Cowgirl Chocolates

A few months ago, Foodbuzz, my blog ad sponsors, started an opt-in program for foodies wishing to preview certain food related products in return for reviews.  Free food related products?  Of course, I signed up immediately.  Foodbuzz continues to amaze me with their innovations and ideas and how well they treat their featured publishers.  While I was away in Hawaii, I received a 1/4 lb. package of Cowgirl Chocolate assorted truffles.  Foodbuzz, you have found the right girl for this mission.

Let me start out by saying I am a huge fan of the Dagoba xocolatl chocolate bar.  They combine chilies and dark chocolate into a spicy, yummy interpretation of how the Aztec royalty liked their chocolate.  When I read Foodbuzz's description of Cowgirl Chocolates as being, "sweet and spicy gourmet chocolates for adventurous chocolate lovers" I was already primed and ready to love them.

Opening the package, I was impressed all the more.  The box of chocolates was exquisitely wrapped in a double thickness of tissue paper with Cowgirl Chocolates logo of a cowgirl looking down the barrel of a gun at you on top.  Removing the tissue paper, I found a sturdy little red box very nicely tied with black ribbon and a silver colored cowgirl hat button threaded through it.  It was a very nice touch, very luxurious looking, and already I was thinking this would make a perfect little hostess gift for someone.

On the inside, more beauty, as opening the top revealed 10 candies, each rolled in a different color of shiny cellophane.  Ahhh.  Having two boys, I love pretty things like this since we have so few of them in our house!  Also inside was a flavor guide separated into "spicy" and "mild" flavors.  Oh boy, was I ever ready.  My first selection was a beauty in a brown cellophane wrapper, the habanero dark chocolate.  Are you ready? (P.S.  No, I didn't eat them all in one day...It took me a week!)

Brown cellophane:  Habanero dark chocolate (spicy)

This chocolate was very smooth.  The spice builds as you swallow.  The exterior is shiny with a pretty design on top.  It doesn't melt extremely easily on the tongue but it is extremely satisfying.

Aqua cellophane:  Double dark chocolate (mild)

Light fudgy inside.  Very smooth chocolate, melts on tongue easily.

Clear cellophane:  Habanero caramel (spicy)

There was an immediate tingle on the tongue.  This one was hot, Hot, HOT!  I tried to chew it to finish it faster and the burning only intensified.  It was not altogether an unenjoyable sensation, but I did not really enjoy it as a candy.  This was the only one out of the bunch I did not appreciate.

Orange cellophane:  Ivory orange (mild)

This was a very pretty truffle with a layered look of white and milk chocolate.  It smelled "orange-y".  The chocolate was extremely smooth and the orange and chocolate worked very well together.

Fuschia red cellophane:  Raspberry Lemon (mild)

This had a creamy raspberry filling.   My notes on it were merely, "Mmmmm" underlined three times.  Enough said.

Silver cellophane:  Milk chocolate (mild)

This one was very smooth but doesn't melt on the tongue as readily as some of their other chocolates.

Red cellophane:  Raspberry dark chocolate (spicy)

Oh wow.  The spiciness really works well with the raspberry.

Copper cellophane:  Cappuccino (spicy)

My husband's observation on this one was that it "tasted like a really creamy and smooth version of chocolate coated coffee beans" and "that's actually REALLY GOOD".  It is spicy, but not too spicy.  The spicy and the coffee flavors really work well together.

Dark blue cellophane:  Hazelnut Milk Chocolate (spicy)

Tingly on the tongue.  Spicy and smooth.

Gold cellophane:  Double Dark Chocolate (spicy)

Compared to some of their chocolates, this one was a "tad" gritty, but we're comparing really good chocolate against really, really good chocolate.  I'm just finding things to pick on really.

I was sad to get to the end of these chocolates as all of them (minus the habanero caramels which were just way too spicy to be enjoyable to me) were exceptional.  They were beautiful, had good snap, melted well of the tongue and were very smooth.  I will definitely be buying more of these as they would make fabulous gifts for the foodies and chocoholics in your life.  They also have a line of spicy hot chocolates which I am very excited to try.  

You can order Cowgirl Chocolates at www.cowgirlchocolates.com.  Cowgirl chocolate's has a fabulous product here well worth checking out.  If you are interested in becoming a fan of Cowgirl Chocolates on Foodbuzz, their Foodbuzz profile is linked here.  Thanks again Foodbuzz for giving me the opportunity to not only try something new, but to try something so wonderful!