Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

As I have family from Canada and travel there often (when such things are allowed), I am a big fan of their super-nice products. I recently raved about Snow Hill Farm wines and have spoken often about ice wine, the ice hotel, and other cool Candaian creations.

I am also a big fan of the 18^thstate and sing the praises of Vermont’s maple products, ciders, and more.

One thing that brings both sides of the border together is Lake Champlain and its eponymous chocolate company. Though many cannot get to Vermont right now, LCC is offering virtual tastings and gift cards and have a slew of options for Valentine’s Day and every day!`

Just in time for V-Day, Lake Champlain Chocolates has come up with a delicious set of vegan truffles made with plant-based coconut milk. These latest Lake legends join their already popular peanut butter snack bites, dark chocolate almond bark, golden spice bars, and other vegan treats, encouraging even those with special diets to enjoy and indulge.

For those who want to especially indulge their lady friends, LCC also has a Valentine’s Day box that is filled with truffles, caramels, and other yummy items that will show your love and appreciation in a tasteful and tasty way. There is also a cutely-contained Hearts Aflutter box of organic chocolate hearts that is perfect for children!

Now more than ever, people need sweetness and love. Leave it to Lake Champlain to provide!

www.lakechamplainchocolates.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

Valentine’s Day is coming up and that puts many people in the mood for chocolate (as if most of us needed any prompting to get into the mood!).

One person for whom February 14 is EXTRA special is Alan Frost, creator of Flava Naturals, which is the delicious chocolate with the ridiculous amounts of health-supporting flavanols and other healthy ingredients like blueberries, green tea, almonds, ginger and Saigon cinnamon,

As it is also a cold time of year, many people are also turning to hot cocoa to warm them up during shoveling, sledding or socially-distanced socializing.

That is why right now would be a particularly good time to try Flava Naturals’ amazing bars and powder, all of which are made with premium cocoa beans and unique processing systems that release up to nine times the cocoa flavanols of other chocolates.

A recent study in England showed how hot chocolate can help with mental acuity, but the chocolate used had 600 mg of flavanols, which is admittedly more than most sort-bought brands but far less than Flava Naturals’ 900 mg!

Flava Naturals not only supports your heart and brain, it also supports resolutions with its own 10-day protocol to improve your health and get your year off to a sweet start.

So whether you want to be romantic or just smarter, try some Flava Naturals. It may be the most delicious heart and brain food you ever try!

www.flavanaturals.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

With Valentine’s Day coming, many would-be romantics are looking for ways to make the day special even with a dearth of options.

While many may fall back on the big box of chocolate, when it comes to love, many maintain that quality means more then quantity.

That is why chocolates from Flair Chocolatier may help set you and your loved ones apart.

Flair was created in 2018 by Michelin-rated chef Genie Kwon, who has helmed award-winning restaurants around the world. 

Instead of offering your typical brown and white varieties, Flair uses the rare ruby cacao plant for chocolate that is naturally pink- the color of romance. They then add to this a set of geographically-inspired ingredients that range from New York apples to Parisian pralines and Tokyo’s genmai rice, each of which will surely transport your Valentine, even if they can’t leave the house.

So if you want to make this Valentine’s day (or any day) extra special, step out of your comfort zone and give your chocolate some Flair.

AND if you order via Grapevine Shops, 10% of the proceeds goes to Family Reach, which supports families dealing with cancer.

Talk about doing your heart (and some else’s) some good!

https://flairchocolatier.com

www.grapevineshops.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

Valentine’s Day is coming, but as we have not had as much opportunity to get outside and burn off those holiday calories this year, many may be reticent to go big on the chocolates.

Fortunately, there is a set of small but mighty chocolates from Delysia Chocolatier that can fit the bill without refitting the pants!

Delysia Chocolatier’s Sensual Ruby Chocolate Truffle Collection comes with a trio of tantalizing truffles that are a treat on Valentine’s Day (or ANY day) and that are made with their signature naturally pink premium chocolate and ingredients that have been claimed to have romantic powers over both men and women. From the smoky and sweet fruity flair of orange chocolate to the sweet and tangy honey ginger and the smooth and seductive Merlot cherries & cream, the Delysia box will have you and your Valentine all set to burn off calories in another way.

And if you need to cover up afterwards, Delysia also offers simply stated shirts that proclaim whether you (or your Valentine) are a chocolate connoisseur, chocoholic, or admitted addict.

So if you need a punch of passion this Valentine’s Day or just a way to treat yourself during these trying and largely unromantic times, check out what is new at Delysia Chocolatier and see what sweet spots you can hit.

www.delysia.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

With all the challenges going on in the world today, romance can be rare and romantics (like me) are an endangered species. 

Fortunately, my friends at Endangered Species Chocolate are helping to save the romantics from extinction with their latest offering- a special Valentine’s day gift pack that will not only help your love survive but will also help other endangered species survive as well.

The Endangered Species Trio includes one bar that features domestically-grown raspberries, one with local cherries, and one with dark chocolate and oat milk (which represents the first plant-based chocolate bar in captivity). In addition to offering diverse but uniformly-delicious flavors, Endangered Species also donates 10% of its annual net profits to wildlife conservation. So far, they’ve donated $2.6 million to conservation efforts around the world, so why not join in the fight to save the animals we love while getting sweet surprises for those you love (including yourself!)?

If chocolates made with berries and oat milk are not your favorites (at least not yet), Endangered Species has a menagerie of melt-in-your-mouth materials to choose from, including crisped rice, hazelnut toffee, and many more.

