Lacey T.
Yelp
I've many times enjoyed Twenty Four Blackbird's sweet, smaller-than-standard size, and adorably packaged chocolate bars, so when driving past Santa Barbara, I made a quick stop at their very own brick and mortar space.
It was an easy and quick five minute detour off Highway 1. There did not appear to be a designated parking area, but we arrived right at opening time, so were able to snag a spot along the street right in front of the store. Even from outside it's a beautiful space, with a wood framed storefront and big windows, but inside, it is truly stunning. Dark, without being too moody, again with lots of swirly-grained wood, live plants, and gorgeous displays. The back wall showcases each of their bars along with a companion jar for samples and tasting. At the front desk, you will find their bon bons and some other goodies. They offer the option of putting together a special box with your choice of five bars and eight chocolates, and it is discounted generously, but as the bars are available at stores in my hometown, but the chocolates can only be procured here, I opted to select just the latter (at $3 each). Chocolates are mostly either ganache or caramel filled; featuring perfectly tempered dark chocolate shells hand painted with colorful whirls, speckles, or other artistic touches. We had the following:
Espresso Ganache - Very strong coffee flavor and not super sweet.
Rosemary Caramel - After my first bite I exclaimed, out loud, "oh, wow." The rosemary is VERY noticeable, and I love it! It pairs perfectly with the dark, almost burnt loose caramel. This is a fantastic chocolate!
Not PB and J - Like the best grown up PB cup ever, but with a salty-sweet firm sunflower seed butter.
Lavender ganache - They clearly have the infusing skill down. This bon bon has a lavender flavor that is present, but not overwhelming. It's a good lavender, too: mild, floral, not too resinous or acerbic. Bits of blossoms revealed themselves as the ganache melted, adding a touch of texture.
Togaroshi Caramel - Their caramel should be held up as the Goldilocks standard: nearly burnt, but saved at the last second, soft, but not so much that it runs out of the shell when bitten. Paired with togaroshi, this is truly spicy, but it works!
Cacao fruit pate - Really interesting and creative. Cacao juice does not taste like chocolate, as one might expect. Instead, it's just a mild sweetness with a hint of something familiar, maybe molasses?
The woman who assisted us was so fun and enthusiastic (plus super stylish and just plain cool). She took the time to mark my selections on a flavor key, and even went out of her way to suggest some places to visit and dine in the area. We were both super charmed by her, and she really made the experience special. In fact, she noticed that my husband was most excited about the espresso ganache, so gave us samples of their espresso cacao nib brittle, and of course, he loved it so much that we had to get a bag of that as well!
