Small Bites: 3 new haut chocolates from Vosges and 100 top wines for $15 or less

Vosges Haut-Chocolat introduces three new flavors for fall. And Wine Enthusiast Magazine releases its Top 100 Best Buys for 2012.

Dessert with a capital D is only a sometime thing here at Blue Kitchen, but we do like to keep chocolate on hand. Just a square or two after dinner gives the meal a sweet finish without committing to a big, calorie-laden slice or scoop of anything. So when artisanal chocolatier Vosges Haut-Chocolat invited us to join its VIP Blogger Program, we were more than happy to oblige.

A couple of perks of the program are preview announcements of new flavors and—more to the chocolate-loving point—occasional samples of those new flavors. Case in point are three new chocolate bars for fall.

The Crispy Carrot Bar delivers the sweet crunch of oven-crisped confit carrots with Valencia oranges and 45% cacao milk chocolate. The Red Fire Caramel Bar packs some of the subtle heat Vosges founder Katrina Markoff is known for adding to many of her creations. A burnt sugar caramel filling combines Mexican ancho and chipotle chillies and Ceylon cinnamon; it’s wrapped in 62% cacao dark chocolate. Our favorite of the bunch is Smoked Banana Caramel Chocolate Bar. Smoked bananas and Alderwood smoked salt are blended into soft caramel and tucked it into the pockets of a 72% cacao dark chocolate bar. It tastes like an awesome adults-only summer camp. That serves martinis.

You can find these new Vosges flavors and more, including a store locator and online ordering, at the Vosges Haut-Chocolat website.

Great wines, great prices: Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s
Top 100 Best Buys 2012

If I had a nickel for every time I walked into a wine store and asked, “What’s a great bottle of wine for around $15?”—well, I probably wouldn’t have to be shopping for $15 wines. But it’s a question asked daily by bargain-conscious wine lovers everywhere.

To help answer it, Wine Enthusiast Magazine just released its official list of the top 100 wines for 15 bucks or less for 2012. The average price is a little over $12, but plenty clock in at the $8 to $10 range.

Wines of 15 countries are represented, as are 30 grape varieties. And well known wineries share space with more obscure labels. Each listing includes a short description of the wine and a point rating. The list isn’t organized by varietal or country of origin or even the alphabet, but that makes discovering new wines to try even more fun. You can find the complete list, including a downloadable (and printable and carryable to the wine store) PDF, at the Wine Enthusiast Magazine website.

2 thoughts on “Small Bites: 3 new haut chocolates from Vosges and 100 top wines for $15 or less

  1. Had a look at the website. Hopefully the new Whole Foods opening up nearby will carry them. Otherwise Ill have to wait until my next trip to the US in January. They look divine!

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