A Girl's Best Friend? Not So Much
I just received this email from Mervis Diamond. Apparently their attempt is to use 2 tbs. of chocolate mousse and 1 organic blackberry to peddle a 2 carat diamond. It can all be yours for just $18,000. Considering that in this economy chocolate is one of our last affordable luxuries I find this strategy completely preposterous. Not to mention that that is the most unappetizing chocolate looking thing I've ever seen.

Brilliant Brittle
I've been all about toffee, chocolate and nuts as of late so I was thrilled when Jer's sent over a few packs of their Chocolate Covered Peanut Brittle Bites. My favorite was the Coco Nutty hands down. Think buttery peanut brittle covered in dark chocolate then sprinkled with coconut flakes. The brittle center tastes more like a smooth, peanut flavored toffee rather than a classic peanut brittle with whole nuts but it works well. Also, if you're into chocolate in your peanut butter then Jer's Original Peanut Butter IncrediBars--which were devoured within the hour by my dear friends-- are also definitely worth a try. I would even go as far to say that they almost rival the traditional Reeses in terms of satisfaction.

Ties Vs Toffee

If your debating what to get dad for Father's Day, let me give you a little tip--the same old ten dollar necktie is a pretty lame idea while a box of Enstrom's Almond Toffee would kick the tie's behind and look pretty handsome sitting on dad's wooden desk. The toffee is made with only four ingredients-California almonds, sweet cream butter, pure cane sugar and milk chocolate. Then it's finished with a powdery coating of crushed almonds. The result is extremely almondy, not overly chocolatey, definitely awesome. 

Creamy Dreamy Caramels
Amella's Artisan Cocoa Butter Caramels are nice and buttery, rich with flavor and made from wholesome ingredients. The flavors are awesome. Seen here are Passion Fruit, Black Forest (made with cherries and 70% dark chocolate) and Carrot Cake-which really hits the spot with fresh carrots, toasted pecans and unsalted butter. Each is crowned with a dollop of frosting made of creamy white or milk chocolate. They remind me of quaint little petit fours and the packaging is even more elegant, making Amella the perfect gift for a very lucky caramel enthusiast.

I'm a Barbie Girl!
The original synthetic diva turned 50 this year. In homage to her fabulousness, UK based Hotel Chocolat created this fantastically girly Barbie Chocolate Box. It features Barbie inspired flavors such as strawberry, vanilla and caramel in hot pink, pink and even more pink! I want it!!!

That's Rich!
I've actually been bribed in life with a John-Georges Vongerichten Warm, Soft Chocolate Cake. I'm not kidding. His original recipe calls for bittersweet Valrhona but when I have extra bounty laying around, it's fun to experiment. This time I merged together a few Jembrana origin bars from award winning Amano and Costa Rican Rainforest Alliance bars from the Chocolate Truffle Company of the UK. Together, they made for a super decadent, complex, cake, although I'd add a small amount of extra sugar next time.

Juiced on Java
The hilarious ads for Zaini Chocolate's Kofli, coffee bean candies feature an overly caffeinated Easter Bunny and friends. I'm sure we could all use an extra perk! You can find the Italian candies here.

TCHO is Nerdy!
A bunch of chocolate loving tech geeks from San Fran got together to create TCHO, their very own luxury chocolate operation. The name is a hybrid of technology + chocolate. Their approach to chocolate sourcing, packaging, production and tasting is totally geeky--providing us with long, technical reports on sourcing, formulations and tasting techniques. They even created their own flavor wheel which organizes the flavors inherently found in chocolate. I'm especially fond of the packaging which is based on algorithmic guilloche patterns. I'm trying to get my hands on a few of their bars asap. I'm certain they'll make me smarter. Via The DIELINE.

Chocolate Lab
My girlfriend just rescued a Labrador pup from some backstreet in Mexico. I think I'll send her a few of these cute little pooches from Martine's Chocolates to welcome the little guy home. Dog lovers, these chocolate canines also come in Chihuahua, Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel and just about any other purebred you can imagine. I think you have to special order the mutts...

