Hello, chocophiles! This past month has been dominated by finding a new place to live/moving to said new place, and I am sad to say that means that the parts of myself that are committed to chocolate, (my heart, my mind space, my fingers that are constantly itching for it...the whole thing, really), have been otherwise occupied. In the midst of it all, I was able to indulge in one exceptional bar. Here's what happened:
After a night at work, I managed to trot over to the Union Square Whole Foods just before closing. I was not in search of chocolate; I needed peanut butter, which has been my main staple in the between- apartments transition period. I got a great big jar of it, and then I thought, "Well, I'm here...it can't hurt to peruse the chocolate section a bit." This bar, or rather, the word "firecracker," immediately caught my eye. I looked closer to see it was indeed a firecracker, full of sensory elements that were sure to entice. "Sultry sea salt, smoky chipotle, and popping candy exploding in dark chocolate." Popping candy? Like Crazy Dips?!?! The choice was clear.
While it was the exploding candy that definitely made the sell, it was the other elements that really made the bar special. The sweet and salty combo has definitely been done before, (nowadays, when do you ever see a caramel dessert that's not sprinkled with artisan sea salt?), but the sweet, salty and spicy combo? What a revelation. The way the flavors unfold is just wonderful. The chocolate is creamy and exactly the right density--neither too milky nor too intensely rich. The smoky chipotle starts as a slight hint of spiciness and gradually spreads, leaving a warming and not unpleasant aftertaste. The popping candy kicks in shortly after, which, obviously, is just really fun. The final flavor is the sea salt, which acts almost like a cleansing agent. This bar has lasted me quite a while longer than most bars do. No wonder; it is satisfying on so many different levels!
I couldn't find a lot of information on how this bar is produced, but it is manufactured in California and claims to be made with ethically sourced cacao. It's a more expensive bar--about $8 a pop--but hopefully after reading this, you will understand why it is completely worth the splurge. The Chef, Michael Antonorsi, has a delightful blurb on the back about his journey from being a tech professional to being a master chocolatier. He writes that, "I followed my heart, and discovered that it was made of chocolate." What's not to love?
After a night at work, I managed to trot over to the Union Square Whole Foods just before closing. I was not in search of chocolate; I needed peanut butter, which has been my main staple in the between- apartments transition period. I got a great big jar of it, and then I thought, "Well, I'm here...it can't hurt to peruse the chocolate section a bit." This bar, or rather, the word "firecracker," immediately caught my eye. I looked closer to see it was indeed a firecracker, full of sensory elements that were sure to entice. "Sultry sea salt, smoky chipotle, and popping candy exploding in dark chocolate." Popping candy? Like Crazy Dips?!?! The choice was clear.
While it was the exploding candy that definitely made the sell, it was the other elements that really made the bar special. The sweet and salty combo has definitely been done before, (nowadays, when do you ever see a caramel dessert that's not sprinkled with artisan sea salt?), but the sweet, salty and spicy combo? What a revelation. The way the flavors unfold is just wonderful. The chocolate is creamy and exactly the right density--neither too milky nor too intensely rich. The smoky chipotle starts as a slight hint of spiciness and gradually spreads, leaving a warming and not unpleasant aftertaste. The popping candy kicks in shortly after, which, obviously, is just really fun. The final flavor is the sea salt, which acts almost like a cleansing agent. This bar has lasted me quite a while longer than most bars do. No wonder; it is satisfying on so many different levels!
I couldn't find a lot of information on how this bar is produced, but it is manufactured in California and claims to be made with ethically sourced cacao. It's a more expensive bar--about $8 a pop--but hopefully after reading this, you will understand why it is completely worth the splurge. The Chef, Michael Antonorsi, has a delightful blurb on the back about his journey from being a tech professional to being a master chocolatier. He writes that, "I followed my heart, and discovered that it was made of chocolate." What's not to love?