December 8th, 2008

Dear Chocolate Connoisseur,

This time of year, I can't seem to stop making lists. I barely finish writing one before I start another, usually unrelated to the first. I'll make a list on anything within reach in the heat of the list-making moment — cardboard ripped from a cereal box, napkins, the backs of junk-mail envelopes and even (in real desperation) my left hand. Of course, I'm writing all the usual to-dos this month, but there is a special list I'm working on too, one I don't mind making at all — my gift list.

This month's newsletter is one giant gift list. But the items here aren't numbered or lettered- they are organized by the kind of reaction they have the power to provoke. Because that is what we're all after with this gift-giving business, isn't it? We want to make people happy.

Now, just how happy do you want to make your friend? Is this gift intended to be the appetizer or the entrée? What are you looking for? I'm your Chocolate Lady and I'd love to help you make your list and pick out some special things. Email me anytime (eanderson@zingermans.com) or call me (734-663-5282) and we'll chat. Want to visit in person and taste some things together? Pick a time and we'll meet in the chocolate corner. My crew and I can even wrap your selections for you! Sit down and have a hot chocolate — you're treats will be ribboned and ready in no time.

And don't forget to stop by the Deli Wednesday, December 10th for our 3rd Annual Holiday Gift Fair. From 4-7 PM, we will be showcasing and tasting many of the sweets on this list, as well as everything else — fancy cookies, oils, salami, vinegar, coffee... Get a head start on your holiday shopping with us!

Thanks for reading this year and happy holidays!

Chocolate Lady Duff

"Oh wow..."
This is the treat they didn't even know they wanted: something they've never seen, never heard of, never tasted. Or maybe this is the chocolate they know they like, but feel shy about buying for themselves. Or better yet, perhaps this is the confection they had in Italy on vacation 15 years ago and have been thinking about every since. Regardless, you're going to have fun watching them open (and then eat) this one. People have a long memory for good food, and I'll bet they will remember these...

Guido Gobino Tourinot Maximo
When I think of these little bites of smooth, dark chocolate gianduja, I think of one word: Pleasure. This is an exquisite treat — the Mercedes of fudge, the crowned jewel of Italian confections. There are about fifty hand-shaped, silver foil wrapped pieces in a box.

Fig Crocettes from Italy: A taste of Calabria
This is on my list. A fig crocette (cross) is a beautiful, delicious treat made entirely by hand by the fine folks at Dolsi Pensieri di Calabria. I've seen them do it! They take one of their local, sweet dotatto figs, dry it, warm it in the oven for 30 minutes then brush it with fig juice until it shines. Then they slice it lengthwise, leaving it connected at the stem, and lay it seed-side up on the table. Now for the good part; they tuck a roasted almond and a tiny piece of candied orange peel into each half of the fig. Then they repeat the process with another fig, laying it across the first one to form an X. Once the almonds and orange are tucked into the second fig, they "close them up," by laying two more sliced figs on top of them. What you end up with is a golden, X- shaped fig sandwich with almond and orange treasures hidden inside. The crocettes come in a wooden box (8 in a box).

Vosges+Zingerman's Sweet and Savory Caramel Collection
If you haven't had a chance to try one of these small-batch, zany-flavored caramels, stop by the truffle case sometime this month and taste a couple. My favorites are the Nightshade — Sicilian sun-dried tomatoes with Spanish paprika — and Parmigiano — Zingerman's Parmigiano-Reggiano with Tellicherry pepper. But the truth is (and I wouldn't lie to you) there isn't a weak piece in the collection. All the flavors are outstanding and so different from each other that your taste buds will be endlessly entertained. You cannot find this anywhere else.

D. Barbero Italian Nougat Tin
The ultimate holiday treat. The Barberro family has been making torrone since 1883 in Asti, Italy. Their torrone is crisp and crumbly in texture and loaded with lush, toasted hazelnuts. You'll find this world-famous confection in two forms at the Deli. First, in a hefty, 500g slab, wrapped in a merlot-colored tissue and sealed with a lovely sticker. Second, in a keepsake tin with six, 1/4 inch thick, 50 g slabs of glistening torrone.

