You are in for a special treat!

Remember the trip that Eliza took to Paris? And going to ARA chocolate? Well, she tasted a little something in the works and wasn't able to talk about it....

Well, it arrived, totally unexpectedly, and it is awesome.

The first thing you notice is that the chocolate is light in color, which is unexpected for a 70% dark bar.

Place a piece in your mouth and bite. And then let it melt slowly. Taste all the bits and pieces of this wonderful bean.

Mayo Blanco is a mono-varietal heirloom cacao that is native to the forests of Nicaragua. It had long been forgotten until 10 years ago when the process was started to recover its genetics.

Mayo Blanco is a pure Criollo cacao (100% of the beans are white), so the result is a very light brown chocolate. The shape of the pod, the color, the shape, and size of the beans, and the taste of the pulp are all different from other cocoa.

The cacao beans of this particular variety are flat (many Criollo varietals have round beans).

The fact that two cacaos belong to the same genetic family, like in this case Criollo, doesn't mean they have anything else in common besides being part of the same family.

The lightness of being, or in this case, the color of the chocolate makes you think it has to be milk. But it is not; the nose will tell you it is dark, the first bite and subsequent melt will pronounce a creamy delightful feel, that is rich, with enlightened shadows of flavor. And only at the very end will you get a touch of dry dark chocolate on the edge of the tongue.

If you didn't know that this was just a bean, albeit not just any bean, you would swear that there is something else in there. Fruit? Vanilla? No, something just not identifiable.

This a masterful creation from just one bean. What amazing artistry!

ARA chocolate has been working with the farmers since 2022 to encourage them to keep planting the bean to perfect the process. Perfection has been achieved!

Like all chocolate, one person's nirvana can be another person's ho-hum. This review is based on our buds' best guess.

Shop now for the Ara Chocolat Nicaragua Maya Blanco 70% Dark Chocolate Bar!

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When in doubt, add more chocolate! You can substitute the lard with butter or crisco.

See the Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe here!

This creamy dressing recipe was invented by the executive chef at the historic Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the 1920s in honor of William Archer, a frequent patron of the hotel, and the star of the hit play, "The Green Goddess." It is a perfect substitute for Ranch or Thousand Island Dressing on top of bib lettuce or as a veggie dip.

See the easy Green Goddess Dressing Recipe here!

Delicately placed anchovies in a jar in olive oil. Pleasant, pleasing, perfection, the anchovy.

This little fish is a small, warm water relative of the herring, a Northern European staple. And just as the peoples of the north salted their herring to preserve them, the anchovy has long been salted by fishermen and packers in the Mediterranean.

Shop now for Scalia Anchovy Fillet in Olive Oil in the Medium Jar!

A traditional marmalade in England, the slightly bitter Seville orange, is a classic.

I've been craving a good, perfectly toasted English muffin with little crusty peaks and bits, so I can spread it with butter, topped with this marmalade or a mixture of cream cheese and orange marmalade spread.

Seville Orange Marmalade: Pop the top and you'll see a flat sea of soft orange jelly. Beneath the gel, you can see the chunks of orange swimming, just waiting to be scooped up with the first spoonful.

To the nose, it is subtle, sensitive, and has the smell of the orange peel. Not exactly a Florida orange, more of a lemon-grapefruit orange.

There will be a sparkle as you pull out the first bite.

And the first bite is a mix of solids and quickly disappearing sweetness, just the right amount of sweet gel! And the bite of encased peel is delicious. From the thin strips to little chunks to the big ones, each spoonful is different and the same.

It is these big chunks that share the bitter bits of orange peel while giving you the soft hits of flavor you expect from a marmalade.

As you progress with more spoonfuls, you find the jelly has more than sweetness; it carries the Seville orange profile with it. It acts like a jelly wrap around the bits of orange.

On your next bite, you might find yourself dissolving the jelly first and then chowing down on the peel. Or, you might not be able to wait and just chew away. Either way, it's a good mouthful.

This is one of my all-time favorite marmalades! It is not too sweet and not too chunky. From toast to roast to cheese, it is perfect to tuck away in your essential pantry, ready to pull out when royalty visits...if you can wait that long.

Shop now for Hawkshead Seville Orange Marmalade!

Worth Drinking!

This Katz Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar is a revelation, a vision, a lightning bolt of amazement! Yes, it's just vinegar, but a little sip with just your lips, and you can taste the sweetness, the shape, the roundness of the apple. You can taste the apple!

The Gravenstein apple has played an important role in the history and culture of California's western Sonoma Valley since the 19th century. This richly flavored cider vinegar is redolent of baked apples, honey and sweet spice balanced with a solid backbone of acidity. This is so versatile in the kitchen.

In the Sonoma Valley, Gravensteins hit peak planting in 1945, when over 14,000 acres of the area's gently sloping hills were covered with the trees. Today, there are far fewer, as thousands of acres have been replanted with grape vines - another crop we love, but we still believe in supporting those remaining Gravenstein growers. Slow Food has declared the Gravenstein apple to be a "Heritage" food that should be protected from further encroachment.

The fruit has long been sought after by chefs for its culinary uses and its elegant balance of sweet and tart flavors. Gravenstein's dense texture makes them perfect for sauces and pastries, and they also make a gorgeous apple crisp and some of the best cider around.

And here is where we come in. This cider vinegar is made from hard cider from late-ripening Gravenstein apples when the sugars are high, and then the cider is carefully and slowly converted to vinegar in 55-gallon oak barrels.

A Little Vinegar Lore...

