[1] A special holiday treat: Sip artisan mezcal with bites of artisan chocolate (photos © Pernod Ricard).

[2] If you live in a warm climate, enjoy your mezcal and chocolate pairings outdoors.

[3] Mix your favorite mezcal cocktails with the rest of the bottle. Check out the recipes on the Del Maguey website.

[4] Here are four of the 10 unique expressions of Del Maguey mezcal. Each expression is crafted in artisanal or methods and presents its own unique flavor profile.

Here’s a very special holiday gift for an epicure who loves both fine chocolate and fine mezcal.

Del Maguey, the leading Mezcal brand in the U.S., and one of our favorite gourmet chocolatiers, MarieBelle, have teamed up to create a box of cocktail-inspired mezcal-infused chocolates.

The first-of-its-kind, the limited-edition MarieBelle x Del Maguey VIDA Puebla chocolate cocktail box features seven cocktail-inspired flavors, all twists on bar classics.

The chocolates are made in flavors that include Mai Tai, Mezcal Last Word, Negroni, Puebla Margarita, Puebla Old Fashioned Puebla Paloma, and Vida Carajillo.

These boozy chocolates have a slight A.B.V.*, so you’ll be able to taste rich mezcal flavor in each bite.

And each bite will transport you to Puebla, where mezcal and chocolate are among the most traditional delicacies.

Food Trivia: Both chocolate and mezcal are native to Central America.
 
 
> The difference between mezcal and tequila.

> The history of mezcal.

> The history of chocolate.
 
 
ABOUT DEL MAGUEY VIDA MEZCAL

Del Maguey VIDA Puebla San Luis Del Rio is an artisanal, organic mezcal from the single village of Puebla.

VIDA Puebla shines with its Single Village® taste of place (terroir): a gentle minerality from volcanic soil and notes of roasted agave, white peach, and candied pine.

Del Maguey (pronounced ma–GAY), Single Village Mezcal was founded in 1995 as the first 100% certified organic, artisanal mezcal.

Through deep cultural relationships with Zapotec Mexican Indian producers in the remote villages of Oaxaca, Mexico, Del Maguey’s tequila is made with ancient, implicitly organic processes.

Combining these methods with varying micro-climates and terroir gives each of Del Maguey’s 10 expressions its own unique, rich, sweet, and smoky character.

Every expression in the Del Maguey collection is made by individual family palenqueros (producers) in old-style villages.

The brand is the first producer to credit each product after the village where the mezcal is made.

There is no city called mezcal, by the way—hence, the opportunity to create Single Village expressions. More than 90% of mezcal is made in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

The word mezcal comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word “mexcalli,” meaning oven-cooked agave. The Spanish conquerors taught distilling techniques to the Mexican natives around 400 years ago (and made themselves tequila).
 
 
GET YOURS!

The Del Maguey x Mariebelle chocolate cocktail box is available for purchase on ReserveBar.com.

At $75, each chocolate cocktail box is bundled with a bottle of Del Maguey VIDA Puebla, perfect for pairing.

If you’re in New York City, you can visit MarieBelle’s retail store in SoHo, at 484 Broome Street.
 
 
________________
 
*A.B.V. is alcohol by volume. You double the A.B.V. to get the proof. Del Maguey Puebla is a 40% A.B.V., or 80 proof. But don’t worry—the chocolates aren’t!
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

If you know someone who has professed an interest in learning how to bake, or how to cook in general—but hasn’t gotten around to it yet—this yummy and handsomely-packaged cake kit from Damask Cakes should be a welcome gift.

Just pick a cake mix and a frosting mix, and you’ll provide a delicious adventure for a lucky novice baker.

There are regular and gluten-free kits for:

 
The line is all-natural and non-GMO.

There are also cake decorations, specialty candles, and baking tools, so you can also add cake pans and other items to the order.
 
