My mom and I traveled to Memphis in search of two culinary wonderlands: a Williams Sonoma Outlet (!!! – more on that in a minute), and Penzeys Spices, home to every herb, spice or seasoning you’d ever need or want in your culinary toolkit. I was quite surprised to find that even their basic herbs and spices – cumin, oregano, etc. – smelled so much fresher and tastier than those I purchase from my local grocery store. I was particularly taken with the two products pictured above: Natural High Fat Cocoa Powder, which smells like a melted bar of high-quality dark chocolate, and Vietnamese Cinnamon, which smells like…well, like heaven. Someone once told me that most commercial cinnamons are actually blends of several different types, whereas Vietnamese cinnamon is one of the purest and most potent forms of the spice. It is the foie gras of cinnamon. The caviar of cinnamon. And if you don’t like fois gras or caviar, trust me when I say it’s the cinnamon to end all cinnamons.
Assuming I’m not the only person who swoons for cinnamon and goes cuckoo for cocoa powder, I purchased these goodies to share with one of you. That’s right, it’s time for a giveaway! To enter, simply leave a comment telling me your favorite use for either cinnamon or cocoa powder. I’ll draw a random winner on Tuesday and announce it here (something I forgot to do after my last giveaway, but I did send the lovely Beth her Snickerdoodle Spread!).
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And in case anyone is interested in what I scored from the Williams Sonoma Outlet…let me start by saying that this place is NIRVANA. I’ve been to one other WS Outlet (outside of Las Vegas) and this one was even better. My loot:
Cloth napkins, a silicon pastry mat (for rolling pie crust – yeah!), a Bodum milk frother, and an Emile Henry sugar bowl (which I will actually use for kosher salt)
Bouchon Bakery cookie mix, vanilla bean paste, E. Guittard baking chocolate
I got this stuff for roughly 70 percent off. Two things were particularly amazing to me. First, most of these products are still available as current inventory in Williams Sonoma stores (and the food products have not reached their expiration dates, so they’d still be sellable in a real store). And second…those cloth napkins, which I got for $1.99 each, originally sold for $20. EACH. For napkins. $80 for the set of four. Inconceivable!
Anyway, rest assured I’ll be visiting the outlet each and every time I visit my family. If you’re remotely close to the Memphis area, go! Go now!
I saw that cinnamon and wanted it NOW! It looks delish. What don’t I put cinnamon in? Seriously.
the best thing i’ve ever used cocoa powder for is brownies…so cliche, but the brownies i’ve made with CP are the moist rich, inconceivably delicious ones i’ve ever had!
I put cinnamon in my breakfast almost every day! I love to make a quinoa porridge with fresh apples (or pears) and cinnamon. But I have to say, the suggestion of brownies with cocoa powder sounds pretty amazing!
I’m with Chelsea–I think I put cinnamon in everything. I recently made the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls, and I cut a lot of the other ingredients (butter, milk fat, sugar) but I used MORE cinnamon. Cause what’s not to love about cinnamon. And did you know most cinnamon sold in US grocery stores is not actually cinnamon, but rather cassia (a less tasty cousin of cinnamon). You have to buy the stuff that says Vietnamese cinnamon or 100 percent cinnamon to make sure you’re getting the real thing–it’s also way more expensive!
Ahhh. You’re sharing “my little secret!” My favorite use of cinnamon is currently banana bread, I suppose. I think the last thing I used cocoa for was avocado chocolate pudding. Yum!
I love to use cinnamon in my coffee! I love the flavor of cinnamon when its mixed with the warm aroma of fresh brew! It gives me hope for a fresh new day!
Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices…I use it in my coffee, oatmeal, cookies and even in a chicken white bean chili!
MMMmmm…hot cocoa with cinnamon~nothing better on a chilly California night~wait~ is that an oxymoron?
I love using cocoa powder in cookies, and holy yum would that cocoa just be PERFECT for some yummy cookies with some white chocolate chips baked in! Mmmm..
My favorite way to use cinnamon is stirred into the dredge when making french toast. YUM!
My fav is coffee mexican style with cinnamon added to the fresh grounds prior to brewing. I also love mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon. : )
I use cinnamon on a daily basis. Lately I’ve been mixing it with plain yogurt for my breakfast!
Cinnamon mixed with a little bit of sugar makes a breakfast topping I’ve been in love with since childhood!!
pastry cookies are super with the right cinnamon. Cocoa powder, like cinnamon is good with everything. I love to make a chocolate silk pie, but that’s more baker’s chocolate than powder, though I bet it would add that extra level of flavor. Now I want chocolate silk pie…
I love putting a dash of cinnamon in my waffle and pancake mix!!
I use cinnamon everyday..I put it in my oatmeal, sprinkle it on fruits like apples and banana. i think you can’t go wrong with it.
I use Cocoa powder in my oatmeal too and for baking.
Cinnamon in baklava, of course, and it’s mighty tasty in a nice batch of shrimp saganaki – shrimp cooked in a rich tomato broth with melted feta in it. The cinnamon is what makes this dish amazing.
mmmmm…Mexican hot chocolate!
The pure cinnamon is supposed to be really good for you. My dad buys a special kind (probably the Vietnamese kind) and puts it on his oatmeal every day. I think it lowers cholesterol (or something like that…I really should pay more attention)! =)
This website http://altmedicine.about.com/od/cinnamon/a/cinnamon.htm
has cholesterol as one of the reasons, but not the main one. Looks like cinnamon is a cure-all (or most)!
Cinnamon in coffee = divine. But I most recently used it in a batch of ginger poached pears (along with cardamom pods and whole cloves, so wonderful). And cocoa belongs in my devil’s food cake with mocha frosting.
A trip to Penzey’s is always an anticipated field trip. We used to drive from Chicago to Milwaukee twice a year just for Penzey’s until they opened one in Chicago. My catalogue that just arrived yesterday says that they’re anticipating opening one in San Francisco this year!!
I love cocoa powder for chocolate avocado pudding. I bet high fat would be even better!
I love cinnamon and cocoa in oatmeal but not the same bowl
I LOVE Penzey’s Spices! I add cocoa to my sweetened coffee and lots of baking recipes. And I add cinnamon to just about everything! Delish!