FAVORITE FOODS IN THE FOOTHILLS OF YUMA, AZ.
It’s avocado season, and here in Yuma you can buy creamy, ripe, unblemished Hass avocados for fifty cents each. Smashed, lightly salted avocado spread on toasted wheat bread or a toasted English muffin – it’s one of my favorite breakfasts and easily indulged this time of year.
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| Avocados, on … | …wheat toast. | Going… | …going… | gone! |
Last night, Patsy Cook organized a Boomer Pizza Party at the Round Table in Yuma. Sixty one of us showed up – a boon for the restaurant, I’m sure – and had a great time. Patsy passed out “business cards” from a local chocolatier, Chocolate Crafters. Each packet included a normal business card backed by a slab of Crème de Menthe chocolate. Odel and I split our when we got home – WOW! It was something special.
I was happy to discover that Chocolate Crafters is just a few miles away, near the intersection of I-8 and Foothills Blvd. (By the way, I posted a “review” of the Foothills area to our campsite review blog today – click here if you want to read more about the area.) I didn’t have to do much talking to persuade Odel to come along with me for a visit this afternoon.
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| The little Chocolate Crafters Kitchen and Shop | Bob (chocolate crafter), daughter Lorena, and Odel |
| Bob prepares the samples – many, many samples! | Lovely, delicious artisan chocolates. |
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In a little shop in a southwestern-styled strip mall, Bob and his daughter Lorena make fabulous chocolates in small batches. As we chatted, Bob offered us sample after sample of his delicious wares: several different kinds of nut barks, creamy truffles, salted caramels. When Odel asked Bob how he got started making chocolate, Bob replied with a smile, “I read a book”.
We had a fun time tasting just about everything Bob makes – oh, the candied, chocolate dipped orange peel flavored with Grand Mariner! And the Aztec Chocolate, a bar flavored with chilies… and a bit of orange? Yes, we were charmed, and possessed by the magic, we left with a BIG bag of goodies. If you like chocolate and find yourself in Yuma, don’t miss Chocolate Crafters (11242 S. Foothills Blvd., Suite 18).
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Yum!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the best smile on Odel's face...
ReplyDeleteNow you've done it ... we will just have to visit this place on our travels :-))). We'll be lucky if we leave with just ONE big bag of goodies :-)))
ReplyDeleteWhen we were visiting the Sacred Valley in Peru, we bought avocados, a salty cheese, and some local bread from a village. Further down the road, in sight of beautiful lake scenery, our Peruano guide made sandwiches that we can still taste today. So good. A friend later suggested that topping the avocado spread with smashed potato chips adds not just a touch of saltiness, but a crunchiness that makes a nice counterpoint to the creaminess of the avocado. I had forgotten about that until I saw your post ... guess what we'll be having for lunch.
I don't know which sounds better, the chocolate or the avocados!
ReplyDeleteYummy!
ReplyDeleteChocolate Crafters is almost worth a trip to Yuma.
Happy New Year
Mac & Dianna
Now that's the way to spend an afternoon...taste testing chocolate! :)
ReplyDeleteI love avocados and have eaten them in lots of forms, but never on toast for breakfast. You've inspired me! Think I'll add a little salsa, too.
ReplyDeleteOoohhhh Maaaaaaaan... My mouth was watering just looking at the avocados and THEN you break out the chocolate pictures!!! Bad Laurie. BAD!! :-)
ReplyDeleteOdel looks like a little boy in... a candy store! Great picture!
Hope you both have a wonderful New Year's Eve... It is a movie, homemade pizzas and a huge chocolate chip cookie for us (my Little One's special request!). Stay safe...
Happy New Year!
Kerri in AL :-)
We leave Alabama Sunday headed for Yuma. I think Chocolate Crafters will be our reward for making that long trip. :)
ReplyDeleteYummy!! I'm more of a avocado girl....turkey burger, lettuce, tomato, chipotle mayo and a slice of avocado!!!! Heaven..
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to add this to our list. Sounds like Monica's Chocolates that we visited in Lubec, Maine. Just a mom and pop place, small batches of homemade chocolates and learned the craft from books. How cool is that. They couldn't get any further from each other geographically, but so similar.
ReplyDeleteYUM! Can't wait.
Avocado season?!?! MMmmmmmm!!! Have you seen the beautiful, healthy chocolate pudding you can make with avocados? You should try it and let me know how it turns out! I'm too scared to try it myself, but if you think it's good, I may be tempted!
ReplyDeleteNellie
http://midlifecruiser.blogspot.com
We'll be in Yuma for the Gypsy Rally in March, we'll have to check out the chocolates. If you like Chinese, be sure and go to Eats, great buffet. On our list of the top five we've checked out in our travels. It's over by the Fairgrounds, on 1960 E. Palo Verde. I have enjoyed following your blog in 2010, looking forward to 2011. Happy New Year to you both.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff !!!!
ReplyDelete