Burlap & Barrel Review: A Sensory Awakening in the Kitchen

One of my favorite Burlap & Barrel Spices, Smoked Chipotle

Cover photo by Jarek Jordan

I decided to rewrite this entire post based on my original version. The first draft was more like an advertisement vs. a personal story of my journey. So... here is the new and hopefully improved version of the story.

My Early Spice Memories

Years ago, when I first started working, I was commuting into New York City by train from Stamford, CT. As with most commuters in and out of NYC, you have one goal… get to your destination as fast as possible.

For this commute, I used the Grand Central Terminal, which is as magnificent as it sounds. The architecture and history are remarkable and probably one for another post, but I will leave that to someone else. One of the things that I remember vividly was a spice vendor who was connected to the train station. I recall walking through the store a few different times as I was waiting to board my train.

Our spice drawer continues to bust out at the seams as we add more and more spices.

 I also remember that I thought buying expensive spices was crazy. First, everything in New York is more expensive and second, I already had my store-bought spices like pepper, table salt, and probably just a few others like dried basil, oregano and parsley. There were probably a few others but not many more. Our spice cabinet was also not too far from the basics of what you would expect two young married 24-year-olds to be using.

Needless to say, I never bought them.

Discovering Better Spices

About 15 years later, I was talking to a few people at work, and they had recommended a popular online and retail store brand. We started to experiment with their spices, and it was a major upgrade to what we were using from the store brand. We still use a few of them today based on what the kids became accustomed to for some of their foods as well as they have a few spices we just can’t get from our new vendor. However, we were ready for another sensory experience upgrade for our spices. Enter Burlap & Barrel.

The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: 

"Begin by reading the farm origin story and tasting notes, treating the harvest with the care the local farmer intended. Once you open the jar, notice the vibrant colors, a visual promise of the flavor profile you will experience. Lean in deeply to engage the complex aromas and then finally taste, choosing to season during the cooking process to build a savory foundation, or sprinkle over the plate as a bright, textural finishing touch."

Four of my favorite Burlap & Barrel spices: Flowering Hyssop Thyme, Smoked Chipotle, New Harvest Turmeric, and Royal Cinnamon

It was a few years ago when I wanted to uplevel our spice cabinet. Similar to the single origin dark chocolate I was buying, I thought that single origin spices could have the same impact. As with all the other stories I am sharing, I did my research and Burlap & Barrel continued to come up in the searches. Every review I read raved about the flavor that was bursting out of every bite. I decided to make an initial purchase with their Royal Cinnamon. Not doing anything different to the French Toast I would make, I tried it with their Cinnamon, and it was impressive. That taste test got us hooked and our cabinet started to quickly change over to Burlap & Barrel spices.

As you can see, I keep buying more of the spices in these 16 oz bulk containers.

My Burlap & Barrel Favorites

To start my Burlap & Barrel review, I started experimenting with peppercorns and purchased all of them, using a combination of the Robusta and Zanzibar for my everyday use. For specialty items that have limited ingredients like eggs, I use the Purple Peppercorns to taste the subtly of the flavor of this limited-edition spice. Of course, eggs also taste better when they are local.

Burlap & Barrel's peppercorn lineup. The Wild Timur Pepper gives a nice tingle to your tongue. I mix the Robusta Black Peppercorns and Zanzibar Black Peppercorns together in my pepper grinder for everyday use.

The last one I will highlight is my new favorite spice, Smoked Chipotle Chili Flakes. I had ordered a small jar and loved it. I started to put it on everything from corn on the cob to meats to nachos only to run out pretty quickly. I then had to wait for a few months as it was on back order. As soon as it was back in stock, I ordered two large 16 oz containers just to make sure I wouldn’t run out. The flavor of this spice and so many others just make a huge difference in the food you are cooking.

I could go on and on about the specific spices. I would encourage you to try a few and then go from there. I am confident it will bring your meals to a whole new level.

What is your favorite spice or recipe you absolutely love?

