Droga Chocolates was launched in 2007 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founder Michelle Crochet grew up addicted to her mother’s homemade rocky road candy, which replaced walnuts with roasted, salted peanuts long before salt and chocolate became the rage.

Michelle became a food buyer for Williams-Sonoma, and subsequently decided to join the ranks of Bay Area food-preneurs, ultimately pairing with a business partner, Lisa Albani. They consider themselves “the perfect ingredients for a sweet and successful business.”

We tasted their holiday wares, and have a few requests for Santa:

GINGERBREAD MEN

We could eat an army of these gingerbread men. Photo courtesy Droga Chocolates.

The Jolly Gingerbread Cookie really hit the spot. As soon as we finished one, we wanted another (our gift set from Droga, while generous, included only one of the ginger guys).

In a coat of milk or dark chocolate, the artisan gingerbread, a cookie 6 inches long and 6.5 ounces, is $12.50 in a cellophane bag and ribbon. There are also smaller “gingerbread boys” for $6.95.

We taste a lot of salt caramels, and not that many turn our heads. Droga’s East vs. West Salt Caramel Set hit the spot, and made us sad that there were only four caramels in each box. We could have eaten dozens of:

 
A four-piece box of each flavor, $13.95.

Any of these would make a more-than-welcome stocking stuffer or party favor.

MORE GOODIES

Larger portions, gaily boxed, include:

 
Get yours at DrogaChocolates.com.