Cookware for Chocolate Nerds
Preparing chocolate inspired dishes generally requires the use of tools that you normally wouldn’t use for everyday cooking. Chocolate is a very particular food and special care must be taken to insure that it is prepared properly. Here are a few simple kitchen tools and dinnerware that no chocolate lover should be without.
Hot Chocolate Maker Hot chocolate can be prepared in a variety of different ways. While some people are content simply mixing cocoa powder and hot water, I prefer to brew hot chocolate with a ceramic hot chocolate maker. These makers whip milk and cocoa together into a creamy and frothy decedent beverage whose taste cannot be beat. Hot chocolate made the way it was meant to be, in a traditional hot chocolate maker, puts modern microwave style chocolate to shame.
Double Boiler I love to melt chocolate to use in cakes and brownies or to cover pastries or cookies but without a double boiler this feat is almost impossible. Simply boiling chocolate in a standard pan will burn and harden the chocolate, making it difficult to spread or cover foods. A double boiler will heat chocolate to the optimum temperature, keeping it at a consistency that allows for drizzling, spreading, and dipping.
Fondue Pots Fondue is a popular party dish that is as much fun to eat as it is delicious. While some people prefer to melt cheese to accent meats and breads, chocolate fondue is the only decadent option. By heating and keeping chocolate at a deviously creamy consistency, your friends will love dipping assorted fruits into the pot for a luscious after dinner treat. Fruits like strawberries, bananas, apples, raspberries, and many other foods can be paired with chocolate to create mouth-watering flavor combos.

Goodness Grace-ous!
I'm sure a ton of people have wanted a piece of Grace Jones for years. Now they can sink their teeth right into her dark chocolate with this life sized chocolate replica molded directly from the iconic diva's actual body parts. I'm in awe. Leave it to Grace Jones to do this! More here.

Space Case
I've been feeling way spacey recently. I'm certain a box of these solar system inspired truffles would beam me back down to Earth. Too bad they're all the way from Barcelona, may as well be from Pluto:(

My Type Of Keyboard
My recent post on Kohler confections made me wonder what other companies would do with chocolate. Someone totally beat Apple to this one! Found via gizmodo.

Pamamania
I'm huge fan of all things pomegranate. I love the antioxident goodness in Pom Wonderful. There's my favorite Gus Dry Pomegranate soda, and when I'm feeling really grown up, I reach for Pama liquor. So when I learned of their limited edition collab with Garrison Chocolates just imagine my excitement! All the chocolates are laced with Pama, but each with one of three flavor variations: Pama Tart-layered ganache and graham cracker crust--Pama Cosmo--chocolate, vodka, and lime juice and my favorite--Nutty Pama-roasted nuts.

Hob Knob
Kohler, the people who make faucets, have set a very intriguing precedence with their luxury chocolate collection. It's obvious that their keen eye for design translates marvelously to chocolate as these are just about my favorite truffles-- aesthetically speaking. Such high gloss little works of art. They look like beautiful buttons or even knobs. At first I didn't know whether to play with them or eat them. Glad I caved as the coconut and hazelnut are amazingly yumtastic. I wonder what companies like Apple or BMW would do with chocolate?

Check Mate 

This handsome chess set from Astor chocolate consists of 96 pieces of solid milk and dark chocolate. And while it will set you back $175 bucks, how much fun would it be to gobble up the opponents Queen? 

Pop's Shop
During his travels to Champaign, IL my father encountered Rubens Chocolates and hasn't stopped raving since. So today I celebrate the man who I can thank for my healthy appreciation for chocolate by eating an entire box of what he considers the best handmade Belgian Chocolate available. This kind of endorsement means much coming from a highly opinionated Aquarius who to my amusement scoffs at most. Happy Birthday Dad!