Charles Chocolate Pâte de Fruit
One bite of these, and you'll forget it is winter. The fruit flavor of these delicate, French-style jellies is refreshing and bright. A guest said it best the other day when he tasted one and proclaimed, "It is like a chuckle in your mouth!" In a red-ribboned box, you'll get three each of Blood Orange, Raspberry, Passion Fruit, White Peach and Papaya.

Pistachio Butter
Beautiful, green, coarse-ground Bronte pistachios make of 70% of this recipe, and 100% of the flavor and color. Looking through the bottom of the jar is like looking through a pistachio kaleidoscope: green, brown and even rose-hued nut morsels spin in golden oil. Use it in all the ways you would use peanut butter or Nutella — and that's just the beginning.

Charles Chocolate Orange Twigs
These are mini truffles, little bites of buttery, orange-infused ganache, thinly coated with milk chocolate and dusted with confectioners sugar. Fresh and elegant. Plenty in the package to take to a party.

Pralus Crème de Noissette
This is French praliné. It comes in a very practical, very unassuming tube. No, it's not shampoo — although what a shower that would be! Our first shipment sold out in five days. Enough said.

Pistachio Croccantes from Sicily
Delicate pistachio and almond croccantes — Croccante means "crunchy" in Italian and is also the name of a category of confectionery made of nuts and caramelized sugar. Croccante is essentially a delicate, elegant brittle baked cracker-thin. A true taste of Sicily.

Pralus Grande Pyramide
Over 1# of single-origin dark chocolate from the French chocolate maker François Pralus. There are ten, 50g chocolates in this stack from the following origins: Papua New Guinea; Indonesia; Sao Tome; Trinidad; Venezuela; Tanzania; Ghana; Madagascar; Colombia; Ecuador. This is a great deal, and a mind-bogglingly cool gift for the chocolate freak in your life.

"This is perfect!"
Not the showstopper, but often the secret favorite. Doesn't have to be big and fancy, just has to send the right message.

Cluizel 1ier Cru de Plantation Sampler Box
Just arrived! A colorful assortment of Michel Cluizel's single-estate chocolates. A great way to sample some of the best chocolate in the world.

Pralus Mini Pyramide
The baby version of the 1#+ pyramide.

Vosges Exotic Candy Bar Library
A doll-size library of nine exotic candy bars. A great assortment of milk and dark, spicy and subdued.

Béquet Caramels
It just wouldn't be the holidays without caramels, and I'm proud to say that I think we have the best caramels in the world at the Deli. Robin Béquet and her team are caramel experts — it is all they do — and they are really good at it. We have Celtic Salt (most popular), Soft (classic) and an assorted bag (with Celtic Salt, Soft and a sinful Chocolate Salt Caramel). The caramels come 20 generous pieces to a bag.

French Lavender Honey Nougat
Creamy and delicate, this soft nougat from the south of France is a favorite at the Deli.

Chocolat Moderne Bistro Bars
Even though these look like chocolate bars, I think of them as bonbons. That is because they are filled with nuts and caramel — and easy to break apart and enjoy one square at a time. My favorite is the Caramel Caresse, a caramel made with fresh pear puree and Poire William. The Parlez Pistache (a white chocolate and crisped rice pistachio praliné) and Hazelnut Hysterie (a milk chocolate and hazelnut praliné) are also amazing.

"I can't believe you MADE this!"
Pull out your glue guns and oven mitts... you can't swing a cat this time of year without hitting a cookie or crafts magazine. Sadly, I can't offer you any pipe cleaners or gold foil, but I do have some amazing chocolate — perfect for that chocolate mousse, the batch of brownies for your office, or the homemade truffles you're trying out this year.

