All posts in Spotlight Vendors

Emanuel Andrén – The Ultimate Luxury Chocolates

We’re spoiled here at Sweetessa. Every day, we beam with happiness when we look at the fantastic confections we offer. We try them all, so we know that each and every product is going to please our customers.

Now, we’re raising the bar even higher. We’re happy to announce that we’re now carrying some of the finest chocolates in the world as designed and created by Emanuel Andrén. What makes these so special? Well, as chocolate lovers, we’d first answer by saying that they taste absolutely exquisite. Each truffle has the perfect balance of sweetness, each flavor is one-of-a-kind (“Champagne and Citrus” and “Zino Platinum Cigar” for example), and each is made by hand by the award-winning chef himself. But don’t just take our word for it! This celebrated collection was featured at the 50th Grammy Awards and supplies the exclusive Drake Hotel. Let’s put it this way: If James Bond was picking out chocolate for one of his favorite Bond Girls, he’d look no further than Emanuel Andrén (paired with Dom Pérignon, of course.) These are also featured in Forbes 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. (Watch the video below.)

If you’re like me, then you have at least one person on your list who is impossible to buy for. I’m riddled with the question, “What do you get the person who has everything?” Emanuel Andrén’s collection is the perfect answer. It’s the ultimate splurge, the perfect luxury, and a fantastic way to make someone feel special.

Click here to view the whole collection.

Sweetessa’s Holiday Baskets are Ready for Shipment!

Sweetessa's Holiday Baskets

Sweetessa has assembled our most delectable treats in our Signature baskets, all ready for immediate shipment for this holiday season. Our holiday baskets are perfect for co-workers, friends and family members.

We’ve included something for everyone in our baskets, with such treats as gourmet caramel corn, peanut butter caramel cups, peanut butter pillows, maple cappuccino pumpkin seed brittle, English toffee, Italian orange chocolate, and more! Far from the ordinary, our baskets are designed to impress, as well as delight.

Be sure to check out all of the scrumptious holiday gifts we have available for immediate shipment.

Chambre de Sucre Gourmet Artisanal Sugars: Sugar as Art

Chambre de Sucre Gourmet Artisanal Sugars

Chambre de Sucre’s offerings aren’t simply sugar – they are tiny pieces of art designed to engage the senses of sight and taste. Their elegant and precise design causes one to take a moment to admire the exquisite design of each piece before casting it to its molten watery demise.

Using only the highest quality sugar available, the company’s sugars are handcrafted by one of the oldest family-owned businesses in Japan. The company is over 270 years old and has provided the Royal Family in Japan with their sugar since the time of the Shogun. Continue reading →

Peruvian Cocoa Bean Harvest Delivers Exotic Flavors to Elemental Chocolate

Elemental Chocolates’ owner, Paul Mosca has a keen sense for high-quality, exotic cocoa, so it is not surprising that his latest acquisition hails from coastal Peru, which is known for its rich soil and notable cocoa harvests.

Acquired from Tumbes, Peru, Paul joined two other chocolate entrepreneurs to purchase this particular crop. The beans were sampled from 6 cooperative farms from the semi-arid climate, and were sought after for their exceptional balance of wild fruit and dark, rich chocolate flavors.

“Although I prefer Caribbean-grown beans, these are truly remarkable. While roasting, the aromas that they produce are extraordinary, and despite their complex aroma the beans are light in color, but rich in taste,” commented Paul.

Paul and his colleagues were able to import a metric ton of the coveted cocoa beans, which arrived this past May. Shortly after seeing the beans through customs, Tumbes co-operative contacted Paul with the news that they had received an award from the Peruvian cocoa governing body granting them the top co-operative in the Tumbes region.

Paul is going to use these exceptional beans for ground cocoa for pastry chefs who are local to the Raleigh, NC region, among other uses.

“The beans are very easy to work with in the kitchen, allowing me to make batches to order. The flavor is there; I don’t have to do much to bring out the rich natural chocolate taste,” said Paul.

Paul will also use the cocoa for Elemental Chocolate’s signature chocolate covered cocoa beans, which are picked, roasted and dipped, all by hand.

Why Buying Fair Trade Certified Matters

If you could help improve the lives of people around the world by using your purchasing power would you do it?

Rarely does such a simple question carry with it such profundity and scope, but this is the very question that should be asked by every consumer if they wish to be the change that they hope to see in the world.

