The Madelaine Chocolate Company Review + Giveaway

SPRING INTO SPRING EVENT 

Stock up your Easter baskets and Easter eggs this spring with The Madelaine Chocolate Company!  You probably remember me posting a review or two last year about The Madelaine Chocolate Company and yept, I am at it again with another fun review.  The Madelaine Chocolate Company offers a candy for just about any occasion or holiday,  as they come in adorable Italian foil decorated for just about anything you can think of including Easter, Mother's Day, Christmas, and many more occasions including no occasion at all - everyday!

This Easter The Madelaine Chocolate Company was generous enough to provide me with all the chocolate I need to fill my son's Easter baskets.  When I first opened the box I have to say I was very amazed by all the items they sent me...if it were for me to enjoy I would have certainly been in chocolate heaven!  Anyone who knows me knows I am a chocoholic so for me to resist temptation of eating did not last for long.

For the review I received 2 each of the following items:

~ 2 1/2 ounce duck- This adorably foil wrapped Easter Duck makes a perfect addition to any Easter basket. The cute little duck will surly put a smile on your child's face!


~ Hatcher's Peanut Butter Filled Milk Chocolate Eggs Gift Basket - Makes a perfect basket filler, hostess gift, or just a special Easter treat for your special child. The cute little basket is purple and decorated in flowers.  Once the candy is gone you can reuse the basket for whatever you may wish.  The peanut butter filled milk chocolate eggs are smooth on the outside and creamy on the inside.  This was one of the items I couldn't resist trying.  If you are not a fan of peanut butter no problem,  This is also available in other flavors and colors.


~ Rabbit Giftable - Not only is this item perfect for kids it also makes a great gift for adults too.  Once all the candy is gone you can reuse the box to decorate with or fill with any Easter goodies you may desire.  The box is very decorative in light pastel colors and the top features a fluffy white Easter Bunny head with big floppy ears and a pink bow tie.  A Chick Giftable is also available.


~ 1 oz. Sitting Rabbit - This delicious chocolate bunny is just the right size for an individual treat or to add to a Easter basket.  One day while laying in bed I had a craving for chocolate so I pulled one out and it was just enough to fulfill my chocolate craving.  This size is perfect for young ones.  


~ 2.5 oz. Sitting Rabbit - The same as the 1 oz. Sitting Rabbit only larger.  This size is perfect for filling Easter Baskets or even as a Easter prize.  


And that's not all, that's just a few of the items they offer for Easter so be sure to head on over to their site and check out all they have to offer.  This Spring they are even offering a few Easter items available for purchase on their website!  


LEARN MORE: Be sure to visit www.madelainechocolate.com.


WIN IT: The Madelaine Chocolate Company is generously providing one of my readers with a Easter Basket packed full of Easter chocolates.  


*Disclaimer - I received the items mentioned above free of charge for review purposes.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions expressed in this post are one hundred percent honest and true.*

Sucre

Valentine's Day might be almost over but you could treat your special Valentine's to all year with perhaps a sweet gift from one of the sweetest sites online - Sucre!  Not only does Sucre offer an online site,  but they also offer a sweet little boutique located in New Orleans historic Garden District.  The founder (Joel Dondis) and the executive pastry chef (Tariq Hanna) partner together to make Sucre a huge success as well as  their customers very satisfied.

Take a look around their site and you will find delights that tease your tastebuds as they make your mouth yearn for a taste! Their unique selection of treats is nothing but ordinary,  in fact you will find tasty macaroons in many different flavors,  and some of the finest most unusual chocolates you have ever seen.   


Perfect for Valentine's Day Sucre offers a lovely selection of Valentine's Day gifts including a gift set filled with champagne and a box of assorted chocolates.  Sucre was kind enough to provide me with For the Love of Chocolate Collection and a Sucre King Cake!  I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to receive the items because first of all I am a huge fan of chocolate and second of all I look forward to the Mardi-Gras season every year because I love King Cakes!  

The chocolate arrived in a beautiful heart shaped box which can be reused to store trinkets in once it's empty.  Speaking of empty it wasn't long before the box was empty!  The box included 15 assorted chocolates including Sweet Red Raspberry,  Paris Tea,  and Malted Milk Chocolate.  I brought them to my grandmothers house to share with everyone and before I left they were all gone.  My favorite was the Malted Milk Chocolate while my grandmothers was the Sweet Red Raspberry.  

