Broguiere's Egg Nog

It's not often that I dedicate a review -- but with this one, I have to give a special shout out to Doug who runs the the O.K. Corral Ostrich Farm. You might have seen Doug on Dirty Jobs or Modern Marvels. Or perhaps you've even been lucky enough to try some of his ostrich meat or eggs. The reason this review this is dedicated to Doug is because he and I have been email pals for about the last year, and one of the things we've talked about a lot is our shared love of Broguiere's products.

Anyway, I have been looking forward to trying this since last year when Doug -- along with many other readers, as well as literally hundreds of online mini-reviews -- proclaimed Broguiere's to be quite possibly the best egg nog in the world. Really, how could I possibly not want to try that? Unfortunately for me, by the time I decided to, it was so late in the season that there was simply no more of the egg nog on the shelves. Broguiere's only produces egg nog for a brief, seasonal production run each year...and when its gone for the year, it's gone. In my area there are few stores that even carry it. I also live 34 miles from the location of their own drive-thru store; which, with Southern California traffic, is more than just a bit of a nuisance. However, if you are close to Montebello, California (in the greater Los Angeles area) it is possible to get it directly from them in greater quantities than you can from a typical retail location.



As with all of Broguiere's products, it comes in an old fashioned heavy glass bottle. The color of the nog is a rich buttery yellow, with little specks of spice sprinkled throughout. And before you even take a sip, you can see it's easily twice as thick as any other egg nog you're likely to have tried.

Tastewise, it lives up to every single bit of hype. It's extremely creamy, and like all the other Broguiere's products that I have tried, it leaves the same fatty, rich film in your mouth that a premium ice cream does. There are notes of vanilla and nutmeg. Maybe a touch of cinnamon too. But what it really tasted like to me was a super quality butterscotch. I'll bet a touch of dark rum added to this nog would make a fantastic adult treat -- but even drunk straight from its 1950's Leave it to Beaver-looking bottle, it's sinfully good.



I think even if you've been a horrible brat throughout the year, if you leave this for Santa, you could bribe your way into getting that new Wii.

Bottom line -- this is simply the Best Egg Nog EVER! It's even better than the Southern Comfort egg nogs I reviewed last year, and make no mistake, I still love those too.

Plagiarizing from myself here, but...I know that for those of you outside of Southern California, this review may be something of a tease. But you ought to search out local dairies in your own area that sell products like this. The difference between this and the highly processed stuff you're probably used to drinking is amazing, and worth whatever it takes to hunt it down.



PURCHASED FROM:
Vons Supermarket

PRICE:
$5.39 per quart bottle (price includes $2 bottle deposit, which is refundable when empty bottle is returned).

ADDITIONAL INFO:
None on the bottle, but the cap advises you to call (323) 726-0524 for nutritional info.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
Talk about old school...if they have a web site, I couldn't find it. But they do have a Yelp page here, most of whose reviews are even droolier than mine.

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your gobbles be tasty... and hopefully free of cat hair.

XO,
Gigi

Kosher for Passover Week

I've recently gotten a lot of requests to do a kosher week. Being the giver that I am, I of course agreed and set to work on planning one out. And since it is Passover time, I thought that I would do kosher week based around that.

For those of you who may not know what Passover is, it's an eight-day Jewish observance that commemorates the Jewish slaves who fled Egypt under the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II. Honestly, the shortest, easiest way for me to explain Passover might be to suggest you go rent The Ten Commandments, skip to about the middle of the movie, and let Charlton Heston do all the heavy lifting -- but I am going to give this a shot anyway. I warn you in advance: I may not be 100% accurate on everything, and I am of course going to throw my own touch on things. For more detailed and in-depth info, I suggest speaking to a Jewish friend, your local rabbi, or checking out a site such as chabad.org.

Basically, after the Israelite slaves lived some pretty miserable lives (as we all know, slavery is not exactly a trip to Disney World), a Jewish man named Moses (played by good ol' Charlton Heston in the movie) -- much like the Blues Brothers many centuries later -- was given a mission from G-d. ("G-d" is not a typo, BTW: it is Jewish custom not to write out the name of God or the Lord in full, because if it is written it may also be destroyed, erased, etc. Thus it could possibly be considered to have taken the Lord's name in vain, which is forbidden by the Commandments. So, out of respect, I am keeping it real).