Cholivetini
The classic martini has its olive and apple martinis have their apple slice while chocolate martini lovers have pretty much been left out in the cold. Milwaukee based Cholives must of recognized the void as they've created the perfect garnish for our drink of choice. Their 55% dark chocolate is formed in the shape of a dimpled olive then filled with creamy ganache. The portable tin comes with your very own bunch of skewers. Rejoice!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Think I'm officially psychic. Was thinking that I wanted something yummy for Valentine's day from my favorite New Orleans shop. Before I could place the order, these gorgeous, iridescent, gem-like hearts filled with raspberry, grand coeur and rose scented ganache arrived at my door. It's great to be loved!

A Better Butter Cup
The world of designer chocolate sees plenty of classic flavor combos get modern gourmet makeovers. Until now no one had successfully remixed the peanut butter cup. Not only are Los Angeles based Ococoa's dark chocolate butter cups sexy, they're presented in an elegant brown box and feature a variety of killer nut butters, jams and exotic flavors. Almond butter with Morello cherries, pistachio butter with sweet dates and sesame butter layered with figs are so ridiculously delicious that a simple review wouldn't suffice. I had to get the full scoop from Ococoa's owner, Diana Malouf in a Q&A session:

CN: When did you start making chocolate?

DM: I always loved baking. About 10 years ago I started making truffles and would make them for friends for Christmas. I got bored making truffles one year and decided to try making peanut butter cups. They were a hit. So my mind starting swimming with ideas and being of Middle-Eastern descent I drew on the flavors I grew up enjoying and turned them into the butter cups I now sell.

CN: The butter cups are gorgeous, do you have culinary or artistic training or was creating with chocolate a hobby that came naturally?

DM: Working with chocolate started out as a hobby and a desire to make food that people enjoyed. It took years of practice, trial-and-error to hone my skills. I don't know if I have a natural talent, but I know I have always had an inclination toward working with desserts.

CN: Why peanut butter cups?

DM: I love peanut butter and chocolate together but it seems like the selection on the market is just too sweet. I had to make something that I enjoyed eating. And being creative, I couldn't stop with just peanuts.

Handy Candy
Boy Scout or not, we should all "Be Prepared" to dive into this Swiss Army concept chocolate made of hazelnut praline. Perhaps it's the perfect gift for the chocolate loving MacGyver fan in your life?

Pixel Perfect
These adorable custom chocolates from Decochoco of Japan were designed by the bridegroom for his pixel-themed wedding. You have to check out the pixel-flower wedding cake and a break down of the lovely event here.

A Piece of the Pie
Give the bean counter in your life a better chart to feast their eyes on with this Chocolate Pie Chart from Mary & Matt. The clever confection is broken down into 70% Milk Chocolate, 20% Dark and 10% White. But none of those boring stats would seem to matter much while stuffing yummy chocolate into your pie hole.

Live Richly!
Chocolate is an essential part of coping with troubling times. In fact, the New York Times recently reported that casualties of the financial downturn are craving chocolate fudge sundaes. It makes sense, chocolate is one of the few affordable luxuries left. If you managed to salvage $6.25 from your 401K, a bar of Patric Chocolate is a great way to spend it. Each bar comes with a ten-step guideline that will transform your dining room into an oppulent tasting. I love Tip #5: "Smell the chocolate; it should smell fresh and full of aromas such as: cocoa, roasted nuts, fruit, coffee, vegetal-like aromas, tobacco, and others." And just in case you weren't sure about the notes of tobacco you thought you tasted, a description of the complex flavors present in each bar is printed on the package. When the "Lively notes of plum preserves" dance with "fruits rouges and enticing hints of butter-hazelnut toffee" on your tongue, I promise, you'll feel rich again in no time.

Sagmeister Bar

Like chocolate, journaling can be stimulating and deeply personal, or in the case of graphic design superstar Stefan Sagmeister, deeply public. This chocolate bar is part of the creativity sparked by a personal, reflective list written in Sagmeister's diary. The list soon evolved into a series of very public, interactive works of art. If you're in need of some introspection or inspiration, check out Things I Have Learned In My Life, So Far. The creative project encourages reflection, journaling and offers more than a few nuggets of wisdom to chew on.

