Readers of this blog know that Mike and I have followed a low-carb way of eating and day-to-day living for about a quarter of a century now. We try to follow our own advice most of the time, with (admitted) dietary vacations thrown in for fun and psychosocial health. But even when we’re hewing pretty close to the straight and narrow, it’s nice now and again to treat ourselves to just a little indulgence, which at Casa Eades is often a small square or two of good dark chocolate. I try to keep a bit on hand, just for this purpose.

While waiting for my Americano the other day at a little coffee bar/grocery/deli not far from our house, I was perusing the chocolate bar display and noticed something unusual. There along side the Chocolate with Raspberries, Chocolate with Orange, Chocolate with Almonds, Chocolate with Coffee Beans and other typical chocolate and something combinations was one called (and I am not making this up) Mo’s Bacon Bar from Vosges Haute Chocolat.

Curious, I bought one to try.

Oh, my Heaven above!

I have always relished juxtaposition in flavors and textures in foods and I dearly love the savory, sweet combination. When I was young and foolish and thought myself metabolically invincible, I used to snack on a combination of Duncan Hines Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cheetos (I preferred the ones quick fried to a crackly crunch over the baked to a delicate crunch, except in a pinch, because, again, I liked the soft cookies juxtaposed against the crispy cheese puff.) One bite of a cookie, one bite of a cheeto…another bite of a cookie, another bite of a cheeto. Ah, such were the days of my misspent youth, before I had my brain transplant and realized what damage I was actually doing to myself by regular indulgence in carby junk!

With just a bite of Mo’s Bacon Bar, I was transported to sweet/savory nirvana! The Vosges website says it better than I could

Two equally obsessive foods come together in one perfectly balanced bite of savory, smoky, and sweet. Applewood smoked bacon, Alder wood smoked salt, blend with a array of chocolates

The whole bar, were you to eat it, contains nearly 30 grams of pure sugar and about 400 calories–the maker claims there are 2.5 servings–3 squares each–in each 3 ounce bar. That’s enough to break the bank when you’re really holding the line against carbs. But if what you’re after is just a little indulgence after a good low-carb meal, one square at a bit over 3 grams is just enough with a cup of decaf Americano to finish a meal nicely.

19 Comments

  1. OH MY! I may have to order this!!!! My two favorite things: bacon and chocolate. In my youth I also indulged in eating chocolate chip cookies with cheetoes. I never admitted that to anyone before! It was my favorite snack after a summer afternoon of swimming. I enjoy your low carb recipes. It keeps the boredom of a low carb lifestyle at bay. Thanks.

    COMMENT from MD EADES: Now, if I could only figure out how to make a low-carb bacon bar with good mouth feel and without sugar alcohols. Then we low carbing lovers of the sweet and savory would be in heaven!

  2. I’ve seen actual bacon dipped in chocolate on cooking shows before. But not a commercially available chocolate bar. I’ll keep and eye out for this. Along with Bakon vodka. I’ve actually seen a bar put bacon fat into whiskey and then once it solidifies remove it to leave a bacon infused whiskey.

    COMMENT from MD EADES: Much as I love good whiskey and good bacon, this one seems a little out there to me. There must be a better way to infuse bacon flavor into whiskey. But, I always say don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!

  3. Mine was salty peanuts and candy corn, and my daughter’s is pretzel sticks dipped in Nutella.

    And I can eat crispy bacon with just about anything! Thanks for the heads-up on the chocolate bar!

  4. When I first heard of this flavor, I could not wait to try it, and I could not find it anywhere in town. So I tried making my own. I buy this fantastic bacon from the farm where the rest of our meat comes from. I also had some very good dark chocolate on hand. Melt the chocolate, put the two together – simple!

    But it wasn’t. The bacon overpowered the chocolate and it just wasn’t that interesting.

    Later found the Vosges bar at a wine shop in town, and it was indeed out of this world.

    Most or all of the Vosges bars are available in a smaller snack size, quite reasonable for downing all at once. I can’t keep a big bar like that in the house, or it’s gone too fast.

    Bacon plus chocolate reminded me a little of when I was a teenager and would dip my french fries into my chocolate shake. People thought I was a bit strange, but I loved the taste of hot salty greasy fries with cold sweet chocolatey shake on them.

  5. OMG! Where can you get that???

    COMMENT from MD EADES: The Vosges site I linked to is one place. I got mine at the coffee shop/gourmet store up the street. Anywhere they carry Vosges chocolates ought to be able to get it. Currently it is shown on amazon.com but as ‘currently unavailable’.

