If you are anything like us -- as you well should aspire to! -- you like a good chocolate bar, and good chocolate can always be found at the Chocolate Apothecary. Of course, always here means within their bizarre opening hours, but I digress.
Lately we've been sampling some bars from Chuao Chocolatier, a California outfit. And they're good. Very good. Good enough that you should run out and try fetching some before Christmas hits.
There are many variations to choose from, some classic, others rather creative.
An unlikely favorite of ours is Potato Chips in Chocolate, a bar that might sound gimmicky, but is, in fact, more classic in flavor than you might think. This is a light milk chocolate, 41%, where the salt from the chips adds a nice salty flavor to the overall palette. The actual chips really just give a satisfying crunch when you bite into the bar.
Better still is Chinita Nibs. Here you get a 67% cacao blend filled with a powerful nutmeg and caramelized cacao nibs from Venezuela. The flavor is powerful, yet the nutmeg kind of mellows down on the finish. Chinita Nibs is excellent to enjoy with some good coffee; DOMA's Riverkeeper would be our suggestion.
We're fans of Chuao Chocolatier. Run down to the Chocolate Apothecary to check out their products. It'll make for a good Christmas.