chocolate

i get the vosges catalog in the mail every few months, because i ordered some bars and some truffles for jak a while ago, and they were all delicious, but there is something missing when you buy truffles online. maybe its the visual pleasure of looking in the display case, or the sweet smell of a chocolate shop, or the instant gratification of buying it and tasting it, or the freshness. perhaps it's the ability to chose the very exactly ones you want, and the ability to exclude all milk chocolate intruders.

but bars are easier, somehow the expectation level is less, and sometimes those expectations are exceeded. the bars i got were black pearl and naga, i can not say enough about the luscious mix of sweet curry, coconut, and chocolate, and i didn't mind at all that it was "deep milk" and not dark chocolate, dark chocolate would have been too intense.

the wasasbi, black sesame, ginger was wonderful too, but it was much more subtle, the kind you want to melt in your mouth slowly and savor every once in awhile. not the kind you want to eat all at once and then bathe in a big vat of, like the naga.

i am curious about the red fire bar, and the oaxaca* and anything with chocolate AND salt sounds mouth watering. i can't really say that there's anything in their catalog that i don't want to try.

they have exotic ice creams too. when i was in indonesia i was addicted to black rice pudding. the key mystery ingredient in black rice pudding is pandan leaf, which i won't even try to describe, but if you live anywhere near a vosges haut-chocolat go try some and tell me all about it.

what i have been really curious about (because i have read several bloggers and floggers (food blogers) posts about it) is: fleur de sel caramels. does that alone, just the words, not sound amazing? i guess i am a friend of the salt, and a friend of the caramel, and the two together is just too intriguing. apparently recchiuti confections in san francisco does it right, and $20 is not that much to satisfy this barely contained curiosity, but i have yet to come up with a reasonable enough excuse to go through with an actual purchase. i was thinking that maybe they might make a nice gift, for the upcoming holidays.... i could order two boxes so we can try them out and then make the second one a gift (to someone who likes to share) maybe i might order some of these too while i'm at it (and give them to someone else who likes to share)

*update
i stumbled upon a whole selection of vosges bars when i was at DiBruno's the other day. i splurged and bought a oaxaca bar. it is SPICY, it has a wonderful chile taste and a nice warm afterburn, not an everyday flavor, but a very special taste sensation.