  6. PB & J sandwich = soft and sweet
    Doritos = crunchy and savory
    cold milk – to cleanse the palate periodically

    Heaven!

  7. They carry it here at “The Fresh Market” (illinois). It’s the only market around where you can shop and listen to Beethoven at the same time.

  8. One traditional Korean dish is kimchi (i.e. fermented cabbage with garlic and chilies). Believe it or not, the Koreans also make kimchi-filled chocolates, chili chocolate and (brace yourself) chocolate-covered seaweed. I did have the kimchi and chili ones on a trip there a few years ago, and loved it. I would not hesitate to try the seaweed one I ever go back. I mean, if the Mexican have their mole sauce, anything is possible with good quality cocoa.

    http://maryeats.com/2006/12/29/kimchi-chocolates-mmmm/

  9. I saw that the other day at World Market! My husband and I took pictures of it because of how unbelievable it was, especially given that I have switched to paleo eating. But I thought it would be disgusting, so I put it down. I may have to rethink that decision…

  10. I thought this would be Heaven but it lacked any serious BACON. Better off frying some bacon and then on wax paper dizzle melted (Dark) choc over it. YUM

  11. It’s not an original idea by any means. I think the dessert recipe I saw was in the NY Times. They posted a video from a restaurant in CA that made a multi-layered chocolate bar with bacon.

    The trick to the bacon is to mince it very, very finely and use only the best bacon.

    I’m betting that someone will come up with a low carb version if enough people demand it. Maybe the chocoperfection people.

    I’ve been toying with a low carb bacon brownie, but I’m still stumped by the sweetener.

  12. oh bludy ‘ell ! The Wif brought me some back from le Ca desert last year.

    I tell you what almond butter on a sweet grapefruit with a tadge of added sea salt is almost as goodly.No jest.

    Ope all well etc etc

  13. After reading your post, I noticed the Vosges Mo Bacon bar in my local store and immediately bought it, eager to try. I thought it tasted good, but wished it had been made with dark chocolate. I have grown unaccustomed to the sickly sweetness of milk chocolate so it ruined the fun. My husband, on the other hand, thought it was the most despicable thing one could ever consume. Oh well.
    So – will want a dark (70% cacao or more) chocolate with MORE bacon. *That* would be heaven.

    COMMENT from MD EADES: I believe the do have a dark chocolate version on their website, but I’ve not seen it in my store locally.

  14. Hi Cindy here and I am doing The Cure .I’d like to know mainly because I’m 5’ft 1’in tall medium small build if the shakes are suppose to have close to 450 calories in them . My shake mix is 110 cal per scoop and 1gm carb and I use 2 scoops for my current weight of 156 lbs . Then there is the 2 Tbs cream at 100 cal plus the Dag about 35 cal per tsp and the raw egg 80 cal if I use one in all 3 shakes, which I know I don’t have to and it all adds up to 435 cal . When you add this up 3x it comes out to 1305 cal . Then there is the one meal per day and that adds up to about 450 cal with a total cal count of 1755 . Can that amount of calories still allow weight loss in the first 2 weeks ?

    COMMENT from MD EADES: I would not necessarily use the egg unless you don’t have another source of cholesterol in your diet. It’s mainly meant for people who don’t eat red meat or eggs otherwise. And I would drop your protein to 1 1/2 scoops instead of 2.

  15. I love this stuff. I saw it in the grocery store and thought it would be disgusting. But someone brought a bar to a dinner party and I tried a little bite. Pure heaven! The bacon flavor is distinct but not overwhelming… a perfect combination of sweet, salty and savory. And because it is so intense, I find that one square is entirely satisfying. Also, at $6.99/bar, there is no chance I’m gonna binge on it…

  16. Holy COW! What a coincidence! I live in Ann Arbor and I did a consulting project for the Mo of Bacon Chocolate Fame this spring! In the rest of my life, I faithfully follow the protein power lifestyle.

    But anyway, this is an amazing coincidence, and i’d like to point out that you can order these from Mo himself at zingermans.com along with lots of other tasty delights.

  17. I recently tried Mo’s Bacon Bar and I too found myself in sweet/savory nirvana! What an amazing perfectly balanced treat! I am a total sucker for sweet & savory combos. I can totally relate with the Cheetos/cookies snack. I used to get the Cinnamon twists and a side of their nacho cheese to dip them in. Delicious!

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