes it just can't be helped. Well now you can enjoy your piggy proclivities in good company!

I stumbled across Hagensborg Chocolate at the Summer Fancy Food Show this year, and I'm glad I did. Despite what you might think at first, the Vancouver-based company's Truffle Pigs have nothing to do with earthy, aromatic fungus. On the contrary, Hagensborg's Truffle Pigs are a creamy combination of truffle center and a smooth dark, white or milk chocolate shell. The chocolate truffle bars come in flavors such as Mint, Mocha, Peanut Butter, Original Milk and Dark, and perhaps the best part, aside from their taste, is the fact that these playful treats are molded into the shape of three frolicking pigs that do their best to ensure you are never alone when that chocolate craving hits.

Newly available in the Truffle Pig collection are individually wrapped single piglets, which come in a decorative container of 60, perfect for cash-register impulse buys. It's not often that I'm able to call chocolate cute, but it's not often that your chocolate smiles at you, either! And the Truffle Pigs from Hagensborg are adorable, whether they're solo or with friends.

-Stephanie

Editor's Choice: Seattle Chocolates

As anyone who’s ever walked a food show with me knows, when someone mentions sampling chocolate, I’m there. So when the opportunity to sample J.Truffles from Seattle Chocolate came, I was more than ready. Visually, the truffles are cool-looking. They look like little pyramids—sort of little chocolate architectural wonders, complete with different designs on each one.

So much for visuals, it was time to go exploring, so to speak. Fortunately, the truffles came with a photo sheet telling what was inside each one. Always a good thing, in case there’s something, in my case coconut, you don’t want mixed in with your chocolate.

I have developed a real fondness for dark chocolate over the last few years, so my first pick was the Magma 65 Dark. Besides looking good, the taste of the dark chocolate shell blending with the dark chocolate ganache was sensational. It’s the “signature truffle” of the line for good reason.

Later in the day, it was time for another visit to the “pyramids.” This time the choice was a Cherry Praline. Labeled as a “new American classic,” it was almost my civic duty. Again a winner. The rich taste of cherries, combined with pecans in dark chocolate ganache—what’s not to like?

Actually, I think probably everything in the line, which also includes Crème Brulee, Pure Vida Café and Savory Hazelnut, is a delicious treat. And since I’m all for “bread and circuses” I think the presentation of the architectural gems make them a fun gift as well.

For more information on J. Truffles from Seattle Chocolates, visit www.seattlechocolates.com.

Barbara

Editor's Choice: Choclatique

I’m old enough to have seen the first walk on the moon live and space exploration has always been fascinating to me. So when my Fancy Food colleague Stephanie announced we had received a box of Moon Rocks, it got my attention. These Moon Rocks, it turns out, are chocolates from Choclatique (www.choclatique.com), introduced to honor the 40th anniversary of man’s first landing on the moon. The first thing you notice about them is how cool they look. They have this great bright, metallic-looking color and multi-faceted design. The company says the collection of dark, milk, and white chocolates are made to represent samples of rocks brought back from the various trips to the moon. Moon Rocks also have fun names like Apollo Almond, Cosmic Carmel Crunch, and Stellar Strawberry Shortcake. I tried one called Galatic Grape that combined dark chocolate with great grape taste. Our other “expert tasters” were similarly delighted with their choices.

I could see the 15-piece Moon Rocks Collection as a good gift for someone turning 40 this year or other 40th year celebrations. It could also be a fun gift for any space fan, including Trekkies , and as a Father’s Day gift. Or, of course, an out-of-the-ordinary, delicious treat for any chocolate lover.

-Barbara

May Top Shelf Advice

In light of this month's All Candy Expo, we wanted to know what's your best-selling candy or confection? (Check out the comments link below to see what our retailers said, and feel free to chime in!)

Editor's Choice: Bouquet of Fruits

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, there's no better time to be sampling chocolate-covered strawberries... or chocolate-covered raspberries, mandarin slices, pears or apples for that matter! The Fancy Food office recently got a sampling of the products from Bouquet of Fruits, a Fresno, California-based company with deep familial roots (pun intended) in farming. In 1987 Steve Paul and his wife Gina took the idea one step further and began to offer fruit baskets, sharing the fresh fruit of Fresno with the rest of the world.