I also received a Sucre King Cake which I decided to take to a get together at my mothers because I knew my older brother would be there and he loves King Cakes just as much as I do.  The cake itself was so beautiful I almost didnt want to cut it,  but after thinking about how delicious it would taste it was sliced in no time.  In the middle of the cake was a baby which is spose to be inserted into the cake but this year we didnt eat it on Mardi-Gras so we didnt insert the baby.  Usually the person who gets the baby in their piece of cake has to hold the next Mardi-Gras celebration the following year.  


The cake was sparkling it was so pretty and when I say sparkling I mean actually sparkling.  Yep,  it contained edible sparkles and was colored with green and purple.  I knew if it tasted as good as it looked I was definitely in for a treat. The cake was very flaky with just the right amount of cream cheese in the center.  One piece soon turned into three pieces.  My brother and mother also equally enjoyed the cake.  And I was quite pleasently surprised with the affordable price tag that accompanied it which makes it affordable for just about anyone!  


BUY IT: You can purchase the 15 pc For the Love of Chocolate collection for $40.00 and the Sucre King Cake for $20.00.


LEARN MORE: To learn more about Sucre visit them online,  like them on Facebook,  and follow them on Twitter.


*Disclaimer - I received the items mentioned above,  free of charge,  for review purposes.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*     

2011 Holiday Gift Guide GuyLian Artisinal Belgian Chocolates

Okay,  so if I could only have one sweet in the world it would more than likely be chocolate. I am addicted to chocolate and have been ever since I was just a young girl.  I dont just like chocolate I LOVE it!  I contact GuyLian to do a review for them and when I received an entire box full of their chocolates I was stoked,   but when I tried it I was even more stoked!    

But before I let you know about their products let me fill you in on a little bit of their company history.  If you are already familiar with GuyLian it wouldn't surprise me because they are one of the top ten best selling boxed chocolate brands around!  They are actually very popular everywhere; in fact,  they are sold in over 100 countries across Europe, Asia,  Australia,  and America. 

I received a more than generous filled box of assorted chocolates in many different sized boxes including one large box of their Sea Shells Selection,  one large box of their Seashells Extra Dark, four mini boxes of their Sea Shells, one 4 pc box of Sea Shells, one 4 pc. of Seashells Dark,  one no sugar added chocolate bar, and one no sugar added dark chocolate bar.  

The Sea Shells Selection box was my overall favorite!  It includes 22 pieces of blissful chocolates in the shape of seashells.  Each seashell is filled with a smooth Hazelnut Praline Cream,  while the outside is covered in a hard marbled milk,dark, and white chocolate shell.  This box makes a perfect gift.  Matter of fact,  after trying all the mini boxes I decided to give this box to my brother because I know he will love it as much as I do!  

The Sea Shells Extra Dark Selection box included 22 delicious seashell shaped chocolates, perfect for any dark chocolate lover!  They are made with 74% extra dark Belgian chocolate,  and filled with scrumptious dark Hazelnut Praline made in the age old traditional manner. 

The No Sugar Added Bars come in two different flavors: Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate.  Although they are sugar free GuyLian also offers regular chocolate bars.  I was especially happy about receiving the Sugar Free bars because my husband is a diabetic.  They are made with an alternative to regular chocolate called Maltitol which is a natural product derived from natural cereals. It does not promote tooth decay and on top of that it contains less calories than sugar does. My husband enjoyed both the Dark Chocolate bar and the Milk Chocolate bar.

Learn More:  To learn more about GuyLian visit them online,  connect with them on Facebook,  and connect with them on Twitter.

*Disclaimer - GuyLian Artisinal Beligian Chocolates provided me with all the items mentioned above,  free of charge,  for review purposes.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*

2011 Holiday Gift Guide - Madelaine Chocolates

The thing that sets The Madelaine Chocolate Company apart from every other chocolate company is that they offer a huge variety of chocolates and candies for just about any type of occasion that you can think of!  And what better occasion right now than Christmas!  Speaking of which they offer a lovely selection of delightful chocolates and candies packaged in a wide assortment of shapes, foils,  and packages perfect for the holidays.  


The Madelaine Chocolate Company was generous enough to let me select a few items to review,  so of course I was delighted to do a little Christmas candy shopping!  I have to admit going Chocolate shopping was a ton of fun.  I browsed through candy after candy, each peice had its very own uniqueness about it that set it apart from the rest which made it hard choosing just which ones to review.  I ended up selecting three items great for stocking stuffers or even small gifts.


The 5 oz. Santa Bear Box is the perfect size gift to give as a thank you to teachers, doctors, co-workers,  and anyone else you need a little thank you gift for.  They also make a great gift for children because what child doesnt like chocolate shaped like cute little santa bears during Christmas time!  Each box includes solid premium santa bears,  eight traditional chocolates,  and three gifts. 


