V-Day countdown: Vere

I love that a gazillion different studies have proven dark chocolate's health benefits (lower blood pressure, improved blood flow, reduced cholesterol levels, etc., etc.). And that a company like Vere (started by Kathy Moskal, who, back in the day co-founded Hue tights, ladies) espouses health and deliciousness.

A few things to note about their chocolate:

• It's 70% and 75% cacao content chocolate made from single varietal heirloom "flavor beans".

• Chocolate bars are USDA Certified Organic.

• There are no artificial preservatives, additives, chemicals or sugar.

And, all of this good stuff is being wrapped into their special Valentine's chocolates. Check out their solid hearts in three amazing flavors: raspberry, coconut and fig & fennel. Yes, please!

12 West 27th Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, 6th Floor
212.279.4448

Mon dieu, les croissants

Nothing like breakfast with the girls to fire up the sweet tooth. After an incredible Friday night dinner at Little Giant, Amee, Jules and I were in no position to show restraint. So we decided to skip our go-to City Bakery and get some croissants in the Willage.

Amee and Jules had never been to Patisserie Claude before so I was a little nervous for their verdict. Predictably, there were no complaints. These croissants kick ass.

The plain croissants are buttery, flakey, light and chewy. Beautiful.

The pain au chocolat is also a beautiful creation of flakey pastry layers. Except it's also pumped through with chocolate. And when you get there in the morning, it's still warm and melty from the oven. Just look at that photo. Delicious.

187 West 4th Street near Sixth Ave
212.255.5911

Sullivan sweet bakery

With the threat of sticking to New Year's resolutions safely behind me, I can once again indulge in pastries for breakfast. This thought was inspired by a trip to Sullivan St Bakery.

This place used to be a favorite standby for lunch (hel-lo, potato slice). So how is it that I don't remember their amazing selection of sweets? They caused me a good seven minutes of private but fierce deliberation: Should I get an apple turnover? Persimmon cake? A naughty bombolini?? Should I change it up with a rice pudding tartlet? Or how about - sigh - a long slice of banana bread pudding cake? (I still don't know how I passed that up.)

I finally settled on the sweet brioche.

In the center of this square pastry is a crater that's chockablock with cherries, raisins, walnuts and, just to make sure it's especially delicious, one of my all-time favorites: mascarpone.

It's a beautiful melding of flavors and textures: mostly doughy and chewy, but a little crunchy from the walnuts. And sweet, sweet, sweet, but a titch hearty, too, from the syrupy medley of fruit and nuts. Just the way I like it.

533 West 47th Street between Tenth & Eleventh
212.265.5580

Sweet Freak scoop: Hot Chocolate Festival comes a day early

Just as I was reminding Alex that we're six days out to City Bakery's month-long Hot Chocolate Festival, I got a message from Maury: the festival not only starts a day early, but is staying open late to celebrate.

The 17th annual festival kicks off this Saturday, the 31st, at the normal opening hour of 7:30 a.m. But just in case you're too busy shopping sales, catching the Oscar nominations, taking in Marlene Dumas at Moma, or sleeping off Friday night's soirées, City Bakery will remain open until midnight in celebration of the festival. That’s 16 ½ hours of decadent hot cocoa, followed by a month of experimental flavors like banana peel, beer, ginger, caramel and, Maury's favorites, bourbon and vanilla bean.

What's more, they're introducing "Lights Out Hot Chocolate" this year. Every day at 3 o'clock, the mezzanine lights go off and the candles get lit creating not only a moody way to sip your cocoa, but also a sweet way to save energy. How do you like that, Mr. President?

3 West 18th Street between Fifth and Sixth Aves
212.366.1414

V-Day countdown: Payard Patisserie

Monsieur Francois has a few Valentine's tricks up his sleeve. In addition to special cakes (like the Joie Valentine: raspberry mousse, vanilla pound cake and champagne ganache) and macaroons (half red, half white, with champagne ganache and raspberry gelée), he's playing with truffles.

You could funk it up with the dark chocolate champagne truffles coated in Pop Rocks (yes, Pop Rocks). Or these perfectly pretty (and spicy) chocolate ganache truffles are infused with ginger liqueur and dusted with cocoa powder.

1032 Lexington between 73rd and 74th
212.717.5252

V-Day Countdown: Kumquat Cupcakery

Not that I'm one to ever decline chocolate, but Valentine's Day doesn't have to be so predictable. I would love me a sweet box of Kumquat mini cupcakes filled with flavors like chocolate peanut butter, chocolate mousse, banana cream, red velvet and coffee caramel bourbon. Yum.

Even sweeter: Keavy's giving 10% of proceeds to Just Food NYC.

Place your order.

V-Day countdown: Chocolat Moderne

Let me tell you, this Mysteries of Love collection is insanely delicious. (Your own eyes can attest to the beauty.)

There's a passion fruit and cardamom caramel, a sea salted espresso and dark chocolate caramel, a pear caramel, a 90% Ecuadorian Rainforest ganache, a single malt scotch and raspberry ganache. Insanely delicious.

www.chocolatmoderne.com

Nunu now open

Nunu has new digs from which to peddle its oh-so-lovely chocolates. Two years after starting the company, they have appropriately cute space on Atlantic Avenue, not so far away from Sweet Freak favorites Atlantic Diner and Betty Bakery.

The hot cocoa and tea are still coming, but all the caramels and ganaches are ready to be snapped up. Like the best selling hand dipped salt caramels: chewy two-bite treats that taste tobacco-y, salty and sweet altogether.


Nunu gets their chocolate from a family farm in Columbia and relies on local, organic ingredients for the rest. "Totally natural. Handmade to order in Brooklyn." Better leave room for seconds.

529 Atlantic Avenue between 3rd and 4th Aves
917.776.7102