Vosges: Chocolates to Ship For

Vosges Haut-Chocolat
vosgeschocolate.com

I fell in love with Vosges at O’Hare Airport years ago. It’s the most exciting chocolate I’ve ever come across.

They have no boundaries when it comes to flavors – wasabi, peppercorns, curry, hemp seeds, paprika, and yams are among the ingredients you’ll find in their inventive truffles and chocolate bars. If you’re thinking this isn’t for you, I’d like to try to change your mind by introducing you to the truffle that made me believe anything’s possible in the world of chocolate. His name is “Rooster.” 

Rooster
Taleggio cheese + organic walnuts + Tahitian vanilla bean + bittersweet dark chocolate

Yes, you read that right. CHEESE. It’s in their Italiana Nouvelle collection and it’s the BEST truffle in the box! Try it and you’ll never look back.

Their most popular bars are carried in stores like Whole Foods but to get their full selection you have to go to one of their boutiques (Chicago, New York, Vegas, LA) or like I just did, order online.

Here’s what arrived at my office to spice up my Wednesday… 

Smoked Banana Caramel Chocolate Bar

Mesquite smoked bananas + Alderwood smoked salt caramel + 72% cacao dark chocolate

This one is very smoky, it hits you right away and almost tastes like bacon, but the sweet banana caramel balances it out. Very bold, I love it.  

Crispy Carrot Chocolate Bar

Crunchy carrot confit + Valencia oranges + 45% cacao deep milk chocolate

The carrot in this is like toffee, tastes like a really interesting milk chocolate toffee bar. I’m not really a milk chocolate fan so it wasn’t my favorite but it’s one of those things you just have to try because who puts carrots in chocolate? Brilliant. 

Mash Bill Truffle Collection

Scotch (Lower Left & Right) 

coconut & cocoa nib caramel + Bruichladdich Port Charlotte scotch + 45% deep milk chocolate

Bourbon (Middle Left & Right)

toasted pecans + Four Rose's single barrel bourbon + 45% deep milk chocolate

Stout (Middle Top to Bottom)

Rogue's chocolate stout + 62% cacao dark chocolate

Whiskey (Top Left & Right)

Templeton rye whiskey + tart cherry + tobacco + 62% cacao dark chocolate

All of them are fantastic but the Whiskey was my hands-down favorite. I don’t know much about whiskey but I do know an aficionado, and Templeton Rye is on his shortlist. He also happens to be a smoker. I’m not sure how he feels about cherries but if there were some weird connection there this would be him in a truffle. This of course led me to wonder, what would a Tiffany truffle taste like? They create perfumes for celebrities all the time, why not design a truffle around a person? Humor me for a bit…

It would be based on things like the agriculture of your hometown, your personality (Are you spicy, sweet or both?), favorite activities (Athletes might have something to give them a physical boost, Mathletes might have something for brainpower!), your style (What would a hipster truffle look like?), possibly your job (Popcorn for people in the film industry? Apples for teachers?), and of course your likes and dislikes (Can you imagine hating your own truffle?). And the chocolatier would determine, based on all the info above, if you’re dark, milk, bittersweet, etc.

It would be ridiculously expensive and so highly impractical, but what if instead of having your own truffle made a company gave you a recipe? Would you pay for the directions to create the chocolate version of you? I would.

It will likely never happen, but a girl can dream. And in my dream, Tiffany truffles are wildly imaginative and they arrive at my front door in a purple box from Vosges.