The Santa Giftable caught my eye as soon as I laid eyes upon it!  It's adorable packaging drew me in,  while it's contents made my mouth water!  That is because it's filled with bite sized balls filled with peanutbutter and covered in soft chocolate.  They melt in your mouth and are out of this world delicious.  The only problem is once you eat one you cant stop!  This would make a great stocking stuffer or Christmas gift.  And when your out of chocolates you can reuse the cute little santa package it comes in!

The White Chocolate Truffle Snowman Pail is not only cute,  but filled with yummy treats!  If you are a lover of white chocolate than this would be a great choice for you.  The cute little light blue snowman pail is filled with delicious candies.  Underneath each little bright blue wrap is a milk chocolate covered white chocolate truffle.  This would make a great gift for just about any chocolate and white chocolate lover.  Plus you can reuse the cute little tin that it comes with!  


Learn More:  To learn more about Madelaine Chocolates be sure to visit them online,  connect with them on Facebook,  and follow them on Twitter.


*Disclaimer - Madelaine Chocolates provided me with the three items mentioned above,  free of charge,  for review purposes.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*
  

Madelaine Chocolates **CLOSED**

THE MADELAINE CHOCOLATE COMPANY

What is better than chocolate?   Well,   not much in my book!  I came across a sweet little site called The Madelaine Chocolate Company.  This wonderful company was established in 1949,  and has been perfecting the Superior taste and quality of their chocolates ever since.  They provide scrumptious chocolate,  and pair it with a very affordable price tag. 

The Madelaine Chocolate Company is located in Far Rockaway,  Queens,  and  is an American family- owned and run company.  The thing that really stands out about this wonderful Chocolate Company is that they use unique Italian foils,  and innovative shapes that make them stand out from other chocolate companies.  While on their site you may browse their chocolate by categories: Everyday,  Panned,  Halloween,  Thanksgiving,  Christmas,  Chanukah's,  Valentine's Day,  St. Patrick's Day,  Easter,  Mother's Day,  and Duets.  They offer scrumptious chocolate for women,  men,   and children of all ages.  You could surprise your mother with a bouquet of chocolate roses or surprise your husband with a gift box of chocolate playing cards.  Young boys are sure to love their Super Racing Car Chocolates(I know my sons would). 

As many of you may know the key to my heart is chocolate,  always has been and always will be!  I do not discriminate on chocolate I like Dark,  White and  Milk Chocolate.  So,  when  Madelaine Chocolate Company let me choose a couple items to review I was very excited.  I browsed through page after page of fine quality chocolates before deciding upon the Party Candle Box and the Gold Cigars Gift Box.  It was such a hard decision because they offer such a wide selection of fine chocolates. 

The Chocolates arrived in a box with two cold packs,  so the chocolate wouldn't melt while it shipped.  The cold packs worked well because the chocolate was not at all melted and in perfect condition.  It was very impressed with the packaging as it looked exactly like a real box of cigars.  "Milk Chocolate Cigars" is printed on the front and when you open up the box it also reads "Milk Chocolate Cigars".  Upon opening the box I found 12 foil wrapped chocolate cigars staring at me.  Underneath the cigars were 12 more cigars making a total of 24! 

Each Chocolate Cigar features a traditional band that is printed on the cigar to make it look just like an actual cigar.  I was expecting the cigars to be hollow,  but as soon as I bit down into one I was pleasantly surprised.  My husband usually does not care too much for chocolate,  but even he enjoyed it.  We gave a couple to a friend of ours that just recently had a baby girl and he was very happy with his gift.  I think they would make the perfect gift for Father's Day,  Valentine's Day,  Anniversary,  New Baby,  Wedding Dessert Tables,  or just an everyday treat!  They also offer Boy Cigars and Girl Cigars,  which would make perfect favors for a baby shower or a perfect gift for an expecting couple.

The Party Candle Box is perfect for any celebration including Birthdays and Anniversaries.  I love the unique packaging of this product,  which makes it look just like a box of candles!  This dreamy  box contains 5 1/2 ounce solid milk chocolate candles to enjoy.  Each box comes with five different colored candles including: Blue,  Yellow,  Purple,  Green,  and Pink.  You can also get creative and top a cupcake off with one of the yummy candles for a double yummy treat!