 
PICK YOUR CAKE

There are no gift cards as yet, so it’s up to you to select a cake and frosting pairing. We made a lovely Chai Tea Cake with cream cheese frosting.
 
The Cakes

 
Most of these are available in gluten-free options, along with a gluten-free Confetti Cake.
 
The Frostings

 
Head to DamaskCakes.com to place your order.
 
 
HOW DAMASK CAKES BEGAN

Several years ago, Denisse Horan and her two young children set out to bake dad a chocolate cake for Father’s Day. But Denisse wasn’t an experienced cake baker and had no idea what chaos would ensue. Everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong that day.

Son Tristan accidentally whisked in the sugar before the milk-and-butter mixture reached room temperature. Daughter Arianne added too much flour into the mixing bowl. Denisse tried to “fold” a batter mixture that was rapidly beginning to resemble concrete.

Despite it all, dad Chris absolutely loved that cake, but Denisse knew there had to be a better way.

Of course, a better way can be found in any grocery store. Many of us have bought cake mixes and added an egg and oil to the dry ingredients.

But Denisse thought there should be something better than a supermarket mix cake. She partnered with a team of pastry chefs to create high-end pre-measured baking kits.

So give the gift of baking to a cake enthusiast. She or he will create something delicious and also foolproof.

And hopefully, and some point there will be a slice in it for you.
 
 
> The history of cake.
 
 
> The history of cake pans.
 
 
> The different types of cakes: a photo glossary.

[1] Chai Tea Cake with cream cheese frosting (all photos © Damask Cakes).

[2] The packages have all the ingredients you need.

[3] The most popular flavor—no surprise—chocolate.

[4] Peanut Butter Cup Cake includes Justin’s peanut butter and peanut butter cups.

[5] Red velvet cake crumbs are included to garnish the frosting.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Pillowy, chewy nuggets of strawberry Mochi Gummies (all photos © Issei Mochi Gummies).

[2] Each package is 1.76 ounces (50 grams).

[3] Use mochi gummies to decorate cakes, cupcakes, and ice cream.

[4] Mochi Gummies garnish an ice cream cone.

Mika Shino, creator of Mochi Gummies (pronounced MOE-chee), explains why she made her all-natural, chewy gummy candies, that are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, gelatin-free, nut-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, and certified kosher by KOF-K.

Her kids love gummy candies: gummy bears, gummy worms, sour gummies.

But Mika was frustrated by the junk ingredients: “Chemical and artificial laden candies made with animal-derived gelatin did not make me feel good as a parent,” she says.

“I thought there had to be a better way for my children to have something they loved—a chewy candy without all the bad stuff.”

So she made her own!

“I started to experiment with the time-honored tradition of [Japanee] mochi cakes at home, baking them longer, adding different ingredients, drawing from my own Japanese heritage, and relying on the chewy texture of rice flour,” she relates.

She then brought in professional food scientists.

“We did hundreds of trials to carefully create our Issei Mochi Gummies with the best and cleanest ingredients so that you can feel good treating yourself and your family with a snack.”

Kids or no kids, these gummies are addictive. As a fan of all the gelatin-based gummies—worms, bears, sharks, anything—we are happy to switch to Mochi Gummies.

They were a huge hit with her kids and their friends, and Issei Mochi Gummies was born.

As an adult and a foodie, we appreciate the softer, craveable chew and the natural flavors: Mango, Strawberry, and Vanilla.

The company name, Issei, refers to the first generation of Japanese immigrants to come to the U.S.

“I hope these little morsels will bring joy to you and to your family,” says Mika.

They do!!

They’re packaged in single-serving sizes, perfectly portioned, great for stocking stuffers, party favors, and snacks on the go.

The packages are elegant, and fit into a pocket.
 
 
GET YOUR MOCHI GUMMIES

Head to the company website or to Amazon.
 
 
> National Snack Day is March 4th.

> National Mochi Day is August 8th.

> National Candy Day is November 4th.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.