Minds may be wandering to Halloween candy at this time of year, but we’ve found our favorite treat: a box of chocolates from North South Confections.

These are not your typical box of artisan chocolates; but rather, the best combination of fruit, caramel and chocolate we’ve ever tasted.

Chocolatier Justine Pringle starts with 100% fresh fruit pureés, caramelizes them, and then infuses them with either white or milk chocolate. They are then enrobed in 70% cacao dark chocolate.

The results are spectacular.

The company’s first collection is called Fruits Both Familiar and Curious. It is $52 for 12 pieces, and worth every cent.

So treat yourself. The gift box alone is a gorgeous keeper.

After we consumed the first box, we couldn’t wait to order more.
 
 
AN AWARD WINNING CHOCOLATIER

These chocolate tastes of heaven are the creation of Justine Pringle, a Danish-South African chocolatier who now lives in New York City.

Justine has been named one of the “Top Ten Chocolatiers in North America” by Dessert Professional Magazine.

Prior to starting North South Confections she created the award-winning Nunu Chocolates, which was named “Top Ten Chocolates” by New York Magazine and one of Bon Appetit’s “Best Chocolates in America.” It was also a named a Top Pick Of The Week by THE NIBBLE.

Needless to say, Justine has a great chocolate pedigree. Growing up in Copenhagen, Johannesburg, and Geneva (where she ate chocolate every single day, she wants you to know), she has a cultured palate that’s reflected in the variety of flavors she selects.
 
 
THE NORTH SOUTH CONFECTIONS CHOCOLATES

The mix of both familiar and curious fruits include two pieces each of:

 
What’s graviola? Also known as soursop or Brazilian paw paw, it’s the fruit of the Annona muricata evergreen tree. It’s the same genus as cherimoya (also known as the custard apple).

 
Naranjilla, a.k.a. naranjillo and the lulo fruit, is fondly called “the gold of the Andes.” Its flavor is reminiscent of a fusion of lime and rhubarb.

 
 
GET YOURS NOW

You deserve a box of these palate pleasers; and we wager that you’ll want another box as soon as you finish the first.

Head to North South Confections.
 
 
> KNOW YOUR CHOCOLATE: A GLOSSARY OF TYPES & TERMS
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE

[1] The photo doesn’t show how gorgeous the gift box is. The lid closes with a hidden magnet. We re-purposed our box to hold jewelry; but keepsakes, letters or anything precious are a natural fit (all photos © North South Confections).

[2] It’s hard to pick a favorite flavor among the six, but the edge goes to Passion Fruit.

[3] The flavor called Naranjillo means “little orange,” but the fruit, fondly called “the gold of the Andes,” tastes like a fusion of lime and rhubarb.

[4] Strawberry, a popular fruit, is even more splendid when caramelized and mixed with chocolate.

[1] A seasonal snack: Pumpkin Spice Latte ice pops (photo © Zoku).

[2] Instant espresso powder has many uses. Check them out (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[3] Look for instant espresso powder in your grocer’s coffee aisle (photo © Medaglia d’Oro).

This seasonal ice cream pop recipe comes to us from Zoku, the leader in creative ice pop molds.

Check out their 21 different ice pop designs.

Don’t call these ice cream pops Popsicles, however.

Popsicle© is a trademarked term referring to a single brand—the one that produces those long, thin icy treats (the history of Popsicles).

Anything else is simply (and legally) an ice pop. If it’s made with milk and/or cream, like this recipe, it’s an ice cream pop.

> More pumpkin spice recipes.
 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE ICE CREAM POPS

Take the season’s favorite coffee flavor and turn it into an ice cream pop.

Ingredients For 6 Pops

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the base. In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant espresso granules with the water until the granules are completely dissolved.

2. WHISK in the sugar, vanilla, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and heavy cream until thoroughly combined and smooth.

3. CHILL the mixture (if not chilled, the pops will take longer to freeze)

4. ASSEMBLE: Insert the sticks and pour the pumpkin spice latte base into the molds, until you reach the fill line. Let them freeze completely.

5. REMOVE the pops and enjoy your sweet treat.
 
 
USES FOR ESPRESSO POWDER

If you don’t want to buy instant espresso powder just for this recipe, don’t worry: You can use it in so many different recipes.

It enhances any baked chocolate recipe, as well as rubs for steak, enhancements for salad dressings and salads, and even oatmeal.

Check out 12 different espresso powder uses here.

You can also, of course, make a cup of instant espresso.

In fact, espresso powder was invented for that purpose. Then, cooks discovered that it could add great pops of flavor to many different recipes.
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ESPRESSO

October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month.

It’s also The Nibble’s unofficial holiday, Pumpkin Spice Month.

We’re very fond of this Maple Pumpkin Spice Pecan Popcorn recipe.

But here’s something simpler, Pumpkin Spice Popcorn that uses ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

It’s a sweet treat, with the added benefit of lots of fiber from whole-grain popcorn (the benefits of whole grains).

And it’s gluten-free!

In addition to out-of-the-bowl, you can use this sweet popcorn:

 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN SPICE POPCORN
 
Ingredients For 8 Cups

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the popped corn into a large bowl. Melt the butter and add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

2. DRIZZLE over the popcorn and toss until well coated.
 
 
MORE SEASONAL POPCORN RECIPES

 
 
OTHER USES FOR POPCORN

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF POPCORN

[1] Whip up some pumpkin spice popcorn and put on a movie (photo © Popcorn Board).

[2] How old is your cinnamon? Give it a sniff: If it isn’t redolent of spicy cinnamon aroma, it may be time to buy a new jar (photo © McCormick).

