Does The Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program get any better than reviewing the newest line of chocolates from one of America's longest running chocolate manufacturers, Ghirardelli? No, it does not. Foodbuzz says, "Would you like to receive some new Ghirarhelli Luxe 100% All Natural Chocolates in the mail and then write a review post about it?" Oh jeez, I don't know. Do I want to savor the creamy, finespun textures of luxe chocolates and then expound verbally upon them? Yes I do.
Ghirardelli is a San Francisco-based company which has been refining mass-market chocolates for the past 150 years. Ghirardelli's Chocolate Squares are hard to resist at the drug store counter and the large assorted bags are most excellent for holiday gifts having given and happily received several myself. My particular favorite Ghirardelli chocolate items to date are their baking line of chips and chocolates reasonably priced for an upgrade in quality and flavor. However, my 'favorite' compartment might have to make some room for Ghirardelli's new line of Luxe Milk Chocolate squares and 3 oz. bars. Pictured above are the three flavors of Luxe Milk, Luxe Milk Hazelnut, and Luxe Milk Almond provided to the Foodbuzz Tastemakers for review. Having to choose a favored flavor among these all-natural, crafted, milk chocolate confections is like having to choose a favorite child or pet, i.e. it's not easy. Yet if my arm were to be twisted to choose, the Luxe Hazelnut had my heart and tastebuds from the first bite. In fact, I nibbled my way through the square to prolong my indulgence for as long as possible. In addition to tasting, Tastemakers were asked if Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolate inspired any homespun recipes and in fact, they did. Check out my White Pecan Pumpkin Cookies using Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips and find out how my time with the Luxe line turned into an autumnal cookie.
The Luxe Milk Chocolate Tasting Plate.
What separates the Luxe line from other Ghirardelli chocolates as well as other top-tier brand chocolates are the handful of selected exceptional, all-natural ingredients used to make the milk chocolates luxe. For example, the Luxe Milk Hazelnut ingredients list reads thusly, "Milk chocolate (sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin-an emulsifier, vanilla), hazelnuts. May contain trace amounts of peanuts." As Americans continually move towards more whole and natural foods in every facet of their diets, Ghirardelli is making sure your sweet luxiourus retreat isn't left out of the new wave of healthier eating. My advice to all chocolate lovers is to definitely pick up a Luxe Milk Chocolate square or bar and taste the culitivated difference all natural makes.
1 Comment »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL
The Chocolate Priestess
October 21, 2010 @ 11:41 amGhiradelli sent me coupons to try this new line but my Halloween Treat Challenge has been the focus of this month. Plus I can only find 3 of the 5 flavors so far and may have to venture clear against town in the hopes of finding one or two of the remaining flavors. It’s hard for folks to buy your product when we can’t find it very easily.