Moses was told that he should go to the Pharaoh and demand that his people be freed. Naturally, simply freeing the slaves would have been way too easy. There was a lot of back and forth between Moses and the Pharaoh that basically came down to this (with completely historically accurate dialog, I am sure)...

Moses: Let my people go!
Pharaoh: Yeah, nyuh-huh, I'm not really feeling that...
Moses: I'm asking nicely.
Pharaoh: Well then, I'll answer nicely...NO!
Moses: Yeah well, do it or you'll be sorry!
Pharaoh: What part of "NO!" didn't you understand, little man?
Moses: Do it or there is gonna be some serious smack laid down from above!
Pharaoh: Bring it!
Moses: Oh, it is on! It is on like Donkey Kong!

OK, OK, I Know they didn't have Donkey Kong 3,000 years ago. But in terms of video game technology ,it may as well be that old, so let's just pretend. Anyway, true to his word, G-d brought it on in the form of ten different plagues -- some seriously messed up, Life After People style plagues that included:

1. Blood
2. Frogs
3. Lice
4. Flies
5. Diseased cattle
6. Boils
7. Hail
8. Locusts
9. Darkness
10. Slaying of the first born

To protect them and to convince the Pharaoh to set them free, the Jews were told to mark their homes with lamb's blood so they wouldn't be afflicted. (They were also allowed to eat the meat of the lamb, but there were specific rules for it -- and it's best to Google that for yourself, or we will be here all of eight days.) This is actually how the holiday came to have its name, because the homes of the Jews were "passed over." Moses tried talking sense to the Pharaoh after each plague, but Pharaoh held his ground until the last one. By then, even he had had enough, and he finally agreed to let the slaves go...well, sort of.

Even so, the Jews had already learned the hard way that Pharaoh was about as nice a guy as Darth Vader, and probably about as trustworthy. Understandably, they didn't feel the need to hang around lest Pharaoh suddenly change his mind and go completely postal, so they got out while the getting was good. They left so fast that they didn't even bother to bake the bread that they'd prepared the dough for, instead opting to take it with them. During their journey they would bake the dough into thin crackers called matzohs. (And of course we still have matzohs today.)

Pharaoh, being the vindictive backstabber that he was, had his army follow the Jews across Egypt. They got as far as the Red Sea, and at that point the Jews were trapped. The Egyptians thought this thing was finally going to end in their flavor -- when there was a miracle. In the movie it appears as if G-d helps Moses to use The Force to part the Red Sea, the Jews crossed the over the exposed seabed, and Pharaoh's army stood there looking much like I assume we all would if a giant body of water had suddenly parted down the middle. The Jews safely crossed, the Red Sea become a solid body of water again, and the swelling waters quickly laid waste to Pharaoh's troops. (OK, OK, so officially it wasn't The Force that parted the water -- but you gotta admit my version sounds pretty cool.) The slaves realized at that point that they were truly free. The event is commemorated with an elaborate dinner called a Seder. (There are actually many events that go along with it, but we are going to concentrate on the dinner.)

A Seder has its own set of rules for what can and can't be eaten. First, before Passover commences, the house must be cleansed of all foods containing yeast (chometz). The chometz can be eaten before Passover begins, or can be given to non-Jewish friends. Or it can simply be burned. No yeasts or leavening can be eaten during Passover. (This is to commemorate the fact that the slaves fled with only unleavened dough). Of course, all of the food you could consume would be kosher (check out this link for an explanation of what kosher means). But because the holiday food additionally must not contain any chometz, anything consumed during Passover (assuming it's a commercially made product) must be specifically marked as "Kosher for Passover." Basically, think of it like this: Kosher for Passover compared to just kosher is like what Batman is to Bruce Wayne. They are both the same guy, but when he's Batman there is a little extra somethin' somethin'.

A Seder dinner actually has whats called a "Seder plate" of symbolic foods that are eaten in a specific order along the course of the meal. The items on a Seder plate are:

* Charoseth. A mix of chopped walnuts, wine, cinnamon and apples. Its purpose is to symbolize the mortar that the slaves made to make the Pharaoh's bricks. On a personal note, this is actually my favorite part of the plate. I have had some homemade versions that were excellent.

