Organic Chocolate

                                                                                                                                                               

Chocolate. For Valentine's Day or any other day, why not choose chocolate that has a heart? Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate is not only organic, as the name says, but also Fair Trade Certified, meaning all of its products are made from Fair Trade ingredients. The farmers they work with receive a guaranteed minimum for their ingredients, along with an additional premium to invest in the social, environmental, and economic development of their countries. This ensures a higher quality of life for the farmers and a high quality of chocolate for the world.

                                                                  

                                                                                              
Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate offers 13 chocolate flavors, ranging from light to dark chocolate. Traditional varieties include Milk, Dark 70%, Dark 85%, and White, while the more unique flavors are Maya Gold, Hazelnut and Currant, Ginger, and the newest flavor, Peanut and Sea Salt.  Green & Black's also makes hot chocolate and baking bars, perfect for making a romantic Valentine’s Day dessert. Recipes can be found in the new Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate cookbook, Ultimate.

For more information about Green and Black’s, or to view  recipes, please visit http://www.greenandblacks.com/

Very Choice Chocolate

 Here is an absolutely heavenly chocolate bar. Amano Artisan Chocolate recently launched its Montanya (70% cacao) chocolate bar and two new Milk Chocolate bars - Jembrana and Ocumare. To bite into them and savor them is to love them.

In 1996, Art Pollard decided that there had to be better chocolate than what was available in the U.S. So began his quest for the “ultimate chocolate.” After much research and experimentation, Art developed a process that incorporated both modern and ancient chocolate-making techniques. After studying chocolate manufacturing in Europe and further honing his skills, in 2006 Art and his business partner Clark Goble  felt the chocolate was  comparable to the very best European chocolate and Amano Artisan Chocolate company was created.

This is simply divine chocolate. The Milk Chocolate has the depth and smoothness of Dark Chocolate, but it is very much milk chocolate. And the Dark Chocolate—let’s just say you will never forget it.  Amano has received numerous awards worldwide and is now recognized by industry experts and top chefs as producing one of the highest quality chocolates in the world. One taste and you will know why. These chocolates are meant to be savored

Amano Chocolate is available at specialty foods retailers nationwide and at amanochocolate.com.

                                                                                                  

Luxurious Hot Chocolate

Do you love premium chocolate? Spain’s Valor Chocolates is one of Europe’s most renowned chocolatiers so when they come out with a superlative hot chocolate beverage—instant no less—you might want to pay attention. Taza To Go, from the U.S. arm of Spain’s acclaimed Chocolates Valor, comes in a handy pouch with an easy-pour spout in two sizes, 13.52 and 30.43 ounces.

Valeriano Lopez Lloret founded Chocolates Valor, a small family business in 1881. Valor continues to make chocolates in the traditional method using the finest ingredients and a high percentage of cocoa. Valor has more than 60 superb chocolate items and is famous for chocolate with Marcona almonds, sugar free chocolates and Taza to Go.

Taza to Go is not only a delicious, sophisticated hot chocolate beverage, it is a scrumptious addition to other beverages—coffee, milk—it also makes a luscious sauce, a topping for ice cream and other desserts, or as a fondue.

This ready-to-serve rich hot chocolate is thick and creamy and has traditionally been a breakfast and dessert drink in Spain, where it is customary to melt a fine bar of dark chocolate into fresh milk to create a decadent chocolate a la taza. You can have Taza to Go.

www.valorchocolate.com

http://www.tienda.com/

Choco-Luscious!

It is always time for chocolate and Chocolations delivers very special creations fashioned from delectable chocolate and other complementary ingredients. Chocolations specializes in Specialty Truffles, and they are the luminaries of their divine line of custom made Chocolates.

Focus for a minute on the Truffles—There’s White, Milk and Dark. Then there’s three kinds of Coffee Truffles—Latte, Cappuccino and Espresso.

Prefer tea? How about Earl Grey Tea Truffles or Green Tea or Jasmine Tea Truffles?
Then there are Fruit Truffles, including Cassis and Toasted Coconut; Amaretto Truffles, Peanut Truffles; Concord Grape or Crème de Menthe or Peppermint—these are just some of the Truffle flavors and they concoct new flavors every week.

There are other chocolate creations—for instance—a “Good For You” patty –Dark Chocolate with dried blueberries and salted almonds—giving you extra antioxidant power in addition to the dreamy taste—the salted almonds lend an intriguing note to this delicious treat.

Here’s a fantastic gift idea--Take a peek at their website and find out more about the Chocolate of the Month club—Imagine getting 12 shipments of chocolates on a regular basis (no shipments in July and August but you get 2 in December and another month you choose)--

http://www.chocolations.com/

Ask them about Gifts ( that is a chocolate “Tea Set” pictured above), Party Favors, Wedding Favors, and Holiday Specials.

Chocolations—the place for chocolate for anyone who adores chocolate and what can be created with it.

One note—if you have a severe allergy to peanuts or nuts, they recommend you refrain from eating their truffles and other products.