These highly perishable products didn't stick around long enough to perish. The strawberries, which were fresh, juicy, perfectly ripe four-bite berries, were enrobed in white, milk or dark chocolate and drizzled with pink (white) chocolate, coated with coconut, accented with almonds or covered in chocolate chips (chocolate-on-chocolate-on-strawberry -- mmmmm...).

As I was coming down from my chocolate-on-chocolate-on-strawberry-induced euphoria, it occurred to me to worry about the brief lifespan of such fresh fruit in regards to our retailing readers (man, I'm just full of alliteration today...) I asked Cory Colligan, directer of sales and marketing, about a wholesale/retail program, and found that the company does sell wholesale to retailers, and they do fulfillment and drop-shipping as well. In fact, the company has worked with such online giants as 1800flowers, costco.com, Red Envelope and Macys.com but is looking to connect with more independent, small-scale gourmet retailers.

In order to facilitate partnerships with smaller retailers, the company is in the process of creating a drop-ship network. Stay tuned for more info to come. In the meantime, check out the other fantastic chocolate creations from Bouquet of Fruits at www.bouquetoffruits.com.

Editor's Choice: John Kelly Chocolates

Sorry for the delay on this week's Editor's Choice pick -- I've been playing catch-up from attending the Winter Fancy Food Show (and meeting Mario Batali!!!).

Ok, I know I've been on a chocolate kick with these editor's choice posts, but when the weather gets harsh, a little comfort food goes a long way. And what's more comforting than rich, creamy truffle-fudge (lighter than fudge, richer and denser than ganache) enrobed in semi-sweet chocolate?

John Kelly Chocolates (www.johnkellychocolates.com) offers its signature Truffle Fudge Bars in an individual 2-oz. size or an 8-oz. bar, in a variety of flavors and assortments. They even come dressed up in white boxes with bows as a decadent wedding favor. The truffle fudge comes in flavors such as cappuccino, caramel, chocolate, dark chocolate, mint, orange, peanut butter, raspberry and vanilla, and several of those flavors are also available with nuts.

The more I think about it, I just don't know if I could pick just one flavor as my favorite -- would it be the one with the subtle, crisp hint of orange? Or maybe the simple dark chocolate with just enough walnuts. But then there's the new Truffle Fudge Bites, with the layer of caramel and light dusting of sea salt that they were sampling at the Winter Fancy Food Show (we featured these in Shelftalk, October 2008). I may have to get back to you on this one!

Visit the company's website for more information on flavors, assortments and pricing, and be sure to check out the John Kelly wedding favors in the February Gourmet Gift Guide of Fancy Food & Culinary Products!

-Stephanie

Postscript: Associate Editor Ashley Trent on the Mint Truffle-Fudge, "This is like a delcious, gigantic Frango mint. So good! Tastes like Christmas."

Editor's Choice: Theo Chocolate

With Thanksgiving literally a few hours away, my mind has been completely overtaken by thoughts of holiday food. I’d like to thank my coworkers for politely overlooking my mental absence; I just can’t stop thinking about my mom’s incredible stuffing and my grandma’s perfect pumpkin pie!

While I enjoy the familiar flavors of traditional dishes, I also like to experiment with bold tastes this time of year. Recently, I’ve been on a Southeast Asian spice kick; the warm, exotic flavors of Indian and Thai cuisine are curiously parallel to comfort foods we gravitate toward during winter. My new favorite treat is Theo Chocolate’s Coconut Curry bar. Yes, it sounds unusual, particularly if curry is not your cup of chai; but I encourage you to be adventurous!

The bar is part of Theo’s 3400 Phinney collection, a “fantasy flavor assortment” named after the Seattle company’s factory address. I love the Coconut Curry bar’s element of surprise. At first taste, the chocolate is smooth and silky; then toasted coconut flakes and specks of spices unleash tiny bursts of flavor on your tongue. Interestingly, the savory spices (which include coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves and more) almost make this milk-chocolate bar taste like dark chocolate. It finishes with a bit of heat; just a small piece will do. I like pairing it with a steamy mug of Earl Grey tea.

I admit that I completely judge candy (and books, for that matter) by their wrappers. Kudos to you, Theo; I was sold immediately. The jewel tones and fluid shapes on Coconut Curry’s package reflect the imaginative flavors inside.

Theo’s name is drawn from the Latin word for the Cacao tree, Theobroma Cacao, which translates to “food of the gods” (all the more reason to indulge in chocolate, right?). The company has the first and only organic, Fair Trade chocolate factory in the U.S. To see Theo’s full line, visit www.theochocolate.com.