* Salted Parsley. This symbolizes the tears of the slaves, and also spring.

* Hard boiled egg. Spring once again.

* Shank bone. This represent the lambs that were sacrificed for their blood and their meat.

* Bitter herbs. Every Seder I have been to has served horseradish, although other bitter/pungent items are sometimes used instead. It symbolizes the bitterness of slavery.

My original thought had been to do reviews of the items on the Seder plate. But the items are pretty basic, and it's not like there are many shank bone goodies hanging around on store shelves. Instead, what I have decided to do is to focus on individual items that are commonly served at a Passover dinner, be it as a dessert, side item, or drink. All of the items are not only kosher, but are specifically kosher for Passover. I also tried to use things that are readily available nationwide (in the U.S. at least). I could have done more specialized items, but I wanted to be able to share some things that most people have probably at least heard of, if not seen or tried.

So with that, let's eat!

(And yes, I know Passover is actually the 30th, but we are taking some liberty time-wise.)

McDonald's Shamrock Shake

Once a year, McDonald's bestows upon us what a much younger Gigi thought was just the single coolest shake ever: The Shamrock Shake, in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

The Shamrock shake is a shade of bright green that reminds one of freshly rendered Leprechauns -- and, as you can probably guess, it is mint flavored. Until today, I don't think I have had one since roughly 2003.



The shake smells a bit like a breath mint..and actually it kinda tastes like one too. It reminds me a lot of those Starbright mints (the classic red and white swirled disk mints found often when leaving doctor's offices or restaurants). It's a brisk peppermint that is mixed with vanilla. It's good, but it's such a strong mint that it almost comes off as medicinal. Drinking this shake "straight" reminds me of why in the past I always preferred to have the Shamrock base mixed 50/50 with the chocolate shake. (I would have ordered it that way this time, but I considered that cheating on the review). Personally, I think the mint tastes much better mixed in with something else than it does on its own.



The texture is good. It's very thick, but still easy to get through the straw. It's a really aerated base, so it's almost fluffy at the same time.

I admit, Older Gigi is not nearly as fond of this shake as Younger Gigi was. (Although the addition of chocolate would have helped.) It's not bad, but kinda like an overly eager date -- it just comes off as trying too hard. If it were just a little more subtle, that would make a huge difference.



PURCHASED FROM:
McDonald's

PRICE:
$1.99 small size (12 oz)

CALORIES:
420 calories per 12 oz shake.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
mcdonalds.com

Dreyer's/Edy's Show Churned Light Egg Nog Ice Cream: Limited Edition

By now we all know that I am an egg nog addict. I love to drink it, I love things flavored with it, and I am glad for the sake of my weight -- I kinda like going through doorways without having to butter my hips first -- that it is only available once a year.

Egg nog ice cream is one of my favorite applications. I still remember the first time I had it: Winter of 1985, at a Baskin Robbins in Scottsdale, Arizona with my childhood best friend (a shout out to Mystery -- yes, that was really her name -- wherever you may be). It was love at first lick.

In my adulthood, my hands-down favorite version is the one made by Haagen-Dazs. But for some reason that can only be described as a major disruption in The Force, Haagen-Dazs didn't put out an egg nog this year. Quelle horreur! While my thighs may thank them, the rest of me is pouting.

Dreyer's, however, stood up and give us a Slow Churned light ice cream version. (Yes, they also did a full fat version. But it's a so-called "Fun Flavor," and we know how I feel about that...)

Anyway, it's only a week down to Christmas (and by proxy, two weeks to the end of egg nog season) and I am trying to get in as much 'nog as possible.

So, does this qualify as a decent application of egg nog? Let's find out...



First off, the smell is reassuring. It smells just like a freshly poured glass of the good stuff. But sadly, that is the highlight and it is all down hill from there. Yes, the smell is indeed a dead ringer for "real" egg nog. As for the flavor? Well, it's sort of like they tried to make a nutmeg-flavored wine cooler. And yes, that's every bit as bad as it sounds.

There's no custardy base. There's no vanilla sweetness. It's all spice...and a hint of what I can best call a faux-alcohol sensation of "warmth."

The flavor reminded me of egg nog only in the loosest possible sense. I am again going to fall back on nutmeg-flavored wine cooler as the best description. I couldn't finish my bowl, to tell you the truth.



