Local Food: Grace Under Fire Chocolate

If you read my blog, you know that I am passionate about supporting local businesses, especially those that involve producing or selling local food.  When my friends at PMG Public Relations asked me if I'd like to sample some chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates, I was excited to learn that it was a local business from Vermont.  Plus, the fact that I was being asked to try out some chocolate didn't hurt either.

Before I received my chocolate sample, I did some research about Lake Champlain Chocolates.  I found that like most businesses, Lake Champlain started out as a small company that slowly grew over the past twenty-six years.  While they originally produced truffles, soon the company began producing hot chocolate, clusters, caramels, barks and other yummy chocolate treats.  Although the company began offering a variety of different types of chocolate, Lake Champlain stayed committed to using local ingredients and to handcrafting their chocolate products.

But enough about the research, what about the chocolate?  I got the chance to sample Lake Champlain's newest chocolate bar - Grace Under Fire.

As you can tell by the box, Grace Under Fire is no ordinary chocolate bar.  It was a collaboration with a Vermont band, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.  Grace Potter has been eating Lake Champlain chocolate since she was kid and was super excited to be involved with the chocolate making process.  They wanted the chocolate to really exemplify the personality of the band and it resulted in a 54% dark chocolate bar with roasted pistachios, red pepper, vanilla and cinnamon. 

At first glance, the chocolate bar looks like any other dark chocolate bar.

But once you turned it over, you could see that it was chock full of great ingredients.

At first bite, you got the rich dark chocolate flavor.  Then you felt the slow heat creeping in from the red pepper.  Just when you thought it would be too spicy, the vanilla and cinnamon flavors came through.  This was the perfect harmony of sweet, spicy, and crunchy - perfect for a rock and roll band.

If this limited edition chocolate bar is any indication of what Lake Champlain has to offer, then I'm definitely impressed.  I was happy to find that Lake Champlain chocolates are sold at some of my favorite stores, including Whole Foods and Cardullo's.  Even though I can find their products in Boston, I know that I will definitely be visiting their factory the next time I'm up in Burlington, Vermont.  But if you can't make the trip to Burlington or can't find Lake Champlain chocolates sold near you, you can still order Lake Champlain chocolates online.

Lake Champlain Chocolates is located at 750 Pine Street, Burlington, Vermont.