Start Your Own Spice Sensory Experience

If you’re curious to start your own spice sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite spices below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate Review: The Intersection of Art and Flavor

Dick Taylor Belize 72% Dark Chocolate

Cover image by Aleksander Popovski

How It All Started

Welcome to my chocolate journey! If you’ve ever wondered what makes craft chocolate so special, this story is for you.

Let me take you back to where it all began. My middle son, Michael, had a love for anything truck-related. We watched countless episodes of garbage and fire trucks on DVD. As he grew older, we started taping and enjoying Mike Rowe’s TV show, Dirty Jobs. We became fans of Mike Rowe, watching his adventures over and over again.

Collection of current Dick Taylor specialty items including the Belize 72% Dark Chocolate, 72% Tanzania Dark Chocolate Bar with California Black Mission Figs, 68% Tanzania Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Almonds, and Madagascar Cocoa Nibs

Discovering Dick Taylor Chocolate

Fast forward to the fall of 2014. I was at a technology conference where Mike Rowe was the keynote speaker. He had just wrapped up his long-running tenure on Dirty Jobs and was starting a new show called Somebody’s Gotta Do It on CNN. Mike shared stories about Dirty Jobs and introduced the unique co-founders of Dick Taylor Chocolates, Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor. These two carpenters decided one day to make chocolate. Their first manufacturing site was in a lumber yard, but they have since moved to Eureka, CA.

That moment inspired me to order my first bar of chocolate from them. I fell in love with it! Here is the 15-minute episode if you’d like to watch it. You’ll get a real sense of the uniqueness and passion of Adam and Dustin. My hope is to someday visit their store. I keep trying to get them to host virtual tasting sessions, like the ones they do in-store.

How to Enjoy Craft Chocolate

Each day, typically after lunch and dinner, I grab a piece of chocolate to savor. I even started traveling with it! But as you can imagine, this isn’t the kind of chocolate most kids like. It’s not from the famous brand in Pennsylvania. To get the most out of your experience, unwrap the chocolate, close your eyes, and smell it. Then, bring it to your ear to hear the signature snap of perfectly tempered chocolate. Only now should you place it on your tongue and let it slowly melt. Resist the urge to bite it. Let it melt in your mouth to fully experience the taste.

The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: 

"Notice the packaging itself and the tasting notes. Treat the unwrapping of the package as part of the elevated sensory experience. Once you unwrap the bar, hold it near your ear to hear the snap of the perfectly tempered chocolate. Smell it to experience the flavors and then finally taste, leaving it on your tongue and let the flavors melt into your taste buds."

My Favorite Bars

For my Dick Taylor Chocolate review, my two favorites are the Belize and Madagascar chocolates. I usually buy them in bulk at 5 to 10 at a time. I also mix in a few different varieties with each order. Each month, they offer a limited-edition bar that sometimes catches my interest, prompting a special purchase. My other go-to favorites include the Black Fig bar, which has bits of California Black Mission Figs, and the Dark Chocolate Coated Almonds.

My current personal collection of Dick Taylor chocolates bars.

Expanding My Chocolate Use

It’s been about 10 years since I started buying Dick Taylor bean-to-bar craft chocolates. Recently, I began exploring both the Nibs and the Baking Chocolate. I find the Nibs are fantastic for my acai and granola bowls (if I liked yogurt, they’d be great in that too). My interest in using the baking chocolate was driven by a desire to make better chocolate chip cookies—like the rich, tasty ones from bakeries or restaurants. In another post, I’ll share how I upgraded my flour to complement the new baking chips.

My first unboxing video!

Visiting a Cacao Farm

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a cacao farm. It was a vacation I’ll never forget! I watched as the guide broke open a cacao pod, allowing us to eat the fruit and then the bean. The tour deepened my understanding of the care and passion these small farmers and craft chocolate makers invest in creating the amazing products we enjoy.

Me visiting a Cacao farm in Kauai, Hawaii. The picture is the Cacao pod before as in a full-grown state.

Start Your Own Chocolate Sensory Experience

If you’re curious to start your own chocolate sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite bars below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Enjoy!