The texture is perfectly smooth. Like the rest of the Slow Churned Light Ice Cream line, the mouthfeel is not the same as a full fat ice cream. You don't get that richness that coats your mouth. This is more like the texture of soft-serve. Airy and fluffy. But I happen to think that is the better way to go with light ice cream, and that is one of the things I think Dreyer's has nailed with the light line in general.

Too bad they've made such an unholy abomination of this particular flavor.



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Peeps: Chocolate Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Reindeer

Peeps are yet another example of classic candy that I have somehow managed not to review. For those unfamiliar, Peeps are a marshmallow candy that have a spongy interior and sort of a crusty top surface. I don't want to say "shell" or "exterior" because the candies are one solid -- for lack of a better word -- unit. The first, and still classic Peeps were shaped like small chicks and were yellow; hence the name.



But baby chickens don't exactly scream Christmas. So, in recent years the company has added different shapes. They now make a snowman, trees, and these cute little reindeer. These reindeer, in addition to being marshmallow, also have the distinction of being chocolate mousse flavored and have shocking red noses like Rudolph. No word on whether all of the other reindeer taunt them with peer pressure or let them play "reindeer games." (And I would hope that has nothing to do with the horrifyingly bad Ben Affleck movie of the same name.)



I have had the Cocoa Peeps before (although I did not review them), and they were basically a regular Peep that had been coated in cocoa powder. But they didn't really have a chocolate/cocoa taste to them at all. (And as far as I can tell from my Googling, they don't appear to have made it into the product line for 2009).

How did the Chocolate Mousse flavor compare?



The chocolate definitely stands out. It doesn't so much remind me of a chocolate mousse flavor as of a regular peep that had been marinated in chocolate syrup. It has that almost painfully sweet taste that chocolate syrup straight from the bottle can have. It's not that it tastes bad -- it's just that on top of the already sweet marshmallow of the Peep base, it's a bit much. I have a feeling that when the Peeps get a little stale (and yes, I am a member of the Stale Peeps fan club) the sweetness probably mellow (mallows?) out a little. The actual marshmallow base, in addition to being very sweet, also has a little vanilla flavor. Actually, there's just not a lot to say about them.



I also tried toasting the Peep. OK, admittedly I toasted the peep over a lighter, which left me feeling like I was freebasing candy and that the film crew from Intervention was going to be knocking on my door any minute -- but really, I did it for you guys. I did it because I care! I also did it that way because I don't own a flame barbecue, and my range top is electric.

The smell was wonderful! A rich caramelly, toasted marshmallow type smell. If you really watch as the Peep is toasting, you can "cook" it just long enough to caramelize the surface. The flavor changes completely. It sort of becomes like a s'more, minus the graham cracker.

I can't say I really liked the Peeps "raw" but I loved them "toasted."

Oh, and a cool but somewhat scary factoid from the all-knowing Peeps Wikipedia entry -- should you choose to believe it -- is that in 1999, scientists at Emory University performed various tests on Peeps to see what would and would not cause them to dissolve...and supposedly, no matter what they tried, the beady little eyes of the peeps were impervious to anything they threw at them, including sulfuric acid.

Sadly, as I have neither Dexter's lab facilities nor budget (pick whichever Dexter you prefer: the cartoon boy genius or the serial killer), I could not do much testing on my own. But during the "toasting," it was kinda creepy to note that no matter how long I held the flame directly to the eyes, they just wouldn't even bead from heat, let alone melt. Definitely freaky...



By the way: Did you ever notice that if you look at a Reindeer Peep turned upside down, it's like you're seeing the reindeer's rear end, and that the poor creature clearly suffers from very severe hemorrhoids? Just wondering.

Yeah, I actually liked these candies -- at least when toasted. I'm a freak, I know.



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Southern Comfort Vanilla Spice Egg Nog

I really loved the Southern Comfort Traditional Egg Nog, so when I saw that there was a second version, I had to try it.

The Vanilla Spice version is made with -- you guessed it -- vanilla, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and probably love. (Love is a spice, right?)