Veer Towards Vere
Innovation, design and affordability make Vere a best bet this season. If you need to wow the chocolate lover in your life on a holiday budget, Vere's flourless brownies which are enrobed in dark chocolate and come in coconut, walnut, peanut butter and mint+nib, are more like truffles than baked goods. What I love even more than the modern take on the brownie is the slick packaging which makes them great for gifting and at $6.00 a box, you definitely get some bang. Also check out their unsweetened toasted coconut clusters (seen above) which happen to be sugar, alcohol and preservative free and might I add, delicious...I just singlehandedly finished off a box. Vere chocolate is certified by the Rainforest Alliance which means the cocoa farm where it's harvested is required to protect wildlife, soil and waterways and workers and their families with health care, education, decent housing and wages. For those reasons, Vere chocolate is at the top of my list this year.

OBAMA!
Was ecstatic to usher in a new era last night upon the announcement of the upcoming President of the United States of America with the students from Columbia University, his alma mater, as they took to the streets, stopping traffic, hanging from light posts, beating on pots and drums, blowing whistles, chanting "Obama" and waving to buses, taxi cabs and passersby, while residents waved from rooftops and windows during an impromptu parade from Broadway and 115th street to the celebratory gathering on 125th street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, in Harlem Last Night. My feet are a bit blistered from running through the streets in high heels, but it was well worth every invigorating minute of it. I must have hugged and or smiled at a million strangers...wow. This is beyond. This is history.

Stamp of Approval

Interesting concept for dark, milk and white chocolate flavored 1st class mail stamps--the old fashioned kind that you lick. Designer Toby Ng has packaged them beautifully in matching envelopes. These would make great actual chocolate bar designs don't you think?

After My Own Heart
It would be pretty sweet to spend Valentine's Day kicking back in the rainforest with other cacao enthusiasts learning to make chocolate the traditional Mayan way instead of having to stomach all of the smarmy displays around town. If you're interested, the Cotton Tree Lodge, an all-inclusive eco-resort nestled in southern Belize offers week long chocolate making tours from February 8th-15th, 2009 and then again in May. Here are some fliks from last year's event. Looks like things get pretty messy! Mention The Chocolate Nerd when you book and they'll give you a 10% discount on your trip!

The Witches' Oven
Come December, getting one's hands on a box of Fat Witch Brownies is akin to working magic. I was delighted today to learn that should I fail once again to make the holiday wait-list, I'm in no way relegated to a brownie-less celebration. As an alternative, I can now pick up a box of Original Fat Witch Brownie Mix. I love the illustrated cityscape on the box and anyways, pulling a batch of these bad girls out the oven will totally earn you brownie points.

Out of Africa
It was Claudio Corallo's passion for Tarzan fliks that called the Florence, Italy native to seek a life in the African Jungle. In 1974, at the adventurous age of 23, the young Italian took a job in the government of Zaire doing an agricultural census. He later found more interest in his work with a local coffee exporter. Eventually he was able to purchase two coffee plantations and start a family with the Portuguese ambassador to Zaire's daughter. When civil war drove Zaire's dictator Mobutu Sese Seko from power in 1993, Corallo's plantations were looted. He then moved his family to Sao Tome and Principe, independent, equatorial, volcanic islands off the coast of Gabon. The Corallo family has been there since cultivating what some consider the best chocolate in the world. While that claim is subjective, there's no denying that breaking open a bag of Fair Trade Claudio Corallo is like popping the top off of a bottle of a tropical perfume. Notes of cocoa, earthy and floral, and tropical citrus immediately create a sublime olfactory experience rivaled only by its taste. With his Chocolate Laranga, Corallo has paired his origin chocolate with chewy bits of orange peel. Thinking it the perfect flavor and texture for a gourmet brownie, I melted a few ounces into a batch and served it warm with vanilla bean ice cream. Corallo, a purist, who upholds the integrity of the chocolate by forgoing any additives such as milk powder or even vanilla extract may be cringing at the thought of Corallo brownies, but what can I say? They sure taste great!