Stone Grindz

Moroccan Mint Cashew chocolate - a fast favorite that defies expectations

In the past few years, the selection of readily available chocolate has grown considerably beyond Hershey's and Ghiradelli to include artisanal bars sourced both nationwide and globally. Thanks to a few homegrown companies like family-operated Stone Grindz, you can even get chocolate that has been transformed from cacao bean to yummy bar right here in Arizona. (FYI, Glendale's Ceretta Candy Company uses an exclusive blend by Guittard.)

See also:
- Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies from Super Chunk Sweets & Treats
- 5 Desserts That Pastry Chef Rachel Miller is Totally Over

What truly makes Stone Grindz chocolate unique, aside from being 100% raw and organic, is the texture. As the name implies, the company's entire product line, including coconut butter and superfood bars, is made using a stone grinder. This gives the chocolate a rough, sandy texture like that of traditional Mexican chocolate, and it means that mix-ins like nuts and fruit are ground into fine pieces along with the beans to be strewn evenly throughout the bars.

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Dominique Chatterjee

Postre de coco, a creamy coconut pudding with dark chocolate

In a brief description of the only dessert on the menu at Doug Robson's newest venture, Otro Café, food critic Laura Hahnefeld said, "It's pretty much the best Mounds bar you've had in a glass." And -- despite living in Brooklyn these days -- I knew from those few words that I had to have a taste.

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- Oh, Oh, Otro Café!
- 10 Things in New York City the Phoenix Food Scene Will Never Have

While her observation was spot-on, what Hahnefeld didn't say is that this coconut pudding is simpler yet more indulgent than the candy bar, without the super-sweetness of corn syrup or the regret-inducing heaviness of so much processed junk (what, pray tell, is the ingredient called PGPR?). So, yes, this dessert is like a Mounds bar, but infinitely better.

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Dominique Chatterjee

Raisin roll from New York West Bakery.

Sun City is pretty much the last place anyone would think to look when scouring the Phoenix area for good eats. The West Valley's local-food scene is pretty slow in general -- let's just say there's lots of opportunity for growth -- and, if that's not reason enough to overlook it, Sun City is the haven for the Valley's retirees. But don't forget that some of those old folks know a thing or two about how food was prepared back in the day. To recapture the sweet memories of the neighborhood bakery their parents treated them to when they were youngsters, they need only visit New York West Pastry & Bake Shop off Grand and 101st avenues.

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- Dessert First: Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Amuse Bouche is a Pleasant Surprise -- in Suprise

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Dominique Chatterjee

This cookie disappeared lickety split.

National Geographic honored local sugar purveyors Super Chunk Sweets & Treats -- the passion-fueled side venture of Cowboy Ciao/Kazimierz pastry chef Country Velador and her husband, Sergio -- earlier this year by including their chocolate chip cookie as one of 10 in the United States worth traveling for. I took that to heart, making a special trip to the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market to nab one.

See also:
- Last Night's Scottsdale Culinary Event: The Chocolate and Wine "Experience"
- Cobbler on Quack at Cowboy Ciao

One thing makes this cookie stand out from the traditional chocolate chip variety: mesquite flour. This one special ingredient transforms it into a unique treat, and the result is certainly a deviation from the soft, Nestle Tollhouse style that defines the classic American cookie. The mesquite flour adds a rich taste of caramel that makes the smooth dark chocolate sing. The distinctive flavor is a teeny bit smoky, but not in the heavy way that mesquite wood lends flavor to smoked meats.

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New Times

Robert McGrath and Matt Taylor

While it's true that Market Street Kitchen at DC Ranch is best classified as a neighborhood restaurant, it's a neighborhood restaurant aimed at a pretty sophisticated audience.

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Rich Heider Whips Up Heavenly Hot Chocolate Cocktails at Market Street Kitchen

How else to explain a legit cocktail program (with one of the city's best bartenders running it); an upscale menu that includes suckling pig, air-dried duckling and sashimi-grade ahi; and not one but two major talents in the kitchen? MSK's head honcho is James Beard award winner and Check Please! host Robert McGrath , the guy who put his indelible imprint on Modern Western Cuisine and made campfire cooking cool.

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Dominique Chatterjee

Pear buckle with coffee-flavored whipped cream

Primarily known as a coffee shop -- and a pretty good one, at that -- Lux Central also dishes up food for every moment of the day. Want quiche for breakfast? Lux has that. Mac n' cheese for lunch? That too. A fresh baked cookie to go with your afternoon tea? Yep, several varieties. A steak for dinner followed by a fancy dessert? You betcha.

