Todos Santos and the Nougat
The most enveloping little store in all of Santa Fe is, blessedly, a chocolate shop by the name of Todos Santos.
The man behind the day-glo meets day-of-the-dead decor is Hayward Simoneaux. A transplant with a true knack for the dark and sweet abilities of cacao, he hails from Louisiana well over a decado ago.
I have purchased bars before, a few truffles and caramels (fantastic and not outrageously priced). On my last visit I went for a newly crafted nougat bar, one in pistachio chile and the other yet to be devined.
Unlike other chewy and European nougats, Howard's is fluffy like mousse, sugar-sweet with potent honey flavor, and delicate until the chile peeks its head out.
Each iPod-shuffle-sized bar is the perfect amount for a little indulgence on a Sunday afternoon. Next time, I'll also remember to remove the deceptively thin and clingy pieces of wax paper before I eat half the bar. Ooops.
