Confession time: When we were much, much younger and much less worldly, we had a little bit of truffle confusion. We couldn't figure out how the little spinkle-covered chocolate balls got into the ground for the pigs to sniff them out. And why would pigs like chocolate anyway?
Fun times.
Now, of course, we're set straight on the natural vs. man-made truffle conundrum. So when Eleanor Joseph Confections showed up at a recent culinary event with pounds of apricot and raspberry truffles and cute little wine pairing medallions, we had to give them a taste. The truffles were super thick and sinfully rich. There was just a hint of raspberry -- not the kind of sugary faux-fruit taste you usually get with flavored chocolates.
They come in a dozen or so flavors, including Aphrodisia (cinnamon and chili) and Champagne. Special flavors are available through their Truffle of the Month club.
Wine pairing chocolates, and where to get them, after the jump!
Joseph's wine pairing medallions are thin chocolate "coins" meant to be enjoyed with a glass of vino. Each medallion is in a color-coded wrapper, so you know what kind of chocolate pairs with which wine. The lighter the wrapper, the lighter the wine.
Gold and Pink are for white wines, while Fuschia and Purple pair well with Petite Syrah/Merlot and Cabernet/Pinot Noir, respectively. The cacao content goes up as the wine gets darker, with Purple topping out at 66% cacao. You can now find the medallions at Valley Whole Foods stores (along with the truffles), or at Su Vino Winery and Arcadia Fine Wine in Scottsdale.
Don't feel guilty about the calories. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that help fight free radicals and stave off aging, and a glass of wine a day can reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. So that fistful of dark chocolate medallions and glass of Cabernet you'll be downing tonight are totally healthy! Wink, wink.