Well, if it's not, it should be...because I done loved me this h'yar egg nog! Just as in the Traditional version, the egg nog is thick and creamy. In terms of flavor, this version tastes as if the Traditional version had French kissed a delicious tub of vanilla frosting. Then as they kissed, the heavens sent down a dusty sprinkle of cinnamon rain.



This egg nog is sweeter than most, but it never crosses the line into "too sweet." It doesn't have the custardy quality the Traditional version has, but that's OK. It's simple and it's good. It almost reminds me of a liquid Loft House Sugar Cookie (but with added cinnamon).

If you want an egg nog that's different than the norm (but not pumpkin), this is great option.

Marvo loved it too when he reviewed it back in the olden days of 2006. You can read his review here.



PURCHASED FROM:

Albertsons Supermarket

Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

So this is the last post of mint week. And since we started with cookies, I thought we should end with cookies.

Last year when I fell in love with the Candy Cane Oreos, I got several suggestions that I should try Trader Joe's version: the Candy Cane Joe Joe's. I agreed but sadly, I couldn't get a box; I guess last year's batch was just that good.

But this year I made sure to get me some! (Wait, that sounded bad...)



Joe-Joe's come in a nice cardboard box and are sealed into in an Oreo style plastic tray inside. The box contains a pound of cookie goodness. The cookies themselves are chocolate wafer cookies. Nestled between the cookies is a layer of vanilla flavored cream, studded with actual pieces of candy canes! OK, the description sold me.

This is not going to be an easy challenge for Trader Joe. And since Oreo is pretty widely available, that is what I am going to use for comparisons sake.



The wafer is softer than its Oreo counterpart. I actually sort of liked that. The pieces broke off in sort of a flaky way. Texture-wise I really liked them. Flavor-wise...eh, not as much. The chocolate flavor is not as strong as the mass-market Oreo. I don't often say this about cookies, but I think it could benefit from a little salt. It's still tasty, but I thought the wafers were kind of bland.



The creme: It is a pretty looking filling. It's a delicate pastel pink, and you can actually see the candy bits. And speaking of the candy bits, I really liked the crunch. The pieces aren't big enough that you find yourself wondering why they didn't just throw the whole cane in. I know the creme is supposed to be vanilla flavored, but I didn't really pick that up. The creme is pretty smooth and the portion is generous (I would compare it more to a Double Stuffed Oreo than a regular Oreo)

The milk test: The wafer quickly becomes soggy -- which I love. And the sogginess makes the crunches pop even more, which was also good. I did like the cookies better in milk.

I know that Joe-Joe's have a hugely dedicated following, which I am now probably going to annoy...right...about...now...

I do give Trader Joe props for using ingredients that one can actually pronounce and that are probably Dwight Schrute approved and/or supplied (beet color). But while I found the Joe-Joe's to be a decent cookie, I still prefer the big, bad, mystery ingredient-laden competitor.

I know, I know. I am kind of ashamed of myself too.



PURCHASED FROM:
Trader Joe's

York Peppermint Pattie: Snowflake Shape

York Peppermint Pattie is yet another classic candy that I was somewhat shocked to realize I'd managed not to review yet. You would think it would have snuck in somewhere among the 667-odd reviews, but no. Well, let's all thank Mint Week for finally giving me the perfect excuse to have one.

Out of all the mass-market candies out there, York Peppermint Patties are the ones that are actually the most "Christmasy" to me. In my house while growing up -- and oddly enough, in both of my parents' homes to this day -- you will still find the holiday mini-versions in the candy dishes. As a kid, Christmas was often the only time we would have them in the house. And I always loved them.

A York Peppermint Pattie, as the commercials have always told you, gives the chilling sensation of being on a frozen mountaintop -- although why anyone would ever want to be on a frozen mountaintop is beyond me. It's cold...there's no Internet...highly unlikely for any hot topless babes to be around. No, I'll just stay home on my couch with my DVR in a temperature-controlled environment, thank you very much. Anyway, in addition to being cooling, the Pattie has a thin layer of dark chocolate over a center of peppermint fondant.

Normal Peppermint Patties are round and come in single servings of 1.4 ounces. I got the holiday Snowflake version, even though it was smaller at 1.2 ounces (and cost more as well). I thought that the Snowflake itself might be nicely molded...and wouldn't that make for a pretty picture?