Vinegar's long history includes uses other than culinary. Apple cider vinegar has been a folk remedy used for hundreds of years. Among claimed benefits include: aiding in digestion, lowering blood pressure, helping with weight control, improving memory and even relieving arthritis. Although we can't vouch for any of these, we know folks who've taken to making up an afternoon "tonic" of one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of honey and one of warm water...who knows what benefits it may bring!

Shop now for Katz Apple Cider Vinegar - Gravenstein!

This is really, really good. Hot, but not too much. It is full of flavor without being overpowering. Use a little for a nice twist, or more for a punch. The ingredients matter in this recipe.

See the easy Hot Mustard Worcestershire Sauce Recipe here!

This is the best. Wooster sauce was never on my list of essential ingredients until Col Pabst came into my life. And now it is an essential ingredient in my refrigerated cupboard.

Are the differences subtle between this and the common one? Yes, sort of, and not really close at all. If you want something that makes everything better, then this is the one to use!

Col Pabst All Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is better. Way better!

Starting with fresh Milwaukee Amber-Lager and then blending in 21 all-natural ingredients along with Tamarind and Anchovies, Col Pabst adds Grenadine, Ginger and Madras Curry. Aged in small batches, this Worcestershire sauce is more like a fine balsamic than an ingredient.

To the nose, it has a sweet hint of anchovy fish sauce, with twists and turns that are hard to identify. It twinkles in the nostrils and is very enticing.

To the mouth, the sauce has a saltiness, a sweetness and this wonderful complex flavor that rolls around, begging you to taste a little more. You can sip this and sip some more. It is pretty gosh darn good! Try sipping those other sauces and feel the burn and not in a good way.

Of course, you can use Col Pabst anywhere Worcestershire sauce is called for and more. Pretty much where you think it will work, it will!

Shop now for Col Pabst Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire Sauce!

Sometimes I feel like meatloaf. Hard to explain, but the craving comes along. And my experience of meatloaf has a wildly different mix of memories. Many, quite frankly are not good. From egg shells to mushy yuck.

I personally like the use of Pinhead oats (as this recipe has), it gives a much firmer bite and not the soft feel that rolled oats do. And just last week I made it with rolled oats to confirm my belief!

And just as I ran out of my Oatmeal from Alford the new shipment arrived this week! Once you get used to a food it is hard to switch or go back!

See the easy Meatloaf with Oatmeal Recipe here!

Every list of "super foods" has oats near the top. You've seen the commercials—eating oats is known to lower cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. Oats are an excellent source of fiber and they even help stabilize blood sugar—at any time of day.

The unusual flavor and texture of these amazing Scottish pinhead oats may be attributed to the final drying process, carried out in the old fashioned 'flat kiln', which is believed to be the only one of its kind used in Britain today. The oats are dried in the kiln for four hours, during which time they're turned twice by hand shovel. It is this very specialized process, perfected by the miller, which makes the flavor and texture unique.

The distinct oat grains are then stone-cut into small pieces—smaller than Irish "steel cut" oats—thus the name "pinhead." Unlike "old-fashioned" oatmeal, they're not steamed and rolled flat.

Shop now for Organic Oatmeal Stone-Cut from Scotland!

One whiff of this tea, and you'll swoon with pleasant, minty memories...and that's before you even open the box!

This very minty peppermint tea has been made with old-fashioned Black Mitcham peppermint for centuries, the true flavor of England's famed mint, but a variety that finally died out due to changes in 20th-century farming. After generations, Summerdown, the producer of the tea, has reintroduced this variety, thus bringing back the mint's particular soft and lingering with a cool, intense flavor. Just what peppermint tea ought to be.

Shop now for Summerdown Peppermint Tea!

The warm, light-colored Espelt Moscatel white wine vinegar is first sweet, and as it moves to the back of the mouth, the throat gets a jolt of acid. If you "taste" with a little lip and tongue, there is a sweetness and a wonderful grape and peach flavor, and the acid is subtle and later.

Its very light persona is not aggressive, it boasts fruity notes, and will create a wonderful dressing. A dressing that would go well with summer bounty and delightfully well with fall harvest, too. There is a woodiness that comes with Espelt Moscatel white wine vinegar that adds a round, perhaps cushy, finish to your palate.

Espelt Moscatel white wine vinegar has a subtle approach which spreads out nicely, revealing all its nuances of flavors. What's wonderful is that this vinegar is not mono-toned at all. It's flavor profile is indeed white wine, yet, from a light, simple wine comes this quiet flavor rich vinegar!

Shop now for Espelt Moscatel Wine Vinegar!

Caramelized red onions, raisins and pine nuts blend with spices and herbs to create a delicious relish made soft and fragrant with balsamic vinegar. Great with cold meats, cheese and added to sandwiches for a touch of sweetness. Try serving this red onion marmalade with a piece of grilled fresh tuna and a crisp salad.

Shop now for Red Onion Marmalade!

These shortbread cookies smell just like any good cookie with lemon should! Awesome!

Like a round cookie wearing a light lemon-colored sugar hat. The nose and the finish in the taste are when you get the most lemon. Otherwise, it is just a presence that blends wonderfully with the lightness of the shortbread.

If you look at the cross-section of the cookie, you see a crumbly texture, and the bite tells you the same. It is a nice, thin, crunchy bite.

Shop now for Island Bakery Lemon Melts!

Potatoes with sun-dried tomatoes and some other stuff topped with sardines! Easy and tasty.

See the 1 Dish Potatoes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes Recipe here!