Chocolate

Black Star Chocolates tweaks truffle recipe for a win at the 2013 Colorado Chocolate Festival

Chocolatiers Andrew Starr and Jennifer Spielman of Colorado-based Black Star Chocolates weren't satisfied with the first version of their lemongrass-Kaffir lime-coconut truffle -- specifically, how the chocolate overpowered the filling flavors -- so they made some changes in time for the 2013 Colora ... More >>

Peteybird Ice Cream Sandwiches wheels into downtown

In April, "ice cream-sandwich enthusiast" Peter Bredemann donned hot-pink sunglasses, hot-pink fannyback and hot-pink flip-flops and started pedaling a hot-pink, three-wheel bike around Denver, peddling ice cream sandwiches. Now from noon to 2 p.m. every Monday through Friday, Peteybird Ice Cream Sa ... More >>

Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Chocolate bundt cake

Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast. Despite the fact that Valentine ... More >>

Ikea's snack attack: Why is Swedish mustard so effin' good?

After an afternoon of shopping for cheap to moderately-priced unassembled end tables and bathroom shelves at Ikea -- a trip that usually lasts into the early evening if you start on the top floor -- there is one last spot you really can't miss: the Swedish food market. This section of the store is a ... More >>

Choco-Love

Restaurants partner with AIA Colorado architects for Delicious Designs

April is Colorado Architecture Month, but the celebration isn't limited to concrete and steel structures. The American Institute of Architecture's Colorado branch has partnered with five local restaurants on Delicious Designs, to show how architecture affects "where we live, work, play... and even e ... More >>

Photos: A sweet, swanky soiree at Sugarlicious for its three-month anniversary

Sugarlicious, a sweet shop in Cherry Creek, celebrated its three-month anniversary last night with colorful cocktails, a giant gummy bear ice sculpture, tasties from the pink Comida food truck and, of course, plenty of candy.

Milk and cookies with Lefthand's nitro stout and some Chocolove

I had a case of the munchies the other day and knew from experience that chocolate chip cookies would cure it. An old neighbor and I used to get "safe" on a fairly regular basis (for more on safety, follow my man William Breathes) and as cliche as it sounds, the chocolate chip cookies he'd randomly ... More >>

Cocoa Loco

Five places to celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day

Time to get your sugar high, Denver. Today is National Chocolate Cake Day, which is an excellent reason to stop into a favorite spot for a slab of something rich, delicious and, above all, packed with chocolate. Need a suggestion? Here are five places that will give you a fix.

Black Star Chocolates makes sweet chocolate lust -- one batch at a time.

Andrew Starr is a choc-tease. He and his chocolatier partner, Jennifer Spielman, own Black Star Chocolates, and they create exciting, luscious and downright sensual confections. Since their chocolate creations are handmade, small-batch and filled with fresh, seasonal herbs and flowers, thought, they ... More >>

Over the weekend: My date with a cupcake. And another. And another...

Jeff Ball for the Colorado Chocolate Festival​I've been at Dana Cain's Colorado Chocolate Festival every year for the last few, both as a contest judge and as an appreciative chocoholic fool. There, I've tasted everything from chocolate sauces to artisan truffles, but none of it prepared me fo ... More >>

Sweet! The 2011 Colorado Chocolate Festival

J. WohletzNaughty, naughty chocolate sauce.​Not all festivals are as interesting at the Colorado Chocolate Festival, which a Dana Cain creation that started out with chocolate-covered Twinkies, wine slushes, a guy dressed up like a box of Swiss Miss cocoa, some fine local chocolate makers kic ... More >>

Elana Amsterdam releases Gluten-Free Cupcakes

Marble cupcakes with vegan chocolate frosting.​Elana Amsterdam had been baking healthy, high-protein desserts since the early '90s -- and then in 1998, she was diagnosed with celiac disease. One thing seemed to lead to another, and the delicious result is the local author's latest work, Gluten ... More >>

Piece, Love & Chocolate opens in Boulder

Piece, Love & Chocolate​Sarah Amorese fell in love with chocolate when she lived in Amsterdam. "My boss used to bring Belgian chocolates back to the office," she says. "And my husband -- boyfriend at the time -- and I did a lot of business trips through Europe. We used to visit every pastry an ... More >>

Chocolate Lovers' Lounge at Hyatt Regency Denver opens today

​How sweet it is! Starting today and continuing through Monday, February 14 -- yes, Valentine's Day -- the Hyatt Regency Denver , 650 15th Street, will feature the aptly named Chocolate Lovers' Lounge in the Peaks Lounge.

