Theo Chocolate
Touted as the first organic and Fair Trade chocolate factory in the US, Theo Chocolates is a Seattle-based company that makes a variety of chocolate caramels, cream-based ganache chocolates, bars, sipping chocolate, and nibs. Most chocolate manufacturers specialize in producing gift box assortments or bars but not Theo, who controls the entire chocolate manufacturing process from the bean sourcing to the final packaging. This approach allows the company to produce a varied product line that is sure to please the consummate chocolate lover. Read more 
John Kelly Chocolates
John Kelly Chocolates is a California-based company that makes award-winning chocolate fudge products by hand in small batches using premium all-natural ingredients. The company’s signature piece is the Truffle Fudge Bar which combines the rich, creamy texture of a truffle with the intense flavor of fudge. Scrumptious and decadent, the Truffle Fudge Bar is best described as a silky fudge bar coated with a thin layer of semi-sweet chocolate. Made primarily of sugar, chocolate, evaporated milk, and butter, the bars come in a variety of flavors: Read more
The Chocolate Source
There is no big mystery to chocolate except how luscious it tastes in every form. As with most creations, the quality of the ingredients – cocoa beans, butter, cream, sugar, and the endless selection of nuts, fruits, and products mixed with the chocolate – matter; the higher the quality, the better the flavor. Some chocolatiers go so far as to grow and roast their own beans, while others purchase high quality chocolates and blend them. We all have our preferences: milk, dark, and even white chocolate although some connoisseurs do not consider white chocolate to be “real” chocolate. In any form, most of those that indulge agree that chocolate is simply delicious. Read more
Great Food Products for Entertaining
Over the holidays, I rely on outside sources for many products – especially hors d’oeuvres and desserts – because these items can be stored in the freezer, are quick to thaw or bake, easy to serve (especially when time is limited) and delicious.
Cheese and crackers are certainly good but spinach and feta in puff pastry, mini quiche, or Brie en Croute are even better, especially on a cold wintry evening when friends drop by for a drink. In the same light, homemade desserts are always wonderful but not always feasible so when a spectacular dessert is needed last-minute, I turn to my freezer where stacks of products from two companies – Dufour Pastry Kitchens and Galaxy Desserts – line the shelves. Both companies make magnificent frozen hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Read more
Holiday Mail Order Sweets
There are certain foods – usually sweets – that we buy or receive once a year around the holidays that lend nostalgia to the season (and a few inches to the waistline). In our home, we usually kick off the season in mid-November with the purchase of a sweet Italian cake called Pandoro that my daughter sprinkles confectionary sugar over. Read more
Tristan, Artisan Chocolatier
Swiss chocolatiers make some of the finest chocolates in the world, most of which are available throughout the globe but there is one chocolatier in particular who makes magnificent chocolates but only sells them in the local Geneva area. Tristan Carbonatto – a warm, engaging man with a big smile – is the “Tristan” in Tristan Artisan Chocolatier, a small light filled shop that looks like a garden of chocolate. A man with a passion for chocolate, Tristan clearly enjoys sharing “la joie de chocolat” (the joy of chocolate) with the rest of us. Read more
My Favorite Mail Order Websites for Food
The growth in internet sites has brought the world of food into homes. Years ago, new and unusual foods were acquired by traveling to faraway places. Today, people still travel to eat but with the world becoming global, international and national foods can be ordered on-line and delivered to our doorstep within days. Special ingredients not readily available at the local grocery store can also be obtained at various websites. The choices are unlimited but here are a few favorite sources: Read more
Paddock Post 