I feel pret-tea...oh so pret-tea!
Who doesn't love a fabulous makeover? I first encountered Joanie's Smiles (below) tea flavored chocolate bars last year at Subtle Tea during a stroll on Madison Avenue. I wanted to blog then, but Joanie, the Malibu based Cordon Bleu chef and chocolatier insisted that the re-design was well worth the wait. Now branded chocolatea from smilechocolatiers, the new packaging raises the bar by presenting the haute chocolate in a fresh, airy, new light with absolutely gorgeous watercolors, each as delicious and sublime as the experience it dresses. Joanie's perspective brings together the aromatic properties of tea with the richness of chocolate. Featured here are the 72% Dark with Pomegranate White Tea, 64% Dark with Coconut Green Tea, 37% Milk with Wild Rasberry Tea and 37% White Chocolate with Pistachio Green Tea. She also plays with Chai and ginger and beyond. The complex flavors are made to savor and range from subtle to more powerful. The Coconut Green Tea being my favorite so far as its flavor is by far more subtle than the others. I took Chef Joanie's brilliant advice and washed them all down with a nice glass of Prosecco, needless to say, I'm a very happy girl.