Holy Chocolate, Batman!

As part of a media junket, I visited several ski areas in New Hampshire and stayed in two different hotels.

Each night I received a few goodies in my hotel room after dinner. In writing up notes about the trip, I called these experiences “What’s in the swag?”

The idea of swag, of course, is for companies to place their products with journalists in hopes that they might in turn mention them to their readers.

We’re not talking new snowboards or jackets or anything expensive like that. Most of the stuff we got were small packets of skin care products or food.

Now that I’ve given you the disclosure, I’m going to talk about one specific item of swag: a hot chocolate powder (just add water) called “Holy Chocolate.”

Drinking a cup of hot chocolate after a few hours on the slopes is a standard of winter activities. You could use your standard products from the big boys such as Nestles. Or you could try Holy Chocolate, sold by Mar Toma Enterprise of Campbell, California.

Holy Chocolate is, roughly speaking (I don’t pay much attention to these things), an organic product. It’s also very good.

The story behind it is interesting. As the company’s web site says: “Father Stan loves God. He also loves chocolate. He combined his two great passions, and Holy Chocolate is the result. Holy Chocolate supports Father Stan and his ministry.”

So while some monks support themselves by making beer, Father Stan supports himself by peddling chocolate.

And it is good chocolate. I received a 12-ounce can of “American Chocolate,” which you can buy on the web site for $13.95 (plus shipping, I imagine). The can will give you seven servings. That’s expensive. But it’s good. You can choose from six flavors, which also come in 4.5-ounce bags.

Unfortunately I can’t give you detailed notes like a wine taster might. But try it.

Alas, I was able to enjoy only one cup. Blame the demands of air travel. I left the can in my hotel room when I checked out. I didn’t dare risk having chocolate powder spill all over either my checked bags or my carry-on.