Nathan Miller exits head pastry chef post at The Kitchen to launch a line of chocolate

​When head pastry chef Nathan Miller's last day at The Kitchen, 1039 Pearl Street, rolls around, it will mark, almost to the day, his sixth anniversary working at the restaurant -- six years of decadent sticky toffee pudding; six years of rich soufflé-like pot au chocolate; and six years of f ... More >>

Getting sticky at TAG

Liz KellermeyerSticky toffee deliciousness​Warm sticky toffee cake, made with fresh dates and topped with caramel sauce and bourbon butterscotch ice cream, might seem better suited to a chilly autumn afternoon, but as the summer months settle in, don't expect the dessert to disappear from the ... More >>

Howard Shapiro, chief agronomist for Mars, dishes on good-for-you chocolate

Mars Chocolate North AmericaHoward Shapiro wants to change the face of chocolate across the planet.​You might think that Mars -- one of the world's biggest candy companies -- and sustainability would be mutually exclusive concepts. But that just means you haven't met Howard Shapiro, the chief ... More >>

Sugar High: Olivea

Liz KellermeyerChocolate and fleur de sel caramel tart with milk chocolate gelato and nougatine crunch. Oh, yes.​If your New Year's resolutions have you off the sugar, this post isn't for you. If, however, you've instead vowed to be more mindful of the quality of your indulgences and are keeping ... More >>

Sugar High: Cake and shake at D Bar Desserts

Liz Kellermeyer​ Even though Keegan Gerhard and his wife, Lisa Bailey, opened D Bar Desserts, 1475 East 17th Avenue, just under two years ago, it took about two minutes for the sugar house to emerge as one of the city's premiere dessert spots. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Monday through ... More >>

Sugar High: Sugar Bakeshop doughnuts and Sweet Action hot chocolate float

Liz Kellermeyer​Welcome to the first installment of our new feature, Sugar High. Check back here every Friday to see where we indulged our sweet tooth during the week.   Granted, the chilly weather doesn't make an ice cream shop immediately leap to mind when considering where to warm the b ... More >>

Under Fire: Dishinthesis -- from the brain to the plate

​ Our former Cafe Society intern just decided to chuck college in favor of a real education: as a sous chef. In Under Fire, he chronicles his daily trials and tribulations in the kitchen. This is a story about how a dish makes it from my mangled mind onto the plate for service. And yes, it inv ... More >>

Candy Girls: 5th Avenue

Liz Kellermeyer​ 5th Avenue candy bars have been around since 1936, but we've yet to pull one off the shelf and indulge. The reason why is unclear, though we guess it has something to do with not having any idea what this candy is all about, from its providence to its flavor combinations.  We ... More >>

Guess where I'm eating?

Lori Midson​I am not, nor have I ever been, a sweets person. For the most part, chocolate does absolutely nothing for me, although I do have an affinity for Vosges milk chocolate bar with smoked bacon. Because, you know, it's BACON. But you could pretty much shove a box of chocolates, a bowl of ca ... More >>

Candy Girls: Crackheads

Liz KellermeyerWe must be looking a little tired around the office, because a co-worker recently bestowed this candy upon us. Hey, we don't look gift horses in the mouth, we just put them in our mouths. The gifts, that is. The candy.  Maybe we need a couple more of these...

Wait! White Fence Farm also makes good fudge

Candy Girls: Reese's Milk Chocolate Layered Cookies

Photo by Aubrey ShoeWe have pretty much given up on Reese's products that aren't Reese's cups. The story is getting old: Reese's cups = delicious, Reese's cup variants = eh. But as fate would have it, a colleague recently took a tour of the Hershey factory, where he purchased and brought back ... More >>

Candy Girls: IKEA Chocolate Bars

Last week, Aubrey was off cavorting in San Diego while Liz was stuck at home, forced to sample some of the grossest candy in Candy Girls' history. It wasn't all fun and games for Aubrey, however, as she had promised to bring back strange and unknown treats from IKEA and Trader Joe's for us to samp ... More >>

Candy Girls: Shaman Chocolates

We recently heard about organic chocolate bars from Shaman Chocolates, and were eager to try out these chocolates for a good cause: 100 percent of the profits go to support the Huichol Indians in the Sierra Madre mountains in central Mexico, and sales of the Fair Trade-certified chocolate have alr ... More >>

Candy Girls: Flake and Curly Wurly bars

So Candy Girls is cheating a little this week by devouring some tasty treats from across the pond that aren't technically new. But what better time of year to revisit foreign favorites, especially if you're looking for fun and economical gifts for loved ones? We got these at the House of Commons ... More >>

Chocolate Factory

Grab a golden ticket to one of the sweetest festivals in Colorado.

Candy Girls: Godiva European Dessert Truffles

With fall upon us and turkey day fast approaching, I've started to think of some of my favorite, festive holiday treats. Candy canes? Sure. Pumpkin pie? Love it. Pecan pie? Yum. But none of them belong on the Candy Girls blog. Luckily, I found out that Godiva Chocolatier makes truffle versions of ... More >>

Candy Girls: Nestle Chunky Bar

While scouring the candy aisle at Walgreen's earlier this week, I happened upon a mysterious box filled with giant candy bars that looked like they were left over from the Reagan administration. The packaging had a decidedly retro '80s feel, and since the box was sitting all alone on the very top ... More >>

Candy Girls: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

White Chocolate Grill opens today in Park Meadows

Candy Girls: M&M's Premiums

Milking It: Double Chocolate Cookie Crisp

Candy Girls: Candy Deviled Eggs

Candy Girls: Limited Edition Wild Cherry M&M's

The Candy Girls Go on Vacation

Candy Girls: The Chocolate Therapist

Candy Girls: Dietrich's Chocolate & Espresso

Candy Girls: Original Peanut Chew

Life by Chocolate

Dark Magic

Chocolate plays well with others.

Drink of the Week

Mint Chocolate Chip Martini

Best Chocolates

Sweet Rockin' Coffee

Hot Chocolate

MOUTHING OFF