As far as ordering, their website is www.chocolatebar.com, so what could be easier?

www.chocolatebar.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

While you may not be able to wine and dine your Valentine as in years past, you can surely woo them with the words, “I love you more than Chocolate Pizza!”

And thanks to the folks at Chocolate Pizza Company, you can prove it right then and there by presenting them with any of their specially-themed gifts like the good rabbit vibrator reviewed as one of the best.

Among the most popular presentations at this time of year are the “Dream Heart,” “Crazy for You,” and “Valentines Avalanche” combos, each of which not only includes a round or heart-shaped hand-crafted chocolate pizza that is lovingly drizzled in red, white, and pink frosting and candies (and that can also be personalized) but also their potato chip-based peanut butter “wings” that are amazing to the point of being worth daring to keep them for yourself!

If you are flying solo this month, the wings also come alone in a handsome red tin. If, on the other hand, you have been lighting up the dating apps during lockdown, Chocolate Pizza Company also offers gift baskets that have enough to go around and that will surely help you land at least one special someone!

A Chcolate Pizza, some PB wings, and thou. What could be more romantic?

www.chocolatepizza.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

The Boston area has a long and storied history when it comes to chocolate. Writing the latest chapter (and surely one of the tastiest!) is Liron Gal, creator of Mmm…Chocolate!

Taking inspiration for her company’s name from her two-year-old home critic, Liron was trainedin the prestigious Ecole Lenôtre in Paris and the Barry Callebaut chocolate academy in Chicago and brings that international flair to the home of Baker’s Chocolate and the Toll House cookie by combining preservative-free premium ingredients in different flavor and texture combinations that make each hand-crafted piece truly unique. 

With a wide enough palette of options to make any day special, Liron has concocted special selections for the season of romance. In addition toher bouchée collection of delicious domes and Grand cru kisses (which are chocolate lips filled with single-origin ganaches from Madagascar, Peru, Ecuador, and elsewhere), she is also cooking up caramel hearts filled with four different types of caramel and chocolate hearts filled with everything from mango and passion fruit (with an emphasis on the ”passion”) to apple cider caramel and even balsamic caramel! She also has Valentines-themed gift boxes, including one that contains strawberry ganache and Pop Rocks and a set of sugar-free treats that are compatible with keto and diabetic diets.

Chocolate is always good, but when it is THIS good, the only thing to say is “Mmm…Chocolate!”

https://mmm-chocolate.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

For anyone who loves Queer Eye, Olympic phenoms, or just great food, I am sure that you were tickled by the recent UberEats ad that featured the ever-stylish Jonathan Van Ness and the ever-impressive Simone Biles talking about getting food delivered from the South Strreet Diner in Boston.

While many of our favorite places have been closing, South Street Diner is still open 24 hours and is still paying its staff above average wages so they can survive despite limitations in seating capacity.

Not only is the Diner open, but it has recently released a new set of seasonal specials that includes churro cinnamon toast pancakes, and even new additions to their world-famous menu of Benedicts that include sirloin steak and maple-pepper fried chicken Benedicts. There is also a fried chicken sandwich if you want your chicken to come without an egg. The huevos rancherosnow range from vegan to meat lovers so, as usual, there is something for everyone and plenty of new favorites to discover. And owner Solomon Sidell is still doing all he can to support his neighbors with events and charitable donations.

So whether you drop by, have it delivered, or eat it on a balance beam, food from South Street Diner helps you and the food community.

www.southstreetdiner.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Bon appétit!

When I was a kid, HBO had a great show called “Not Necessarily the News” which featured comedian Rich Hall sharing definitions of words that did not exist but should. He called them “Sniglets” and many of them have, in fact, entered our vocabulary.

Recently I was informed about a new such word – Orbisculate – which is not only necessary but also has an uplifting backstory.

The word is used to describe those times when a food (like a grapefruit) squirts you in the face in the process of eating it. It was coined by a Boston man who unfortunately died from Covid and is now being championed by his children who want to get it into the dictionary, onto tv shows, and on the radio (You’re welcome!). They also want to use their campaign to raise money for Carson’s Village, an organization that supports families dealing with sudden loss.

Please go to Orbisculate.com to see where else you can use the word and please support the coiner’s family in their campaign.

Enjoy your grapefruit!

www.Orbisculate.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

While going to a restaurant may be the last thing on people’s minds these days, the folks at Jewish Arts Collaborative have revolutionized Restaurant Week by turning it on its head and bringing the restaurants to you which now count with digital menu benefits.

For the latest iteration of Taste of Israel (which runs from January 26 to February 2), JArts has assembled some of the best chefs in the area to prepare special foods that show the expansive and diverse food culture that the Jewish State offers. From Druze and Ethiopian to Michorcocan and Yemenite, Israel’s food culture continues to incproporate all of its population’s many factets. And with the coming of JNF’s Galilee Culinary Institute, Israeli’s influence on world cuisine will only continue to grow as the country’s north strives to become the culinary and food-tech capital of the world.

To get a taste of the action, you can try some of the delicious creations from such favorites as BONAPITA, Cafe Landwer, Catering By Andrew, Galit’s Treats, Inna’s Kitchen, Michael’s Deli, Simcha, and even J.P. Licks, all while supporting the local food scene (which is in desparate need). It’s tikkun olam on a plate!

In addition to the food festival, Taste of Israel wil also feature live events (including a cooking demo with Ilan Barniv of BONAPITA), and even a kosher collection of podcasts called The Vibe of the Tribe.

Ask any Jewish mother- Now is NOT the time to go out to dinner. But thanks to Taste of Israel, you can still essen gut without leaving home.

www.jartsboston.org