Fair trade certification, like that from Fair Trade USA, ensures that farmers and workers are equitably compensated for their labor and products.  Moreover, fair trade products are monitored to be GMO-free, organic, free from child labor and environmentally sustainable.

sweetessa-fair-trade-vendor-nicobella-truffle-assortment

Pictured are Nicobella's Truffles Assortment

As a global solution to global problems, such as poverty, illiteracy, healthcare, environmental protection (particularly the prevention of deforestation), and women’s rights, few solutions are as inclusive as the fair trade model.  Its impact is manifold and it addresses the most pressing issues that impoverished countries in South America, Africa, and beyond, face daily.

Fair trade is not charity; rather it is a system that enables trade through the free market.  The contracts that farmers secure with buyers guarantees a premium for their products once strict farming methods have been instituted.  Additionally, a social premium is frequently included in such contracts on top of the fair trade price, which goes to fund economic, social and healthcare projects to improve the community.

Sweetessa continues to search for products using the fair trade model.  Click here to view some of our products that use fair trade ingredients.

Nicobella – Uniquely Healthy Truffles

There are plenty of news articles on the internet that promote the health benefits of chocolate.  When a fine chocolate artisan creates a chocolate bar with a high percentage of cocoa, generally the bar can be considered a whole food derived from a natural source – the cocoa bean.  Chocolate bars can be rich in antioxidants and other compounds that are essential to a healthy diet. While many fine chocolatiers have perfected their own healthy chocolate bars, however, few – if any – have taken on the challenge of creating healthy truffles.

“Truffles” are traditionally chocolate-covered pieces filled with a ganache made from butter, heavy cream, and sugar. Those are hardly ingredients you’d consider healthy.  This is exactly the challenge that Nichole Dandrea, a registered dietician, hoped to overcome when creating her own line of healthy truffles called Nicobella.  “My mission with nicobella vegan organic dark chocolate truffles was to take the traditional chocolate truffle and find a substitute for the cream and sugar that typically make up the traditional creamy ganache filling,” says Nichole.

Using ingredients like oat milk, banana puree, nut butters, coconut oil, and others, Nicobella chocolates include that creamy, satisfying experience of authentic truffles.  The best part: there’s no “health food” compromise whatsoever.  These truffles are real treats! The quest for healthy foods has inspired a flavor selection that includes Sunflower Butter Banana, Pumpkin Chai, Blueberry Almond, Ginger Green Tea, and Walnut Flaxseed. These are good enough to give to a friend that would otherwise cringe to be offered a healthy chocolate alternative. We recommend starting out with the 3-box assortment to get the full experience.

Sweetessa’s 7 Deadly Sins Bonbon Valentine’s Day Collection – Sinfully Delectable!

OK, mea culpa…I’ve broken my fair share of sins. Maybe not any as serious as the 7 deadly sins, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t dip my toe in the water to test them out, and Sweetessa’s 7 Deadly Sins bonbon collection allows me to do just that.

 

 

 

 

 

Sweetessa has assembled a stunning collection of bonbons, each one named for the 7 deadly sins: pride (black currant champagne), greed (75% cocoa), sloth (cajeta), gluttony (55% cocoa with sea salt), envy (passion fruit), wrath (almond praline), and lust (pomegranate). Each on has a distinctive aroma, finish and taste.

 

 

 

 

 

Pride: This is a wonderful black currant champagne bonbon that has a tangy sweet finish. The black currant adds notes of Kir due to its combination with champagne.

 

Greed: At 75% cocoa content, this is a very rich tasting treat. Prepare for an intense burst of chocolaty goodness.

Sloth: With an excellent cajeta filling, this bonbon delivers the milky caramel flavor that good Mexican cajeta is known for. Creamy, smooth…delicious.

Gluttony: 55% cocoa content, but with a twist…it’s a huge bonbon and also contains sea salt. The salty sweet finish is divine.

 

 

 

 

 

Envy: I like passion fruit, but especially after I’ve had something sweet, so I allowed the bonbon’s outer chocolate coating to melt a bit in my mouth before biting into the tart filling.

Wrath: Much more mellow than the rest, but with a very satisfying almond nuttiness and creaminess.

Lust: Pomegrante is my favorite fruit, so I’m a bit partial to this one, but it has a very distinctive taste due to the spiciness of the fruit filled arils.

Don’t Forget Your Valentine!

You can’t go wrong with Valentine’s Day chocolates.  Unless, of course, you’re picking up one of those waxy, cheap boxes from the drug store. We don’t advise that.  Why not get the sweetheart in your life something sweet, luxurious, and decadent?

