I am not someone who has a sweet tooth, but I do enjoy a well-made chocolate or dessert. What I mean by “not having a sweet tooth” is that I rarely crave sweets. It doesn’t mean I don’t like them. I just crave bread and salty bites more. That means if I’m sharing a sweet treat on the blog it must be pretty delicious for me to take notice. If you’ve read A Guide to Chocolate in Boston you know I’m a fan of Harbor Sweets up in Salem. It is a great road trip for visitors and the history in that building is something you can’t find many places in North America. Harbor Sweets sent me a box of their newest chocolates for review, and I was very impressed. I think it is my favourite chocolate of theirs I have tasted so far.
Famous for their nautical, crunchy, Sweet Sloops, which can be found at gift and specialty shops in the area, I have always thought of Harbor Sweets as a nice local gift of pretty good chocolate. They have some tough local competition though when it comes to high end boxes of chocolate. Their latest box, however, is not only raising the bar they’ve also created a box that supports a cause that is very important to all of us (whether you know it or not).
Gather Chocolate is a flight of (the bumblebee)…no it’s a flight of chocolates that has more complex notes than some of Harbor Sweet’s other chocolates. Most importantly, there is athe subtle note of local wildflower honey. 2.5% of the sale of Gather Chocolates supports the Pollinator Partnership. The Pollinator Partnership is an advocate for best beekeeping practices for honeybee protection.
This delicious flight of chocolates is presented in a hexagonal box (reminiscent of a hive) and is a beautiful golden, honey-yellow on the outside. Within the box, you (or the person who recieves these as a gift) will find a rich, smooth caramelized honey bonbon, an earthy pomegranate molasses bonbon, a tart sour cherry truffle, a crunchy and nutty cashew caramel bonbon. a tropical coconut cluster truffle, and a caramelized sesame crunch bonbon. Each bonbon is made with dark chocolate that goes so well with the touch of honey. A six piece box has one of each ($12.50). A 12 piece box has two of each ($18.50).
I recommend buying a box to keep in the house and nibble your way through this month. As you bite into each one, see if you can taste all the hidden notes and pat yourself on the back for supporting the bees.
For the full experience, stop by Harbor Sweets and pick up several boxes for friends and family as a nice surprise. Harvor Sweets in located in its original historic red brick building at 85 Leavitt St. in Salem, MA. Chocolate can also be bought online and shipped worldwide.
