Beat The Winter Blahs With Chocolate And Wine

Take This Snow and Shovel It!

What does one do to beat the never ending snow fall blues?  If you can't get to a beach you might as well try the next best thing.

Chocolate and Wine. The combination when done in moderation leaves one feeling warm and cozy with an inner glow.

Perhaps it's the resveratrol in the grape skins and cocoa beans. Or the endorphin uplift.  Maybe both.  But when faced with more inches of snow to shovel and no plane ticket (or flight able to leave the airport many days) this may be the way to survive the days till Spring arrives.

Endangered Species Chocolate is an Indianapolis based chocolate company. The west side plant produces up to 65,000 chocolate bars each day that are distributed across the country. A percentage of sales goes to protect a number of endangered animal species and habitats which are pictured on the wrappers of the chocolate bars. And when you unwrap the confection, the inside wrapper has details about the animal on the front. 

More "feel goodness" as you savor the 72 percent cocoa based chocolate treat. The company is the first in the country to develop a creme filled chocolate bar with non dairy ingredients. Sounds kind of strange but in fact its delicious. Natural flavors, high quality ingredients and "no gunk" combine to create  a smooth, satisfying interior to that deep, rich, nutty, dark chocolate casing.

Luscious on its own, a creme filled chocolate bar becomes even more of a special occasion when enjoyed with a small glass of wine or port. Some suggestions follow. Best news is you can now find these scrumptious bars at local Kroger stores.  You can probably find some of the wines mentioned below there, too, or in other big box retail outlets. Let's make beating the snow shovel blues as uncomplicated as possible.  Now where did I put that snow shovel?

Raspberry Orange Creme -- Enjoy with a rich Rhone red wine. These blends from the middle of France are made from Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault. Rhone reds offer up aromas of wild flowers and red fruit and flavors of black raspberry, currant and kirsch.   Some reputable and easy to find brands come from Paul Jaboulet Aine Parallel 45; Guigal Cotes du Rhone and M. Chapoutier.

Blueberry Vanilla Creme -- How about ripe lush Cabernet Franc?  The classic red wine grape is from France where its usually blended into Bordeaux wines or featured on its own from the Loire Valley and called chinon (shin-yawn).  In the US you can find reputable offerings from both Washington State and California from  Columbia Valley, Chateau Ste Michelle, Bogle. Cabernet Franc has softer tannins but bold rich aromas and flavors of black berry, blueberry, and notes of vanilla from oak aging. 

Lavendar Mint Creme --  Select a Cabernet Sauvignon from California where the terroir often adds a hint of mint- Educated Guess, Rodney Strong,  Ferrari-Carano, Clos Pegase, Heitz all offer Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of black cherry, mint and licorice in a variety of price points.

Coconut Creme -- Get an Indiana tropical wine fix by pairing a muscat canelli wine from Oliver, Huber, Buck Creek.  The exotic notes of tropical fruit in the wine plus the smooth indulgent coconut in the chocolate bar will make you long for a hammock. 

Almond Butter --  Go for a  sweet sparkling wine with this rich, toothsome treat.  La Marca Prosecco, Barefoot Bubbly Moscato Spumante, Korbel Sweet Rose are all EZ drinkers.

Sea Salt and Lime -- White Port is the perfect match here. Hard to find but worth the look.  Find it from Portugal producers Dow's, Warres, Osborn.  Alternate selection would be a semi sweet Riesling.  Selections from Germany and New York offer great values and rich whites with aromas and flavors of apricots, citrus, peach and honey.