Cluizel Chocolate Chips (white/milk/semisweet/bittersweet/extra dark/99%)
When you only make something once a year, you don't want to mess around. You want the best ingredients possible. And if your recipe calls for chocolate, this professional-grade, French couverture chocolate is a great choice. It has a rich, balanced flavor and high cocoa butter content. And no chopping required! The chips are 1g, which make for easy melting. This chocolate is excellent for truffles. Available by the pound in any amount.

Zingerman's Unsweetened Cocoa powder
This powder is all natural (i.e. non alkalized) and unsweetened, which means it has a lovely burnt-orange color and big chocolate flavor. This is the cocoa we use in the Next Door to make our homemade chocolate syrup for hot cocoas and mochas. We like it because it makes a syrup that is full of flavor, but not too sweet. We also use this powder to make our award-winning chocolate gelato! Equally great for drinking and baking.

Askinosie Single-Origin Mexican Cocoa
Also all natural and unsweetened, this cocoa is special because it is single-origin and it is made right here in the U.S. (most cocoa is pressed in Europe). Try it in your next chocolate cake, or use it in a savory spice rub... it will add loads of flavor.

Scharffen Berger Baking Chocolate (Semisweet, Bittersweet, 99%)
Another fantastic choice for the home baker, Scharffen Berger's chocolate is naturally very bright and fruity. It pairs well with all fruits (ex: candied orange) and makes an amazing batch of brownies.

"How did you know I loved these?"
These treats are practical, much like socks, ties and gift certificates... and (BONUS) you can also eat them!! Don't over-think these picks. These are the things I buy, throw in my suitcase and sort out when I reach my destination. Because I know I'll find a good home for them...

Vosges Couture Cocoa Sampler
A 2-cup serving of each of Vosges' three decadent hot cocoas, La Parisienne, Aztec Elixir, and Bianca. With these mixes, you'll be sipping a café quality hot chocolate in the comfort of your own home in no time!

Amaretti Cookie Bags
Back from Mombaruzzo Italy! We just got in a fresh shipment of these bitter-yet-sweet, dense-yet-light cookies. Buy a bag of these and a tin of the torrone and you'll be celebrating the holidays al Piedmontese!

Hammond's All Natural Giant Mint and Cherry Candy Canes
Hammond's has been making candy out in Denver for almost 100 years and their line of all-natural candies are excellent. Tied with a ribbon and a tag, they are ready for giving. I've got a limited supply.

Italian Hazelnut Spread
Made by the same fellow who makes the first gift on this list, Guido Gobino, this is gianduja spalmabile (spread able). Use it like you would Nutella, but more carefully. Taste it, and you just might walk away with a jar for your own pantry.

Zingerman's Zzang! Bar
Zingerman's hand-made miracle is changing the way people think about the American candy bar. A generous scoop of Spanish peanuts, fluffy peanut butter, honey nougat and rich caramel dipped in dark chocolate... our best selling chocolate bar! Also available in a six-pack of minis!

Charles Chocolate Triple Chocolate Hazelnuts and Almonds
"Whoopie," you say... "what is so special about chocolate covered nuts?" Two things. First, these nuts (Oregonian hazelnuts, California almonds) are perfectly roasted so they are neither chewy nor burnt — just right in the middle. Second, they are dipped and re-dipped in a blend of dark and milk chocolate until the chocolate coating is nearly as thick as the nut itself. That's why they are so big! The quality of the nuts, coupled with chocolate you can sink your teeth into, make these tins great.

Cluizel Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans
Mmmm. A crunchy mocha. With each bean, you will get a great hit of coffee mellowed by a nice semisweet chocolate.

Fran's Salt Caramels
Fran Bigelow was making salt caramels before it was the cool thing to do — her Grey Salt Caramels won the NASFT award for outstanding confection back in 2003. The Grey Salt Caramel was one of the first things I tasted when I started working at the Deli — I thought it was great then and I still do. There is something about the firmness of the caramel, the flavor of the chocolate and the bite of the salt that is irresistible. Try the Smoked Salt Caramel, too.