FOOD FUN: Chocolate Pills

A cure for some: chocolate pills. Photo courtesy Fika.   If you have a friend suffering from heartache, how about chocolate pills for a Valentine’s Day cure? These pills are roasted and caramelized hazelnuts and almonds, enrobed in 70% dark chocolate. The prescription for instant happiness: 3-5 chocolate covered nuts daily. A bottle of Chocolate…
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GIFT: Red Rocker Cashew Toffee

Delicious toffee made with cashews instead of conventional almonds. Photo courtesy Red Rocker Candy.   Red Rocker Candy, of Troy, Virginia, makes one of our favorite toffees: Cashew Toffee with White Chocolate. Every batch is hand-made using only the finest ingredients: pure butter, the best nuts money can buy and fine chocolate couverture. The result…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Pairing Cheese & Chocolate

Forget the bread, crackers and fruit: Who knew that plain chocolate, chocolate truffles and chocolate-covered caramels—the latter two with prominent dairy and buttery notes—pair so well with cheese? We know that chocolate cheesecake, and a chocolate ganache topping on regular cheesecake, are delicious. So how about serving a piece of cheese with a piece of…
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VALENTINE GIFTS: Chocolate Lips, Macarons In Red

You can actually reuse the “clutch” packaging as a fun evening bag. Photo by Faith Tomases | THE NIBBLE.   We love gifts with “keeper” boxes. We always find ways to repurpose the boxes, which continue to remind us of the gift and the giver. Pâtissier François Payard has chosen beautiful packaging for his Valentine…
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VALENTINE GIFT: Shiny Chocolate Hearts

Pretty to look at, these shiny chocolate hearts are filled with luscious raspberry-infused ganache. Photo courtesy Kohler.   These lovely hearts, from Kohler Chocolates, are beautifully crafted: The dark chocolate shells are filled with a delicate raspberry-accented chocolate ganache. The dark chocolate is then enrobed with a thin layer of red-tinted white chocolate, which is…
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