Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co’s Uncommon Artisanal Sweets
From bourbon nib brittle to sea salt and vinegar caramels, specialty Southern candies from Tennessee
Among the many wonders we uncovered at this year’s NYC Summer Fancy Food Show, Tennessee’s Olive & Sinclair pleased our palates for many good reasons. The chocolatiers and confectioners whip up what they refer to as “Southern artisan treats” and they do so ethically. The team utilizes organic and fair-trade cacao beans, slow roast them all in small batches and produce what they call new old-fashioned chocolate. And while we’re appreciative of their processes, it’s safe to say we are also taken with their flavors—both standard and exploratory. Products like the 75% Cacao Chocolate Bar and the Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili Chocolate Bar sound familiar but taste exceptional. And the rest, require a little further explanation.
Two products immediately caught our eye at the show: Barrel Aged Bourbon Nib Brittle and Sea Salt & Vinegar Caramels. The former isn’t your everyday brittle: the nibs within were aged in small-batch bourbon barrels taken from nearby Corsair Distillery. They’ve been blended with caramelized, buttery brittle and the final product melts in the mouth, allowing all of the flavors to unfurl. The caramels see the old-fashioned chewy treat amplified by the addition of sea salt. That’s not so uncommon, but adding vinegar in the mix actually lends the sweets a bit of tartness, taking it to unexplored territory. And these are only two examples of what Olive & Sinclair’s up to. Duck Fat Caramels and a Buttermilk White Chocolate Bar are two more examples of the brand’s curious creativity. When thinking about your next sugar hit, considering some of the adventurous sweet treats from Olive & Sinclair won’t disappoint.
Explore Olive & Sinclair’s wonderful array of chocolates and confections online.
Images by Cool Hunting
