Bean and Goose: A Taste of Irish Chocolate

By Marla Milling Published March 13, 2017

St. Patrick’s Day may bring visions of all things green, but it’s also time to savor some Irish chocolate.

Sisters Karen and Natalie Keane, are the creative forces behind Bean and Goose, a company that creates handcrafted chocolates at Last Tree Farm based in the Wexford countryside of Ireland. The two had been looking for an opportunity to work together when Natalie noticed a gap in the chocolate market. At the time she was working in a premium chocolate shop in County Cork, Ireland.

Photo: Patrick Browne Image used with permission by copyright holder

“There were no Irish chocolate brands connecting the consumer of today in their branding or flavor profile,” said Karen. “We then searched for a place where we could learn the art of chocolate making and found our teacher in Kerry with Benoit Lodge. This is where we learned how to hand temper chocolate on marble slabs, a traditional technique that we still do today.”

Recommended Videos

Chocolate proved to be a natural fit for the sisters since chocolate was used to celebrate all occasions of their lives, from birthdays to holidays. “We spent many days going to the nearby shop to spend our weekly pocket money with our granddad,” she said. “We always bought chocolate.”

Bean-and-Goose-Chocolate-3 — Photo: Rosanna Bianco Image used with permission by copyright holder

Their bestselling bars fall in their Origin Craft range. “These are the bars where we pair beautiful single origin chocolate with Irish flavors and ingredients,” said Karen. “Our top performing bar is a dark chocolate from Ecuador (70%) paired with roasted spiced hazelnuts and Wexford honey.

For more information on how to buy Bean and Goose chocolates, check out their official site–they’re online shop will be ready for orders just in time for Easter.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Marla Hardee Milling is a full-time freelance writer living in a place often called the Paris of the South, Sante Fe of the…

Food & Drink

Gin goes with everything! From strawberries to carrot

The Connaught

As an avowed gin lover, one of the things I enjoy about the spirit is its ability to mix with a wide range of ingredients. It can do some much more than a Gin & Tonic, as depending on the botanicals used in a particular gin it can be combined with everything from herbal lushness to bracing bitterness to fruity sweetness.

A balanced gin like Fords is a great choice for mixing as it isn't overly sharp or bitter, but still has enough interest to add depth to any drink you make with it. These recipes from bartenders around the world show just how diverse gin drinks can be, combining ingredients from strawberries and coconut to carrot and grapefruit.

Food & Drink

The best gin drinks: Our 5 favorites

The best gin cocktails for you to make at home

Gin cocktail

When it comes to spirits, there are none as unique as gin. When distilled, gin doesn’t have much flavor, save for the ingredients it’s made with. It’s not all that different from vodka. It’s the addition of juniper berries and various herbs and botanicals either in the distillation process itself (or a second distillation), through vapor infusion (the herbs and botanicals are hung in a basket in the still), or through maceration (adding the flavors to an already distilled gin) that give the gin its distinct, memorable aromas and flavors.

If you’ve ever had gin (or even sniffed it), you know the most potent ingredient is juniper berries. They are what gives gin its patented pine tree aroma and flavor. Other common ingredients include orris root, angelica root, orange peel, and licorice.
Our 5 favorite gin drinks

Food & Drink

Give your gimlet a herbal twist with this vodka cocktail

Ghost Hill Organic Vodka

The Gimlet is one of those cocktails that is so simple and such a classic that it's easily overlooked. Whilst I lean toward a Gin Gimlet (and I have strong feelings like it should be made with fresh lime juice and sugar syrup rather than a pre-made lime cordial), you can also experiment with different spirits such as the also popular Vodka Gimlet.

The simple recipe is ripe for experimentation though, and especially when you are working with vodka, you have a lot of leeway to incorporate other ingredients to add more interest and unique personality to your drink. This recipe from Ghost Hill Organic Vodka showcases the smooth and clean notes of the spirit while also allowing space for the other ingredients to shine -- not only lime juice and simple syrup, but also the addition of sage leaves for a more herbal note.