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- Beaver Supreme at Beaver Choice
- Cannoli Clash: DeFalco's Italian Deli vs. Something Sweet Bakery

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Beaver Choice

Looking for a new dessert that's unlike anything else? It's no surprise that you'll find it at Beaver Choice, the Swedish-Polish-Canadian restaurant that throws Western palates for a loop with dishes like Flying Jacob, a combination of chicken, bananas, peanuts, cream, and curry, and laxpudding, a fried dish with cured salmon, potatoes, egg, and dill.

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- Chow Bella's Gift Guide for the Dessert Lover
- AndyTalk: The Surprising Lesson in Olive Oil Cake

If like anything else, Beaver Supreme is comparable to pavlova. They're both made of meringue, whipped cream, and fruit, but the similarity ends there. This isn't one of the best desserts when pit against the gourmet pastries served here in the Valley, but it's satisfying and fun to eat. Plus, it's always great to have an excuse to visit Beaver Choice, which will be relocating early next year from Tempe to much larger digs in Mesa. Right now, this dessert is available on Thursday, Friday, and -- if everyone else didn't already eat it -- Saturday. Word is that the expansion will benefit customers in numerous ways, including that Beaver Supreme will be available every day of the week.

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What? Not done with your holiday shopping? Yeah, neither are we. But we've been making lists -- and checking them twice -- and we've got some suggestions for the nice people on your list. Today, Chow Bella's Gift Guide for the Dessert Lover.

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- Chow Bella's Gift Guide for the Foodie
- The Eight Strangest Holiday-Themed Food and Drink Items

Some people never tire of eating dessert. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snack: it's all sweet all the time. If that sounds like one of your beloved family members or friends, these five gifts are a perfect fit. If you'll be enjoying a holiday feast with them, go all out and complement one of these giftable treats with a special order dessert for a super sweet celebration they'll never forget.

Candy mixed bag from Smeeks
Put together the perfect selection of nostalgic favorites and hard-to-find candies at Smeeks, recently relocated to UNION at Biltmore, where you can also pick up sweets from Whoopie Baking Co. to add to your gift bag of goodies. Old time candies that will make your parents' and grandparents' hearts swell include Abba-Zaba, Charleston Chew, Mallo Cups, Chuckles, Sky Bar and C. Howard's Violet. Smeeks also stocks locally made creations, including Goodytwos Toffee and Tracy Dempsey Originals, and hard-to-find items from out-of-state, including Whimsical Candy's handmade sea salt caramels and the three-day labor of love, La-Dee-Dahs.

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Dominique Chatterjee

Butter pecan and Vietnamese coffee ice creams with chocolate toffee pieces

What kind of restaurant has dessert so insanely good that it gets its own storefront? Windsor/Churn, that's what. It kind of feels like I'm cheating here because the whole premise of Dessert First is to test restaurants' final courses, but when breaking the rules tastes so sweet, who the hell cares?

See also:
- Meet Churn's Monica Castillo

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Dominique Chatterjee

Hiding underneath a plain appearance are robust flavors.

Brat Haus opened this past July in Old Town Scottsdale, bringing some much-needed amenities to the area: affordable yet gourmet food courtesy of chef Payton Curry, a laid back spot to drink beer, and a large outdoor patio area that's tucked away, feeling removed from the typical Scottsdale scene. Sound too good to be true? Whether you're looking for a spot to hang out with friends, for a quick bite, or for a beer garden to host a celebration, there's no bad time to check out this restaurant for yourself.

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- Payton Curry Dishes on the Maricopa County Health Department and His Vision for Brat Haus
- 5 Ways to Survive the Twinkie Apocalypse

The menu has everything from stone-hearth baked pretzels and Jaeger stew to sausages and burgers. There's both simple food for the unadventurous, including the traditional sweet brat with smoked apple, onion, and fennel seed ($6), and more unique options for those who like their meals to be an exploration. Surprising selections include the Rabbit & Hops brat with huckleberries, tarragon, and mustard seed ($9) and the Duck & Dates with coriander, fennel seed, and orange zest ($8.50). The same is true for the sweet offerings, which range from a Belgian waffle and pretzel with Nutella to German chocolate cake ice cream and drunken date cake made with oatmeal stout ($5).

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