Well, had it been nicely molded it very well might have made for a nice picture. But as it was out of the package, it more resembled a flabby Patrick Starfish from Sponge Bob than the snowflake design I'd hoped for. (Like these -- I have never tried those candies, but that does represent what I thought the York might have tried to look like, given any effort.)

OK, it's not always about looks. Yeah, sometimes it's size that matters too -- oh wait, that's right -- not only did York make this version ugly, but they are smaller than the normal Peppermint Patties. York, you are making this hard for me...

All right, forget looks and size. All that really matters here is taste. And luckily for York, taste is the area where they really shine.



As you have probably guessed, a York Peppermint Pattie all about the peppermint. The inner fondant has the perfect texture. It's soft but kind of crumbly. The melt is smooth and fast. The flavor is like pure peppermint. It's not too sweet, there are no extra flavors getting in the way.

The dark chocolate outer shell is thin, and while you might guess by the pictures that it's too thin, somehow York has found the magic perfect balance. The dark chocolate adds just enough chocolaty goodness to complement the mint without distracting from it.

Just go get some. They are a classic for a reason. (Get the regular circular ones, as they are both larger and cheaper.)



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Milk Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Egg

A reader had actually suggested this version of the Reese's after reading my review of the smaller version...
I, being the dork I am hit 'reject' rather then 'publish' on her comment and sadly I am unsure who exactly to credit with the suggestion- so if your out there this one's for you! (and sorry I was a dork)

This version of the Egg differs from the smaller version (read that review HERE) in a couple of different ways. First it is comsiderably bigger, weighing in at a whopping six ounces rather then 1.2 ounces.
It also still features Milk Chocolate listed both above the Reese's name and as the first ingredient on the list. Estically it also has a cute little Easter egg patten molded into the surface of the egg verses the smaller egg's smooth top.


The chocolate on this egg was so thick that even if I hadn't wanted to slice it for a picture I would have had to cut it in some way just to get into it. I am not going to knock Reese's for this- especially after my tirade on the smaller egg's being downgraded to not-exactly-chocolate status, but if I were just eating the egg to snack on it would require more work then I prefer my candy to.

Because the chocolate is so thick the egg is separated into three distinct layers of chocolate/peanut butter/ chocolate rather then thin, inseparable layers that the smaller eggs or even the regular cups possess.

Even though this egg still have real chocolate (and I give props for that) I can't say that it was good. Maybe because there was just so much more of it then I am used to, the chocolate was super sweet- I am talking made my teeth hurt sweet. It also had a taste to it that I can't quite explain. It was vaguely plasticy. the mouth feel was grainy, sort of like cheap fudge. I almost missed the not-quite chocolate- have you any idea how much that pains me to say? Is it part of some evil plain my Hershey's to make the real chocolate so bad you prefer the fake? Should I be wearing my tin foil hat while eating these?

I did however LOVE the peanut butter. Larger portion means a thicker layer peanut butter. It seems like the more peanut butter the saltier the portion- but I love salty peanut butter. The texture is slightly sticky but still crumbly (again smooth peanut butter in candy is just gross to me) I found myself isolating the peanut butter and skipping the chocolate entirely.

In the end while I still loved the peanut butter but the chocolate- while real is just not good. I am not sure I am going to forgive Hershey's for mucking up my egg.

Check out Cybele's beautiful pictures and her review HERE



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Hotel Chocolat The Serious Dark Fix Extra Thick Easter Egg

It bears repeating that I have a theory that any candy can be made better by putting it in egg shape.
I'm not really sure why it seems to work out like that but it does. So what do you get when you take already great chocolate and put it into egg form?- you get one freaking fantastic egg that's what you get!

Hotel Chocolat has some beautiful Easter products and they were kind enough to send me one of their ginormous eggs.
Since I have tried and loved Hotel's milk chocolate (I tried the Caramellow Slab) I was quite eager to taste Hotel's dark chocolate- Especially since Jim over at Jim's Chocolate Mission reviews Hotel's products on a regular basis and always makes me drool! (read some of Jim's Hotel reviews HERE)

