Special Halloween Chocolate

I've read several articles recently about all-time favorite Halloween candy, and I must admit I join the majority in enjoying Reese's Pieces, Hershey's Krackel, Kit Kat Bars and Chocolate Tootsie Roll Pops during the holiday. But, I am also very happy that some of my favorite chocolatiers are making special candy for Halloween.

I used to love the candy I'd bring home after Trick or Treating. Lots of people would hand out apples. Not that I don't like apples, but Halloween was all about candy when I was a kid. I trick-or-treatered (is this a verb?) at a time when apples, boxes of raisins and loose candy were given out, never inspected and eaten by everyone. Those were the days. Candy was safe, and probably unhealthy to boot. My Aunt Ann made homemade fudge, rolled them into small balls and distributed those as her treats. They were really truffles. Her house was a must stop for Trick or Treat stop in our neighborhood, because her fudge was fabulous. The fudge balls weren't wrapped either. They were made at home in an unsupervised kitchen, and everyone loved them and ate them, often before arriving home.

These days my palette appreciates different candy, for the most part. A lot has to do with being more socially responsible, but also that there is such wonderful organic, earth-friendly and fair-trade chocolate out there for Halloween. I've put together a short list of special Halloween Chocolate from some of my favorite Chocolatiers.

Recchiuti has a wonderful Halloween Motif Box of Kooky Characters for their 2009 Halloween Motif Boxes. Four different hand-illustrated images on their signature Burnt Caramel chocolates. Available through October 31 only.

Vosges has some really cool and delicious Chocolate Skulls: Red Fire Skull (with Ancho & Chipotle Chilies & Ceylon cinnamon with dark chocolate.; Barcelona Skull: hickory smoked almonds & grey sea salt & deep milk chocolate, and Blanca Skull: Single origin Venezuelan white chocolate.

Xocolaterre has Halloween Grinning Skull Chocolate Lollipops, Dia de los Muertos "Calacas" chocolate lollipops, Halloween Jack O'Lantern chocolate shapes and Dia de Muertos "Catrinas' Chocolate Shapes and also Halloween Jack O'Lantern Chocolate Lollipops

Sweet Earth Organic chocolates: Very Scary Halloween Chocolate. Witches, bats & Pumpkins each in a heat sealed clear bag. Bats are 65% dark chocolate while the witches & pumpkins are milk chocolate. 100% organic & fair trade. 65% chocolate is vegan & soy lecithin free.

Chocolatique has Boo Box Halloween Chocolate Truffles.

Endangered Species has Milk Chocolate Halloween Treats. O.K, these are their regular delicious Milk or Dark Chocolate in bite-sized squares, wrapped in special Halloween brown & orange wrappers.

Divine Chocolate has Spooky Halloween Balls – Not only are these fair trade chocolates delicious, but they won't break the bank. $4.99 for a package of 22.

Montezuma's (UK) Organic Chocolate has a mix of organic chocolate trick or treat bags that include: Milk and White Chocolate Poisoned Frogs, Milk and White Chocolate Eyeballs, Milk and Dark Chocolate Witches.

Oliver Kita has cool Hosts of Ghosts. Five Phantoms created with organic peanut butter and covered with dark chocolate robes. Their Voodoo Bon Bons also look great. "inspired by True Blood."

Even if you don't choose any of the 'special Halloween' chocolates, you can always give (and eat) any of your favorite organic fair trade chocolate.

Have a spook-tacular Halloween! Make it Chocolate!