Sugar Savvy

If you have not already been made aware of the recent push by the FDA to allow MOCKOLATE to be passed of as CHOCOLATE, Cybele at Candy Blog has been doing an applaudable job of spreading the word and encouraging us all to voice our disapproval (or, alternatively, your support, in the case that you enjoy eating “chocolate” products containing no cocoa butter whatsoever and plenty of trans-fats – but hey, that’s your prerogative…)Go to her site to read more. She’s even offering a raffle prize of GOOD CHOCOLATE as extra incentive to speak out on the issue.

In the meantime, may the following report on a PURE CHOCOLATE by one of our nation’s finest producers of PURE CHOCOLATE provide inspiration to tell the FDA to KEEP IT REAL.

My brother’s new girlfriend is cool.

You might be asking yourself what this has to do with chocolate.

I’ll tell you. You see, just prior to her and my brother’s visit to me in Portland last week, she had toured Theo Chocolates in Seattle (where they live) as a location for a “work-related” event. And I, being one of the primary beneficiaries of this grueling research project of hers, was not complaining. During her visit last week, we conducted a somewhat informal yet earnest tasting of her tour acquisitions. The subjects of our tasting included every single one of the Theo Origin Bars and 3400 Phinney Bars as well as the Nib Brittle.

I will comment on the different bars in a future post, but for now, I’d like to focus on one item that left a profound impression: Theo Nib Brittle – enrobed in dark chocolate.

Wrapped in a clear cellophane bag, the packaging is much simpler than the rest of highly designed Theo line: four thick slabs of what appeared to be an English toffee – but much earthier in taste and texture. The smoothness of the dark chocolate coating provides the perfect foil to the wallop of pure, cacao glory embedded in a light toffee coating. The crunchy nib toffee has an almost smoky richness, and simultaneously satisfied my yen for chocolate and caramelized, salty/sugary crunch.

I really like it. In fact, I like it more with each carefully rationed nibble. Hey…NIB-ble. Get it?

Because my tasting partners did not find this nearly as swoon-worthy as I did, I was awarded guardianship of the remaining nibs (again, with no complaints). (This one will NOT be added to my public domain candy box and will instead be reserved only for those I deem worthy, FYI.)

When our friend’s parents returned to their condo (the locale of our sampling) late at night to find us in the den with 10 or more opened chocolate bars spread upon the ottoman, we were instantly sixteen years old, caught in the act with the goods in full display and tell-tale brown smudges about our gaping mouths.

I guess it’s a sign of age that my current drug of choice is, happily, very legal (and cheaper and more attainable) than when I was sixteen.

Nib Brittle, Enrobed:(1 year shelf), 4oz. bag, $9.00 - can be ordered through company’s website.