S16 SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com
CHOCOLATE
➍
➌
➋
➊
➊ BISSINGER'S HAND-
CRAFTED CHOCOLATIER
Apple Ghost Chili Salt
Caramels
Contact: Bridget Walsh
314.615.2444
bridget@bissingers.com
bissingers.com
➋ CHOCOLAT MODERNE
Avant-Garde Bar The Lover
Contact: Joan Coukos Todd
212.229.4797
joan@chocolatmoderne.com
chocolatmoderne.com
➌ HOT CAKES
Smoked Chocolate Chips
Contact: Autumn Martin
206.420.3431
wholesale@
getyourhotcakes.com
getyourhotcakes.com
➍ RITROVO ITALIAN
REGIONAL FOODS
Bottega Ditalia Amaretti
Cookie Crumble Bark with
Dark Chocolate
Contact: Ilyse Rathet
206.985.1635
ritrovo@aol.com
ritrovo.com
POCO DOLCE CONFECTIONS
Popcorn Toffee Squares
KATHY WILEY WAS LOOKING TO ADD NEW FLAVORS to her line of
chocolate-covered toffee squares when she had a realization: A sea salt
version had a particular balance of sweet and salt that reminded her of kettle
corn. "I thought, if I could make it a little saltier—to match my own personal
tastes—and get popcorn in there, that would be amazing," she recalls.
Air-popped popcorn is folded into buttery toffee that the Poco Dolce
staff cuts by hand before enveloping in a blend of bittersweet chocolate.
When tasting several new creations, Wiley's team agreed on the winning
toffee flavor—even though it was the hardest to produce. The sizing of
the popcorn pieces and the smoothing of the toffee all require significant
finesse, she notes. "But I think we all agree it's worth it in the end." Suggested
retail price: $16/8 ounces. Contact: Albert Moriguchi; 415.255.1443; albert@
pocodolce.com; pocodolce.com.—E. Meszaros
FINALISTS
