Potomac Chocolate
The Washington, DC metropolitan area is a powerhouse of intrigue with politicians, lobbyists, judges, lawyers, and government offices but today the spotlight is on a chocolate maker in our nation’s capital. Ben Rasmussen owns and operates Potomac Chocolate: a real bean-to-bar chocolate maker who handcrafts truly incredible dark chocolate bars in a suburb (Woodbridge, Virginia) of Washington, D.C. Read more 
NuttyPirateGranola Bars
The western coastal waters off central Florida are known for treasure hunting opportunities with long ago sunken ships waiting to be discovered but this area (Ellenton, Florida) is also the home of Nutty Pirate Snacks – the makers of NuttyPirateGranola Bars: all natural, gluten and lactose-free granola bars that come in a variety of flavors.
Made of wholesome ingredients including oats, tapioca flour, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, dark chocolate chips, and nuts blended with agave nectar and homemade brown sugar (organic sugar and molasses), NuttyPirateGranola Bars are flavorful, chewy, slightly crunchy, and delicious. Read more
Bonbon Barnier
The words “Bonbon Barnier” seem to just flow out of my mouth when the discussion turns to lollipops (or what the French call sucettes). Maison Barnier is a 130 year old family company (established 1885) located in St. Etienne du Rouvray in the Normandy region of France, dedicated to creating quality confections using traditional ingredients and methods. Almond-shaped (large) with a short stick, the BonBon Barnier sucette was invented in 1922 and became very popular with children and remains so generations later.
Real Black Licorice
Black licorice tends to elicit strong opinions with most people falling into either the “love it” or “leave it” categories. For those who love it and for the few who are still on the fence, consider trying licorice made by Lakritsfabriken (“the licorice maker”) – a Swedish company committed to redefining what real licorice candy should taste like. Read more
Bespoke® Crackers
…..sturdy, crunchy and über tasty (just the way a rockin’ good cracker ought to be)
Great tasting food is made from great tasting ingredients which is exactly what Bespoke® Provisions of Boulder, Colorado set out to do for crackers – a food that is often an afterthought or purchased as a vehicle to eat with other foods.
The word “bespoke” refers to a product made to a particular specification and in the case of Bespoke® Provisions, that meant using all natural and whole-grain rolled oats to make a super tasty and sturdy cracker that could both stand on its own and complement toppings including cheese, nut butters, spreads, dips, and even bruschetta. Read more
Vivi Chocolate
What Love Tastes Like…Simply Chocolate
Back in 2006, Barbara Yeager was in an herbal apothecary store in Seattle, Washington when she noticed a jar of cacao nibs (cacao beans that have been roasted at a low temperature, separated from their husks, and broken into tiny pieces). After she tasted the nibs, she understood why people are really into chocolate: because cacao nibs taste like chocolate without the sweetness. It was love at first bite. Read more
The French Valentine’s Day Cookie
If cookies be the food of love…munch on. ~Dame Judi Dench
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so if you need a gift for that special someone who loves exquisite butter cookies, Poilâne – the famous Parisian bakery known for their sourdough bread, apple tarts, and butter cookies – has the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift box containing 54-56 heart-shaped butter cookies weighing 270 grams (about 10 ounces) for 22.50€ ($25.67). So simple and yet so delicious, these French butter cookies are rich, crunchy and perfect as a snack with a cup of tea or coffee. Read more
Righteously Raw™ Chocolate Bars
Righteously Raw™ is at the forefront of a chocolate evolution – one in which chocolate bars are valued for taste and nutritional qualities – two attributes not often considered together to describe the “food of the gods.” Using raw organic cocoa (rich in antioxidants) and naturally occurring sweeteners and fruits (agave nectar, coconut sugar, coconut nectar, dates, figs and raisins), Righteously Raw™ provides a rich healthy alternative to traditional processed chocolate bars.
Shotwell Candy Co. Caramels
Most caramel makers don’t try twelve different butters (before deciding which one to use) or heat pure cane sugar to temperatures above 320 degrees to create an authentic caramel flavor but Shotwell Candy Co. does. One bite into a buttery rich, creamy and chewy Shotwell caramel and you’re hooked, destined to become a member of a small group of friendly but committed caramel snobs who really can taste the difference between a caramel made the old-fashioned way (by hand) with high quality ingredients and the commercially made caramels made with artificial flavors. Read more
Somersaults®
Most people think somersaults are for the young, but a healthy new snack food called Somersaults® is for anyone who has come full circle and now wants a nutrient-dense delicious crunchy snack for themselves and their families. Made primarily of sunflower seeds and toasted grains, Somersaults® come in five flavors:
- Original Pacific Sea Salt
- Dutch Cocoa
- Cinnamon Crunch
- Salty Pepper
- Santa Fe Salsa
Paddock Post 