Over the past year I have some to experience the brilliance of chocolate and have already made a long list of favorites. Because of a dairy allergy I was not able to indulge in the wonderful treat but in the past 12months I have learned what makes good chocolate and what makes great chocolate. The following are some of my favorite chocolate gifts to eat that and chocolate lover would love to recieve. I have also found lots of other great chocolate inspired gifts and knowing how beneficial cocoa is for your skin I fell in love with these other products.
Chocolate
One of my favorite sites to buy chocolate from is Vosges Chocolate because they always have a different exotic chocolate that experiments with new ingredients. One of my favorites is the Aztec Truffle Collection that mixes ancho chili, caylon, cinnamon, mexican vanilla and dulce de leche with chocolate, $40 for 16 pcs. Also excellent is the Goji Exotic Candy bar that has Tibetan goji berries and pink Himalayan salt $7 www.vosgeschocolate.com. If your looking for more traditional chocolate that still manages to please then try John & Kira’s Chocolates which prides itself on using locally grown ingredients in its collection. My favorites are the mint chocolates and I like that they get the mint leaves that they use from a local garden that elementary school children maintain. To experience the best of John & Kira’s Chocolate try the Every Flavor Box Set $28 www.johnandkiras.com. For the best presentation I would recommend Moonstruck Chocolate Company, who’s chocolate has made it into the gift bags given out at the Academy Awards. The shaped candy is also the best for stocking stuffers and to fill gift baskets. My favorites are the chocolate sand dollars, crescent moons and pigs in a pen and the bagged shooting stars and mini moons.
Other Chocolate Treats
I love hot chocolate and most of the time anything will do but when I want something really good I like to buy Marie Belle’s Chocolate. For a traditional taste try Aztec Hot Chocolate which has a rich flavor without being overly sweet, $17. But new by Marie Belle and twice as good is the Aztec Iced Chocolate which comes in a pretty tin $22. www.mariebelle.com For another really good brand of hot chocolate but with an exotic blend try Jaques Torres Wicked Hot Chocolate. The rich chocolate flavor is blended with ancho and chipotle peppers to give it a spicy kick. www.mrchocolate.com From Vosges Chocolates you can also get Red Fire Tortilla Chips. At first I thought these could not taste good but the Corn Chips with ancho, chipotle, chili powder with chocolate on top are delicious. A little different use of chocolate and I think the best is a line of Chocolate Wine & Liquer Sauces by Anette’s Chocolate Factory. These come in tall and mini sizes and there are a couple of non alcoholic ones for the entire family www.anettes.com.
For the Home
If you can’t be eating chocolate but still want that homey scent that reminds you of baking during the Holidays try these next two gifts. I love all the products that The Thymes makes and their collection of candles are my favorite. The Thymes Chocolat Candle comes in Cassis, saffron, ginger and mandarin (my favorite) and only cost $28. www.thymes.com The Chocolate Incense Sticks that Terre d’Oc makes are also a great way to fill the house with a warm chocolate scent. They come in a pretty colored tube and are super fragrant, 20 sticks $9.95 www.terredoc.com
Bath & Beauty
For a bath bar that can serve as a staple in your bathroom try the soaps made by the Andalucian Soap Company. I love these soaps because they are all natural and made using locally grown produce, namely extra virgin olive oil, and are super moisturizing. They have a Chocolate Castille Soap Bar that every chocolate lover must try www.handmade-soap.eu. A fun new line of chocolate scented soaps is the one that Gianna Rose makes. They have a set of bon bon shaped Spiced Aztec Chocolate soaps that smell great and look good enough to eat. You can find the collection at www.giannarose.com. Fresh makes an Eau de Parfum called fleurs de Chocolat and if you think chocolate is a scent that you do not want to be wearing wait till you smell this! Fleurs de Chocolate is a light cocoa scent with ginger and mandarin, so good $60 www.montageshops.com. For the lips I have two favorites one is new by the American Girl Rare Beauty Collection. Even thought this lip balm is aimed for young girls they know what it takes to make a good lip balm and they got this Sheer Chocolate Mint perfect. $4.50 www.bathandbody.com. An old lip favorite of mine is the lip scrub by Sara Happ which comes in cocoa and is a super rich treatment, $20 www.thelipscrub.com.