The egg's are split into two thick shells. One shell is made of 74% dark chocolate and the other shell is 74% dark chocolate studded with Cocoa nibs. Then there are two lovely foil packs of individual candies that make up the center of egg. There are seven different candies which are:
* Chunky Nut
* Gin Truffle
* Caramel & Rum Truffle
* Blackcurrant & Champagne
* Single Origin Trinidad 72% Dark Chocolate
* Single Origin Ugandan 80% Dark Chocolate
* Orange and Lemon Sandwich


I started with the "plain" shell. First the aroma of the egg as a whole was outstanding. It smells just like I imagine Homer Simpson's version of Heaven would. Rich and just a little sweet. Almost like really strong hot chocolate.
The chocolate it's self- which was just thin enough to break off a piece with my hands was still pleasingly thick. The first thing I notices was almost a coffee like bitterness, but it is not so bitter that it gives you CBF (Cat Butt Face). There's just there tiniest bit of a milkiness to it, I think that's what keeps the bar from being too bitter. There is a sweetness to it that reminded me of the aftertaste of slightly unripe strawberries. I also liked that for such a strong chocolate the melt was nice and smooth. Not grainy or chalky in the least.


Next up was the other half of the shell the 74% dark chocolate with cocoa nibs.
I think for some reason I had the idea that the nibs would be larger and visible on the outer shell. They are actually quite small- they show up as the orangy specks in the picture.
The only difference between the two shells are the nibs. I am torn on how I feel about them. The nibs up the overall bitterness of the dark chocolate and it was a little much for me. When I isolated the nibs I really liked them on there own. Again I am going to keep using coffee as a comparison because the nibs reminded me of chocolate covered espresso beans. I think I would love them in a milk chocolate- that would be a great contrast. I also wasn't too keen on the texture, because the nibs are so small and because of the strong flavor it reminded me of chocolate with coffee grounds.


Next up was the Single Origin Trinidad 72% Dark Chocolate
This little bunny was beautifully molded and I almost felt bad for eating off his ears... almost
The first thing that came to my mind when tasting this chocolate was that it tasted nutty. I couldn't tell you what kind of nut- it was just nutty and then the nuttiness gives way to the other notes. This chocolate had strong lemony citrus notes. After tasting this it made me notice that the 74% dark of the main shell has more of a vanilla flavor then I noticed on the first go around. I didn't sense as much sweetness with the bunny. It also had a wonderfully crisp snap.



The Gin Truffle was the one thing in this egg that I was both really wanting to try and really sure I would like. I am not a fan of gin. I'm a vodka drinker and much like Coke Vs. Pepsi fans most people tend to like one or the other but not really both.
The chocolate is dark but not as dark as the outer shells or the bunny (not sure what the percentage is) the center is smooth and cool on the tongue- it also explodes into a burst of REAL gin flavor. I wasn't sure how the gin would translate but it comes through loud and clear. If James Bond ate truffles he would love this one! I don't even like gin and I LOVED this truffle. The gin adds a dryness to he chocolate. I also tasted orange- but that may have been the bite of the alcohol mixed with the strength of the chocolate. Oh, and should you ever want to really annoy a gin drinker tell them that gin is just juniper infused vodka- they tend to get all uppity when you say that.


Chunky Nut
The nut on the top was nice and crispy- I am not great with nuts and I am not sure what kind it was, I am guessing hazelnut. I realize I should probably have eaten it with the chocolate rather then plunking it off, but I did and we will all just have to deal with it.
I am not sure what nuts made up the chunky nuts but the inner ganoush was super smooth. It reminded me of a cross between hazelnut gianduja (hazelnut & chocolate paste) and natural peanut butter. The creamy center is also studded with little bits of crunchy nuts. I have said many a time that while I like chocolate, and I like nuts I tend to not like them together but this an exception. It was just plain yummy.


Single Origin Ugandan 80% Dark
"Hey there, I think your a groovy chick in a far out sorta way..." Sorry I watched The Brady Bunch Movie the other day and I could not resist. Anywho...
I was surprised that this wasn't as bitter as I thought it was going to be. In fact although it has a higher percentage of cocoa then the bunny I thought it was less bitter. This chocolate seemed almost salty to me, it was woodsy and deep. I think this would be excellent used for baking. There is just enough of a vanilla flavor to it that being used in say a cookie would mellow it out only slightly. This has been my favorite of all the solid chocolate.