Besides Solid Milk Chocolate,  they also offer a variety of filled chocolates including:  Peanut Butter, Crisp,  Mint,  Hazelnut,  Caramel,  Coffee,  White Chocolate,   and some other yummy fillings.  There selection of shapes are amazing!  The Madelaine Chocolate Company offers just about anything you can think of including:  Lady Bugs,  Teddy Bears,  Baby Booties,  Flowers,  Coins,  Lips,  They also offer a nice selection of unique flavored malt balls, Duets,  and even chocolate covered nuts!  Madelaine Chocolates offers a selection of chocolates for any occasion you may think of,  so be sure to visit their site,  and I am sure you will fall in love with their chocolates too! 

GIVEAWAY:

WIN: One lucky winner will receive a Box of Chocolate Cigars and a Party Candle Box(Just like the ones I received).

RULES:

~You must leave me a comment for each entry.

~You must leave your email address in each entry so I can contact you in the event that you are a winner.

~Giveaway open to US.

~Giveaway winner will be selected via Random.Org and be notified by email.

~Email winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email or a new winner will be selected. No Exceptions!  ( I save all sent email so I will be able to verify that the email was sent).

~Giveaway will end on 7/30

MANDATORY ENTRY(+2):

*You must follow me on GFC(located on my sidebar) AND tell me who you would like to win this giveaway for.

OPTIONAL ENTRIES:

* "Like" me on Facebook. (+1)

*"Like"Madelaine Chocolate Company on  Facebook.(+1)

*Follow me on Twitter. (+1)

*Follow Madelaine Chocolate Company on Twitter. (+1)

*Visit The Madelaine Chocolate Company and let me know which item is your favorite.(+2)

*Enter any of my other giveaways.(+2 Each)

*Grab my button(located on my sidebar) and then leave me a link and let me know exactly where it is located.(+5)

*Blog about this giveaway and include the giveaway link.(+10)

*Tweet about this giveaway and include @lawnanoe then leave me a link. This can be done once daily.(+1 Each)

*Let me know how you found out about this giveaway.(+3)

GOOD LUCK!!!

*Disclaimer-  The Madelaine Chocolate Company kindly provided me with products to review.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*

Glee Gum Giveaway *Closed*

I do not know any child that wouldnt love to make their own chewing gum,  gummies,   or chocolate!  My seven year old sons  face lit up with joy when I told him he was going to make his very own chocolate.  Thanks to Glee Gum who sent me a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit!  Glee Gum is a sweet site that offers Glee Gum and Make Your Own Candy Kits.  These innovative kits help educate your children while providing them with a fun experience.

These kits give children an opportunity to create something delicious while helping connect them to other cultures and communities.  They are available in three different kits:

1. Gum Kit - Uses natural chicle.
2. Chocolate Kit - Includes organic butter from Costa Rica.
3. Gummy Kit - Contains  carrageenan made from seaweed from the Philippines.

Although my son loves chewing gum and gummies,  I thought the chocolate kit would win his heart, because chocolate always wins mine!  I don't know about you,  but I am a huge fan of any type of chocolate- no matter if it's milk,   dark,  or white chocolate!  This kit contains everything you will need to make 8 ounces of dark chocolate.  Did you know that chocolate originally came from Cocoa Beans which started out only in Central and South America?  The Aztecs told a legend that their god(Quetzalcoatl), brought the cocoa tree from paradise to earth,  and the people then added spices and learned how to roast and grind it's beans into a paste. They believed it brought wisdom and knowledge to anyone who drank it. 

Each Glee Gum Chocolate making kit comes complete with:

• Cocoa Butter
• Confectioners Sugar
• Paper Candy Liners
• Temperature Indicator
• Cocoa Powder
• Starter Crystals
• Whole Cocoa Beans
• Instructions
• The Story of Chocolate

He was super excited to get started,  so I instructed him to wash his hands, and then it was time to make chocolate!  Besides the ingredients included in the kit you will also need one quarter teaspoon of vanilla,  a wooden spoon or rubber spatula,  and a microwave safe bowl or a double broiler.  I do not own a double broiler,  so we obviously chose to melt the cocoa butter in the microwave.  It took about three minutes for the cocoa butter to completely melt.  My son then poured the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl with the melted cocoa butter.  After that we placed the mixture back in the microwave and set it for 40 seconds.  Make sure you do not set it for longer than 40 seconds because the mixture could burn. 

I then removed the backing from the temperature idicator and placed it on the outside of the bowl, toward the bottom.  I let my son stir the chocolate about twenty seconds every two to three minutes.  By doing this it helps keep the chocolate all the same temperature while cooling.  As soon as the temperature idicator read 94 degrees(with a green background),  we added the starter crystals.  We gave it all another mixing,  being sure to press lumps on the side of the mixing bowl,  and then bleded in 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla,  for a little extra flavor.  We then placed it in the cute little paper liners that were included in the kit. 

