Farm fresh is all the rage, with more and more chefs jumping on the farm-to-table wagon. Well, that’s not just limited to restaurant fare. Black Dinah Chocolatiers‘ Farm Market Collection is built on the same premise. “We highlight farms on the Blue Hill Peninsula,” Steve says, describing the ingredients Kate uses in creating the collection’s handcrafted truffles, all made with fresh cream, but without preservatives. “The rhubarb is about to be in, so well have those soon.” That gem blends fresh rhubarb with a touch of cloves and milk chocolate.
Other truffles in the farm collection have included:
• Downeast Sea Breeze, made with fresh and dried cranberries, cranberry vodka, and milk chocolate;
• Chevre and Nib, made with fresh chevre, bittersweet chocolate, and cocoa nibs;
• Maine Mint, combining chocolate mint with bittersweet chocolate;
• Tree to Sea Caramel, with Black Dinah’s own maple sytrup, caramel, bittersweet chocolate, and apple-smoked Maine sea salt (oh, my!).
And there’s also a nice range of fruit-infused truffles, including Wild Raspberry, Strawberry Balsamic, Blueberry Black Pepper, Northern Apple, and—an autumn classic—New England Pie Pumpkin.
Among the farms highlighted in these treats are: Carding Brook Farm, Brooklin; Four SEason Farm, Brooksville; Lazy C Farm, Penobscot; Stoneset Farm, Brookin; Sunset Acres Farm, Brooksville; and Pat & Mike’s Garden, Ellsworth.
The collection began when Steve returned to Isle au Haut from the Stonington Farmers Market with a case of raspberries from Carding Brook Farm. Raspberry truffles were created, and a zest for combining fresh local farm produce with chocolate was ignited.
Other intriguing chocolates that Steve brought to the Rockland Farmers Market were lavendar and ancho chile barks.
Black Dinah Chocolates are available at various Maine farmers markets, including Rockland and Stonington, as well as online, and at the cafe Steve and Kate operate on Isle au Haut (it’s an easy walk from the intown ferry dock, and well worth the effort).
All together now: MMMMMMMMM!
