Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Sjaak's Vegan, Organic, Fair Trade Chocolates

Thank you Vegan Cuts for including a chocolate caramel from Sjaak's in your snack box last month.  I used the coupon included in the box when I ordered my chocolates.  I bought the large Holiday box and a sampler box of 3 Eli's Earth Bars to share with my non-vegan friends.  The shipping box included ice packs for $5, which I'm glad I got first because it's been in the eighties this past week, and second because even though my local UPS received my order on Thursday morning, the box didn't get delivered until Monday morning.


Aside from the chocolates being vegan, organic, and fair trade, they are absolutely delicious.  The dark and milk chocolate are equally decadent.  The caramel is rich and tastes like I remember.  The various nut fillings are smooth, creamy, and well seasoned without being overly salted.  The cherry filling surprised me as it is sweet, but not syrupy sticky sweet and was just so luscious I want to live in it. I haven't had chocolates like this in many many years so I was very happy that these are just the perfect fulfillment of my memory of fine chocolate.


I have had one of the Eli's Earth bars so far:  The Dream Big Bar.  It was heaven in a plastic wrapper and I expect that the others will be just as amazing.  I will definitely order more for any festive occasions I have in the future and hope to keep a few bars around the house, although maybe after I start enforcing my New Year's resolutions.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Kite Hill Cassucio













I love their White Alder, but this, this soft, salty, tangy cheese is such a delight.  I'm assuming this is what goat cheese tastes like.  I have only eaten hard goat cheese from Mexico and that was over 20 years ago.  I want to spread it on toasted baguette with fruity olive oil and a smear of fig jam, and serve it with a nice glass of chilled white wine.  Or maybe broiled over figs in red wine, or maybe stuffed into a gigantic olive and served in a dirty martini. Decision decisions. Get yourself to +Whole Foods Market  and buy up all you can and serve it at your next holiday party, if you don't eat it all first.  I can't wait to see what they'll do next.