To help you find the right gift, we thought we’d give you a little overview of some of our favorite picks on Sweetessa.com

FOR LOVERS TO SHARE:

(And for lovers who don’t mind getting a little naughty.) The 7 Deadly Sins collection features 13 truffles. Each flavor is inspired by one of the 7 deadly sins. There are two of  each flavor – with the exception of “gluttony,” which is a GIANT-sized truffle – so there’s enough for the two of you to share.  More details…

FOR THOSE ANTI-V-DAY TYPES:

Do you have one of those friends who really thinks Valentine’s Day is terrible? Maybe their heart has been broken? Send them some heart-shaped Little Devil cakes. These little devil’s food cakes come with a 72% chocolate coating and a tart-but-sweet raspberry filling. They’re guaranteed to mend those broken hearts.  More details…

FOR HER:

Truth be told, love is sweet, and love is kind, and Sweet Love Cake Truffles  truly represents “sweets for the sweet.” Give your one and only a classic display of affection with the endearing sensation of gourmet confection perfection – featuring truly timeless Red Velvet, romantic Chocolate Strawberry, rich Triple Chocolate, and decadent Raspberry Champagne cake truffles are delivered in a 12 piece box.   More details…

FOR HIM:

Hey!  Guys like chocolate too!  In fact, in Japan, it’s customary for women to buy men chocolate on Valentine’s Day.  But maybe your manly dude-friend doesn’t want to be embarrassed in the office with some pinky heart-shaped girly stuff?  No problem!  Ococoa’s caramel and truffle bar gift collection features uniquely wrapped bars with labels meant to resemble cigar labels.  Or maybe he’s just a simple guy with simple tastes? Try the Classic Peanut Butter Cup Collection.   More details…

FOR THE NOSTALGIC:

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about romance. Maybe just tell an old friend or past love you’re thinking about them. Remember the good ol’ days with the Sweetessa Chocolate Nostalgia Gift Set. (On sale while supplies last!)   More details…

New Gift Baskets from Award-Winning Nicole Lee Fine Chocolates

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One of our favorite things about our jobs here at Sweetessa is working with such innovative and interesting chocolatiers.  We’re honored to carry a full line of chocolates and confections by Nicole Lee Fine Chocolates.  Nicole Lee has won multiple awards at the SF International Chocolate Salon, but would be distinguished enough based on her strong culinary credentials. She graduated from the world renowned culinary school “Le Cordon Bleu” with “Le Grand Diplome” in pastry and cooking. Later, she studied at the famous pastry school “Ecole Le Notre” in Paris and in Belgium studied at Barry Callebaut “Chocolate Academy” with Chef Marc Ducobu and M.O.F. Jean Pierre Wybauw to learn the art of molding Belgium chocolates.

But all credentials aside, Nicole Lee Fine Chocolates is, quite simply, a crowd-pleasing luxurious taste experience. It’s hard to choose between the specialty truffles, French macarons, or even the classic French-style florentines.  Everything is hand made, in true culinary tradition, with great care.

We’re happy to announce that Nicole Lee now offers gorgeous gift baskets with a fine sampling of her best items, including assorted truffles, gourmet chocolate bars, almonds dusted with cocoa powder, drinking chocolate, caramel fleur de sel, and florentines, among other treats.  Just in time for the holidays, you should start scanning your list to find the perfect recipients.  This isn’t just a gift…it’s an experience in a basket!

Fall Flavors

We’re deep into autumn now.  Even though we live in a time when you can get most foods year-round, there are certain flavors that will forever be tied to the season.  You know what I mean:  Pumpkin, apple, caramels, cinnamon, nutmeg, and, of course, turkey. We’ve yet to find someone who has successfully worked turkey into a dessert confection, but we’re happy that Sweetessa offers some very inspired seasonal flavors.

One recommended treat is Salt Side Down’s Seasonal Variety Collection. Every season, they use fresh local ingredients to create unique truffles that fit the season. Expect truffle flavors such as “chai latte” and “pumpkin spice.”

Our newest confectioner, (Cacao) Sweets and Treats, offers some delectable cake truffles with seasonal flavors such as pumpkin pie and apple pie. These little bite-size treats combine moist cake with crisp shells in addictive mouth-size treats.  Or why not show up at Thanksgiving dinner with some Pumpkin Spice whoopie pies?