[3] We prefer to grate nutmeg each time we need some, in order to get the brightest nutmeg flavor. Buy some nuts (that’s why it’s called nut-meg) and try it (photo © McCormick).

[1] This gouda from Basiron in Holland is infused with pesto. Get it at iGourmet (photo © iGourmet).

[2] Coupole, from Vermont Creamery, is one of our favorite goat cheeses. The brain-like surface is caused by Geotrichum candidum, a fungus that colonizes nearly all fungal surface-ripened cheeses during the early stages of ripening. Here’s more about it. Get Coupole at Murray’s Cheese (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[3] Huntsman, from the U.K., the marriage of two British classics, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton. Double Gloucester is comparable to the finest cheddar. The layer of blue cheese “veins” from the Stilton is creepy. Get Huntsman at iGourmet (photo © iGourmet).

[4] If the Great Pumpkin were a cheese, it would be Mimolette. It’s from France but made in the tradition of Dutch Edam. You can find it at Murray’s Cheese (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[5] Basiron Goudas are the finest specialty Gouda cheeses from Holland: creamy Goudas with creative ingredients and colors—some 30 varieties! (photo © MAAZ Cheese B.V.).

No trick, just treat:

Put together a Halloween cheese plate and pop the cork on a bottle of wine or two.

This selection of cheeses belong in your Halloween tasting.

For dessert, a chocolate follow-up is the finale to your treat. Chocolate and cheese are a great pairing.

Here are two ways to pair chocolate and cheese:

 
 
HALLOWEEN CHEESES

In addition to the cheeses highlighted in the photos, check out this article for spooky cheeses:

 
Also consider:

 
FOOD TRIVIA: A lover of cheese is a turophile (TOO-row-file).
 
 
HALLOWEEN CONDIMENTS

For your cheese plate condiments, consider:

 
 
PUTTING TOGETHER A HALLOWEEN CHEESES BOARD

1. Start with a selection of frightful cheeses. If you’re not a goat cheese fan (maybe you’ve never had one as good as Vermont Creamery’s?), see the Halloween cheeses above for other suggestions.

2. Set the tone with a dark cheese board. We love the “gravestone” look of a gray slate board (see photo #4).

3. Add pairings such as dark olives (especially wrinkled ones), dark dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, raisins) and toasted pumpkin seeds. Slices of dark rye bread and crackers studded with dried fruit and seeds suit the scary season.

4. Decorate with dried moss and these simple DIY ghostly maple leaves (or oak, or elm, etc.) from the wonderfully creative folks at Sweet Paul.

5. Drip some honey (consider spicy honey!) over the edges for more creepiness. This works best with one board or platter that sits on top of a larger one, so the honey drip has a neat landing spot.

6. Place the crackers and breads around the larger platter.
 
 
HALLOWEEN CHEESE RECIPES

 
 
MORE HALLOWEEN

> The History Of Halloween

> The History Of The Jack O’Lantern

> The History Of Trick-Or Treating & Halloween Candy

________________

*Most washed-rind cheeses are pungent with a “spooky” orange rind. The color (orange to ruby red), texture and aroma are caused by the bacterium Brevibacterium linens. Époisses is the most famous example, but there are many delicious options.

We love the creativity and fun of this apple cider cocktail, served in a fresh apple.

The recipe was developed by Eastern Standard Provisions, which sells the soft pretzels in the photo as well as the French Toast Sugar used for the rim.

(Here’s our review of their yummy line of soft pretzels in classic and unusual shapes.)

We like this apple cider cocktail with brunch or as an after-dinner drink or dessert substitute.

The sweet sugar rim is satisfying instead of dessert, and of course, the apple should be eaten when the drink is gone.
 
 
OTHER WAYS TO USE THE APPLE SERVING CUPS

Don’t want a vanilla-cider cocktail? Here are some other options to use an apple cup:

 
 
RECIPE: CIDER COCKTAIL IN A FRESH APPLE

Ingredients For 6 Drinks

 
Preparation

1. POUR the French Toast Sugar onto a clean plate, and wet rim of the apple cups with maple syrup. Place the rim apple cup into the sugar and twist to coat the rim.

2. FILL a shaker with ice, apple pie liqueur, vanilla vodka, apple juice and allspice. Shake well.

3. POUR the cider cocktail into apple cups, garnish with cinnamon sticks, and enjoy!
 
 
ALTERNATIVE TO CINNAMON STICKS

Cinnamon sticks and cassia sticks (here’s the difference; also see the photos) are pricey.

We really don’t like using them because they’re a garnish that isn’t eaten; it just gets thrown away unless you know that you can wash and reuse them.

 
You can substitute star anise, or an orange orange peel curl, for the cinnamon‡‡ sticks.

[1] An edible drinks glass: first drink up, then eat the apple (photos #1 and #2 and recipe © Eastern Standard Provisions).

[2] Eastern Standard Provisions French Toast Sugar is one of several flavored sugars they sell to top pretzels (there are flavored salts, as well).

[3] Ambrosia apples are slow to brown (photo © Stemilt Growers).

[4] Gala is another apple variety that is slow to brown. See the footnote† (photo © Good Eggs).

*To make cinnamon sugar, thoroughly combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. To approximate Eastern Provisions’ French Toast Sugar, use vanilla sugar instead of table sugar, and substitute 2 tablespoons of the vanilla sugar with 2 tablespoons of maple sugar.

†Chose a red apple variety with low or no browning: Ambrosia, Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Gala. Here’s why apples turn brown.

‡ A substitute for vanilla vodka is 1 cup regular vodka and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

‡‡ You’re probably buying cassia, not real cinnamon. Check out the difference.