Vosges Exotic Caramels + Marshmallow

I thought my love affair with Vosges Haut-Chocolat was over, but clearly, it is not. On my way back from Memphis, I flew through the O'Hare airport, where I bumped into the very familiar Vosges Haut-Chocolat stand.

"I've got an hour and a half", I thought to myself. "Won't hurt to look. I've tried pretty much everything I wanted to."

Boy, was I wrong. Vosges has expanded its product line to offer so much more than chocolate bars, truffles, and hot chocolate mixes. I saw chocolate covered tortilla chips, peanut butter bonbons, chocolate covered mango, caramels, books, and more. I was in awe with all that was offered. I was like a little kid in a candy shop.

Of course, I had to buy something. I wasn't sure what I was going to buy, but I needed to buy something. After much contemplation, I finally decided on the exotic caramels.

I chose the 4-piece Exotic Caramels, which fit nicely into my carry on luggage. These were the 4 flavors + interesting tasting notes that came with the caramels:

Crema: Argentinean dulce de leche + Costa Rican cashews + milk chocolate.
Vosges recommends pairing this with Quilmes mild beer to allow the "sweet caramel flavors of dulce de leche echo through".

Sunshine: Tupelo honey + milk chocolate + bee pollen.This was a very soft caramel with a nice strong, sweet honey taste. If you are feeling adventurous, try eating this chocolate "with spice rubbed corn on the cob between bites."

Maple: Canadian maple sugar + maple syrup + walnuts + dark chocolate.
The walnuts in this semi-soft caramel provided mild hints of bitterness. Vosges recommends eating this one with "steaming Canadian maple-cured bacon."

Tarte: blood orange + Campari® + dark chocolate + hibiscus powder.
This was a refreshing citrusy caramel. Mirror the ingredients in this caramel with a "tall glass of fresh blood orange juice and Campari® on the rocks."

I skipped the recommended pairing notes, and ate these caramels on its own. My favorite of the four? The Bee Pollen + Honey Caramel. I loved the softness of this caramel, and the honey instantly warmed my soul (I work on emotions). With the cold we've been experiencing, it was much needed.

As I was paying for the caramels, I chatted with the clerk, where we then started to compare notes on our favorite Vosges products. She mentioned that her new go-to products were the peanut butter bonbons, and the caramel marshmallows. I instantly knew I had to try one of the two.

I opted for the marshmallow only because it was the most portable. They are sold individually, and it was the smallest of the two.

The marshmallow was a Madagascan vanilla marshmallow, topped with sweet caramel, coated with dark chocolate, and then sprinkled with caramel toffee bits and French Guérande grey sea salt.

Katrina Markoff, you have proven yourself to be a chocolate goddess.
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On a completely separate note, my good friend BB just delivered a healthy, beautiful baby daughter. Look how precious she looks...only 7 days old. Awww.

Check out my other Vosges Haut-Chocolat posts:
Vosges Boutique, Chicago O'Hare Airport
Vosges Haut-Chocolat: Black Pearl Bar and Red Fire Bar

Vosges Haut-Chocolat
O'Hare International Airport, across from Gate B6
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Telephone: 773-894-4613