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: 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: Spanish Suitcase

One of the biggest regrets I have so far in life is that I have never traveled anywhere internationally. I've been to just about all 50 states in the U.S., but never anywhere outside of the border. Money and time never seem to combine into a perfect scenario to take a trip. For someone who loves food as much as I do, I can do nothing but dream of the many cuisines I'm missing out on around the world.

Luckily, sometimes products come along that give me a chance to sample worldly cuisine from the comfort of my desk. I recently received a wonderful package from a retailer called Spanish Suitcase, and was incredibly impressed by this unique experience. Spanish Suitcase is based in New York City, and they specialize in unique gift baskets featuring gourmet foods from Spain. These "suitcases" are loaded with all kinds of goodies that were hand-selected for their excellence in flavor, packaging, production and sustainability.

Speaking of the packaging, it's nearly impossible not to be impressed with the presentation - everything is packed neatly in an attractive box, and each item features beautiful labeling. It is a lot like opening a present from someone who has mailed you a package from overseas, and my officemates and I couldn't help but ooh and ah with each thing we removed from the suitcase. Throw in a nice explanatory booklet, and you have a really handsome overall product that anyone would be thrilled to receive as a gift.

There are many different varieties of suitcases you can get - the Original Spanish Suitcase is an enormous smorgasbord of gourmet items including cheeses, chocolates, bread sticks and even anchovies! There are seafood and vegetarian suitcases, as well. They also make several smaller "carry-ons", which consist of the same quality items from the larger suitcases, in such varieties as Healthy Sabores, La Vide Dulce, and Bonito to Go-Go.

I sampled the Siesta Snack Pack Carry-On, which delighted me (and the entire office). I was a big fan of the San Nicasio Potato Chips, which were made with authentic extra virgin olive oil from the nationally accredited Almazaras de la Subbética (olive oil mills) in Córdoba. The oils in combination with the touch of sea salt really made a rich impression on my taste buds. The 1880 Marcona Almonds were immediately whisked away to the safety of my home after just one taste - these were, without any exaggeration, the best almonds I have ever had.

Everyone was a big fan of the Sweet Olive Oil Tortas - the aftertaste was an exquisite blend of crystallized Seville oranges and sugar. It was enjoyable on it's own, but is even more enjoyable with cheese. There were also some tangy peppers (great on sandwiches) and Dequmana olives, completing an excellent package of gourmet goodness.

If you're looking for a unique and tasty gift (or someone who wishes they could be on a warm Spanish beach during the cold Chicago winter), head on over to spanishsuitcase.com for a wonderful taste of life across the sea.

-Marc Kozak (mkozak@talcott.com)