Bacon+Salt+Chocolate=Vosges

I'm lucky enough to work near the Vosges SoHo shop on Spring Street and recently the company's window signage was heralding a new entry in its "Exotic Candy Bar" line: Mo's Bacon Bar. Initially I thought how strange an idea that was for a chocolate bar but when I really thought about it, how different is it from a meal you might have with pancakes, bacon and syrup--sweet with meat? So I headed to my little "Haut-Chocolat Boutique" to check out the goods (Vosges' newest enticing treats include a cheese and chocolate truffle combination which includes balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Sicilian sea salt and Tuscan fennel pollen!). Mo's Bacon Bar's ingredients are Applewood smoked bacon, Alder wood smoked salt, and deep milk chocolate. Not much not to like there. Finally home, it was time to try the porky sweet. My first taste was of the bacon--they certainly didn't skimp on the meat. The chocolate blends very well with the bacon and then one gets the crunch of the smoked salt to top it all off. I found myself wanting more and in fact had to put it away before I pigged out and ate the entire bar. I have to admit that this is by far my most favorite of Vosges' exotic candy bar line of which I've had mixed results (Red Fire/good--Black Pearl/not good). At $7.00 a bar, it's not cheap but if you want something different--very different, Mo's should be your choice.


www.vosgeschocolate.com

What's Big, Chocolatey & Mean? Java Monster, Of Course

I'm not big on energy drinks. With few exceptions, most of them are filled with loads of sugar as well as other ingredients (chemicals?) that I cannot pronounce or spell, and they taste like cough medicine. When I do feel the "need for speed," I usually grab a can of Rockstar Zero or Lo-Carb Monster Energy. As anyone who checks out this blog knows, I do love coffee and Monster has come up big with Java Monster, a three-can selection of morning brews that taste absolutely delicious. First of all, they blow the metal off of the puny and overpriced fancypants Starbucks iced frappacrappochinos or doubleshots, and at a 15 ounce size are a much better bargain your average canned iced coffees. Java's selection includes the scarily named "Big Black," a strong coffee-flavored drink for the "I'll take mine black" imbibers; French Vanilla is the main ingredient in "Mean Bean"; while "Loca Moca" has more of a chocolately mild flavor. They're all worthwhile to try out and you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. You can now have your coffee and get a doubleshot of caffeine to really wake yourself up for your important and special job. Two big black jumpy beans up from me, Hansen Beverage Company. Well done.

Tassimo: Starbuck-ing The Trend?

I love my Tassimo coffee maker but I'm quite envious of the Keurig machine which has such top-notch brands as Gloria Jean's, Van Houtte, Caribou, and Timothy's, in their stable of K-Cups. Tassimo, on the other hand, has Gevalia, Maxwell House, Kenco, and Nabob (who??) representing their T Discs. Because I'm so desperate to validate my purchase of the Tassimo, I'm actually looking forward to the Starbucks that Tassimo is adding to its list of available T Discs. Soon I'll get to drink Starbucks' House Blend, Breakfast Blend, Adrica Kitamu, and Caffee Verona for less than $5.00 a cup (I hope). However they taste, it'll be an improvement for the embattled Tassimo. Let's hope Kraft Foods makes some more deals with other companies to get some more decent beverages for its machine. How about some New England Coffee?