Orange and Lemon Sandwich
Do I really have to remind everyone how much I love pretty much all conceivable combinations of lemon, orange and chocolate?
This was no exception. The citrus flavor in this piece sort of remind me of a bowl of Trix cereal- you know how after the first few bites all the flavors just sort of blend into just a general fruity flavor? that's what this tasted like. Don't get me wrong, it was great but neither the lemon nor the orange stands out independently. The filling is remarkably smooth and has a fantastic melt.


Caramel & Rum Truffle
When I think of rum the first thing I think of is my best friend. He grew up on the island of St. Croix and one of the main export of St. Criox is Cruzan Rum. As a good St. Croiz native as far as he's concerned it's THE only rum. I have no idea what brand of rum (or even type of rum) Hotel has used for this confection but in honor of my friend I would like to think it's Cruzan (and if it's not I feel safe to say he will survive) I've never had rum and caramel paired before so I thought it was an interesting idea. No one will ever accuse Hotel of not using real liquor in their truffles because let me tell you there is a different kick. The chocolate shell is great. The percentage is again not listed but it is strong enough that it holds it's own against the strong flavor of the rum. It has a nice thick shell. I was expecting this truffle to be chewy because of the caramel, but honestly if I didn't know that the caramel was there I never would have guessed it. There is no buttery quality. There is no sweetness and the texture gives no hints that there is anything remotely caramel like. For the filling the only thing you taste is the rum and even that is not so much a rum flavor but a chemically alcohol burn. I really hate to say this because overall I find Hotel to be outstanding but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't say it almost reminded me of gasoline. I am not sure what went wrong here.


Blackcurrant & Champagne Truffle
Last but not least...
I LOOOOVE me some champagne truffles. My all time favorite can be found at a little shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side called Mondel's Chocolates but let me tell you Hotel has given them a run for their money!
The red hued outer shell has the fantastic sweet/tart flavor of blackcurrant. It's actually came off tasting in a way I can only call juicy. The chocolate is mild but still dark. Once again the truffle center was milky smooth but this center was very soft, almost to the point of being fluid. The champagne is so vivid you almost wait for the bubbles! I could have eaten an embarrassingly large amount of these!

All in all (even with the exception of the caramel & rum truffle) this was wonderful. It was nice to have such a wide selection of dark chocolates in one collection. Hotel has made this egg an 11!


PURCHASED FROM:
Sample From Company
Be sure to visit Hotel's website to get your own!

Jones Soda- Mele Kalikimaka Christmas '08

I wonder if this might be a better soda for Marvo over at The Impulse Buy to review since as Bing Crosby taught us Mele Kalikimake is one of the ways to say Merry Christmas in the Hawaiian islands
And if it's not, are you trying to tell me that Bing Crosby lied to me?

Bing aside, Mele Kalikimaka is a coconut/pineapple flavored soda. I happen to like both of those flavors so, so far so good. The smell is stronger on the coconut then the pineapple but it's a good mix.

Taste wise it is also more heavy on the coconut. I really liked it. Yes, it's sweet- but it reminds me alot of a good pina colada. It also manages not to have a bitter or chalky after taste which a lot of pina colada type drinks tend to have (yes, SoBe Lizard Blizzard I am talking about you). It's lightly carbonated and like all Jones Soda is sweetened with pure cane sugar.

I can't promise anything but if you leave one of these out for Santa it may increase your chances of him leaving you a Wii! (at least that's what I am hoping)

PURCHASED FROM:
Target

Jones Soda- Pear Tree Holiday 2008

And here I had told myself this would be the year I broke down and tried the Turkey and Gravy soda!
I actually had gone to Target (the exclusive dealers of this years batch of holiday soda) and they didn't have it- but they did have this years three offerings: Candy Cane (which I already tired), Pear Tree and Mele Kalikimaka.

The Pear Tree is where I have decided to start. Like all of the Jones soda line it is sweetened with pure cane sugar, so that's point 1 in Jones favor.

The neon green soda smells vaguely pear like.
Taste wise. It's like carbonated sugar that someone thought about pears while mixing. I couldn't get past the sweetness for more then a couple of sips. Yes, like I said there is something vaguely pear-like about it but mostly it is just sugar.

This would probably be good for hypering up any assorted carpet sharks- (I meant children) left in your care.

PURCHASED FROM:
Target