Glee Gum suggests to get creative by adding ingredients such as nuts or marshmallows.  We did just that and added some chopped walnuts that I had on hand.  We refrigerated the mixture for about twenty minutes to let it cool.  My son anxiously pulled it out of the fridge,  and we cut it into bite size peices.  Then it was time to enjoy our delicious creation.  It tasted heavenly and really gave us a wonderful opportunity to spend qulaity time together.  I believe the chopped walnuts really enhanced the flavor of the dark chocolate.  These kits would be the perfect additon to any classroom,  birthday party,  at home, or any group activity.  You can purchase Glee Gum kits online at Glee Gum for only $13.00 or find a location near you.

Besides the candy making kits they also offer gum in six different satisfying flavors including:  Spearmint,  Peppermint,  Triple Berry,  BubbleGum Flavor,  Tangerine,  and Cinnamon.  The packaging is made from biodegradable recycled cardboard which makes it eco friendly!  Glee Gum does not contain any  preservatives,  artificial flavors,  artificial colors,  or artificial flavors.  They make it the old fashioned way by using chicle which helps conserve the rainforest.  Glee Gum is Gluten,  Dairy,  and Soy and Nut free! Each pack of Glee Gum contains 18 pieces per pack.  My favorite flavor is the Spearmint,  with the BubbleGum flavor coming in second.  I dont think my son had a favorite flavor because he seemed to like all of them!

GIVEAWAY:

WIN:One lucky winner will receive a kit of their choice!

RULES:

*You must leave a comment for each entry.

*You must leave your email address so I can contact you in the event that you are a winner.

*Giveway open to US only!

*Giveway winner will be selected by Random.Org and winner will be contacted by email.

*Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email or a new winner will be chosen in your place.
*Giveaway will end on 6/14.

MANDATORY ENTRY(+1):

~Leave a comment letting me know which candy kit you would choose if you won.

OPTIONAL ENTRIES:

~Follow my blog on GFC(located on Side bar.)(+2)

~"Like" Glee Gum on Facebook.(+1)

~"Like" Mommy Reviews on Facebook.(+1)

~Follow Mommy Reviews on Twitter.(+1)

~Follow Glee Gum on Twitter.(+1)

~Visit Glee Gum and let me know something that you learned.(+1)

~Enter any of my other giveaways and then comment letting me know which one you entered.(+1 Each)

~Grab my button and post it on your sidebar then leave a comment letting me know exactly where I can find it.(+4)

Good Luck!

*Disclaimer-  Glee Gum sent me a kit to review and sponsored my giveaway.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinons are one hundred percent honest and true.*

Sucre Chocolates

Sucre is a sweet boutique located at 3025 Magazine Street in New Orleans.  If you are ever in the area,  it is definitely worth visiting.  You may also purchase them online at http://www.shopsucre.com/  Sucre is french for sugared.  They offer appealing hand crafted chocolates and gourmet gifts  in a variety of flavors.  From french macaroons to confections such as gourmet drinking chocolate and specialty candy bars, Therese something to tickle every ones  fancy.  There chocolates come in a six, fifteen, or a 21 piece box which is fancily wrapped with a brown bow.  Sucre products make fabulous gifts for all sweet lovers.  They offer a flat shipping rate of $9.95 and includes crush free proof trays and also ice packs, when necessary.  All packages shipped from Sucre arrive in one to three days anywhere in the U.S.

    I reviewed there Nola Chocolate collection that came in a 21 piece box.  After unwrapping the brown bow i anxiously opened the box to find twenty one hand crafted chocolates that looked just as delightful as they tasted.  After admiring them for a while i decided to try one.  The first one that i grabbed was called Chicory.  It really grabbed my attention because it is covered in gold flakes.  As i bit down i noticed the smooth dark chocolate ganache paired with the flavor of coffee.  This one is by far a coffee lovers dream!  Secondly i tried a Mueniere which had gold hints to it and a pretty design.  It offers brown butter folded into white chocolate ganache, coated in dark chocolate  This one was by far my favorite chocolate.  Next i tried the Blange which really intrigued me due to it's rich swirls of white and yellow colors.  I found this flavor to be very unique from the rest.  It was covered in white chocolate and tasted of banana with a light hint of rum.  It was very unusual but at the same time very intriguing.  Next i tried the Magnolia.  It was topped with a pecan and tasted of dark chocolate with heavenly pecan ganache.  Last but not least i bit into an Avery chocolate. It tasted of Carmel milk chocolate ganache wrapped in dark chocolate topped off with a touch of salt.