Chocolate Life

TRADER JOE'S DARK CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN SPICE SEA SALT CARAMELS

Pumpkimania is in full swing. I usually don’t highlight the more pedestrian chocolatier (snob!) If you browse my chocolate page you’ll notice one or two exceptions (albeit exceptional exceptions) but seeing that its pumpkin season and I happened to stumble upon this purely by accident, I’m going with it.

Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Sea Salt Caramels taste as good as that sounds. I discovered them in the break room at a doctor’s office (I know; what is the world coming to.) They sounded so good I made a special trip to Trader Joe’s-just to check them out.

I am a little critical here because I think they would’ve been better had they put a little less sugar in them (the chocolate barely qualifies as “dark”) but overall, they are delicious! I always love a salty-sweet contrast. The filling has the perfect blend of spices but as I said, the chocolate itself is a bit sweet. I’d still recommend them though, they’re really good. I am pretty strict with myself these days so I intend to have that one box around for a while (at a “dose” of just 1 per day.)

The reason that Trader Joe’s is such a huge success is that they private label foodstuffs and buy liquor in bulk which allows them to purchase with deep discounts. But just because they private label and buy in large quantities (to pass the savings along to us), doesn’t mean they provide sub-standard goods. I happen to know that their Belgium Chocolate bars are made with top quality Belgian chocolate. It’s like anything else; some things are not so great (the sushi comes to mind) and some things are terrific…like their chocolate. And let’s face it…what’s more important than the chocolate?

Available at Trader Joe’s markets across the country.