Thomas Keller K+M Coffee + Sea Salt Hot Chocolate

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

A lush and velvety drink, K+M Coffee + Sea Salt Chocolate is blended in Napa Valley, California, and is made from the same beans as their chocolate bars (a collaboration between Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller, and Italian olive oil producer, Armando Manni). The rich, single-estate chocolate is balanced beautifully with organic, fair-trade coffee. The intense and complex flavor is further enhanced by a dash of sea salt.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

A cozy drink bursting with flavor, the Thomas Keller K+M Coffee + Sea Salt Hot Chocolate is perfect to curl up on the couch with, while you read a good book, or watch a movie. Pair this hot chocolate with a cake, sugar cookies, or a fruit tart.

COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION

K+M is an innovative collaboration between two minds, that of Thomas Keller and Armando Manni. These two men have made their names in the culinary world, and this collaboration is yet another very deserved feather in their already well-decorated caps.

Thomas Keller is the first and only American-born chef to get three stars from the Michelin Guide. He is a giant of American cuisine, and currently heads The French Laundry, the famous restaurant in Napa Valley, California.

Armando Manni has forged a reputation in Tuscany for his premium, super-antioxidant Italian extra-virgin olive oils. He developed the “Live Oil” process with the University of Florence and the National Council of Research in Italy. This process makes Manni EVOO the only oil to maintain its quality and taste for three years, and also gives it higher levels of antioxidants than other olive oils.

Together, Keller and Manni spent five years crafting a unique and innovative chocolate. In collaboration with the University of Florence, they developed a new method that preserves the antioxidants in the cocoa beans (traditional chocolate making can cause up to 60 to 80 percent loss). The result is a delicious and complex chocolate with an unparalleled silky quality, with all the full potential of the cocoa bean.

Storage Instructions

Store your chocolates in a cool, dark place, ideally between 18 to 24°C. You can use the refrigerator, but place the chocolate in an airtight container to keep the moisture and humidity out — and retain its full range of flavors, of course!