The Street Art Easter Eggs That Would be Perfect For Banksy. Or Any Graffiti Fan.

So, what would be the perfect Easter Egg for Banksy? Definitely one of the Edible Easter Eggs from this collection of Street Art Easter chocolates from Paris-based Jadis et Gourmande.

Pierre Hermé Creates An Edible Easter Homage To Artist Beat Zoderer

Swiss Artist Beat Zoderer is best known for his multi-banded colored metal sculptures which spherical ones resemble rubber band balls, globes and eggs. When Paris based confectioner Pierre Hermé first encountered Zoderer's work, he admired his paintings before discovering the singular power and grace of his metal sculptures. This led Hermé to the idea of paying tribute to the sculptor by freely taking inspiration from it.

Satiate Hunger Game Fans With This Special Chocolate Collection From Vosges & Wild Ophelia.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat and Wild Ophelia have teamed up for a special chocolate collection to promote The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Chocolate bars and truffles in specially designed gift boxes and branded packaging are satisfying the appetites of fans with a sweet tooth.

The Capitol Truffle Collection, (18 pieces and special compartment of goodies), $225



The new Capitol Truffle Collection, inspired by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, may just be the apex of delectable gratification. Created by Katrina Markoff, founder of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, the degustation features such extras as recipes and exotic ingredients for drink pairings, gold leaf for adornment, geranium scented lip lacquer to enhance the taste buds and even proper etiquette. “Effie inspired the collection,” says Markoff. “I had to consider how to apply the proper amount of restraint and yet indulgence to create an elaborate dessert course.”



According to the Vosges website, the $225 Capitol Truffle Collection is described as ”a ritual of degustation” and has been “curated to guide your palate through opulence and ritual.”

Underneath the 18 truffles, there are 16 secret compartments offering vials of crushed violet petals, pearl dust, gold leaf and matcha tea are accompanied by detailed mixology instructions to create decadent libations. Trinkets and objects of desire dictate social rules and traditions.



The Hunger Games Truffle Collection ( 16 pieces), $45
The 16 piece Capitol Truffle Collection is part of an exclusive line of chocolates inspired by "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. "This luxurious collection will lure all who partake into the resplendent world of the Capitol. Seven chocolate parfums will lead your senses along an opulent journey.



The Hunger Games Truffle Collection includes 16 truffles:
(3) Evergreen: rosemary + pink peppercorn + white chocolate
(2) Litchi: jasmine + lychee + dark chocolate + jasmine tea powder
(2) Juglans: candied walnut + milk chocolate
(2) Tulsi: huckleberry gelée + holy basil milk chocolate ganache + dark chocolate
(3) Vervain: lemon verbena + bitter orange + dark chocolate
(2) Flora: peach + orange flower + white chocolate + crushed candied violets
(2) Tamarindus: chillies + tamarind + dark chocolate + salted mango powder

The Hunger Games Wild Ophelia Chocolate Bar Library, 12 Bars $65



Explore the Districts of Panem through the medium of chocolate in Wild Ophelia's exclusive collection of 12 bars inspired by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The District inspired chocolate bars include:




· District 1 – Rare Harvest Cashews + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 2 – Fire Roasted Caramel + Pecans + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 3 – Arabica Coffee + Crystal Salt + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 4 – Sea Salt + Coconut + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 5 – Crispy Crunchy Caramel Corn + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 6 – Crunchy Runner Peanuts in Peanut Butter + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 7 – Smoked Chipotle Chili + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 8 – Caramelized Crispy Rice + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 9 – Organic Milled Oats + Vanilla + Hemp Seeds + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 10 – Beef Jerky + Smoked Mesquite + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 11 – Tart Harvest Cherry + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 12 – Mined Salt + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate

Vosges also offers bars in tribute to the Lionsgate film’s main characters: Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks).

The Capitol Collection Tablets of Chocolate, $7.50 each



The Hunger Games Katniss Chocolate Bar parfum includes: apples pierce uncured hickory smoked bacon + alderwood smoked sea salt + 44% cacao milk chocolate

The Hunger Games President Snow Chocolate Bar parfum includes: blood orange & tellicherry peppercorns caramel + 72% cacao dark chocolate

The Hunger Games Effie Chocolate Bar parfum includes: dried strawberries + candied violet flowers + 62% cacao dark chocolate

Shop The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Chocolate Collection here

The Gift Gamers Will Gobble Up: Chocolate Space Invaders.

Fruition is a small batch Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop in the Catskill Mountains of New York and Shaloon is a design studio in Brooklyn, NY. Together they created the Chocolate Invader.




This collaborative effort between Fruition Chocolate and Shaloon brings us delicious small batch chocolate made in the shape of a classic video game character from Space Invaders, an arcade video game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado and released in 1978.



The Chocolate Invader, which weighs 50 grams, is created with with Single Origin 66% Dark Chocolate crafted from Costa Rica Cacao and Peruvian cocoa:


The beans are sorted by hand to remove any foreign materials or less than perfect quality beans. Each batch of chocolate invader is made from beans from one region. The genetics, climate, and post harvest processing effect the final flavor of cocoa beans from every region, yielding unique flavors from origin to origin.

The beans are then slowly roasted and then the shells are removed.:


The cocoa is mixed with evaporated cane juice and cocoa butter:


The cocoa is ground in a granite melangeur for 4 days. When complete, its texture is extremely smooth and the flavor is nuanced and in balance. The mill uses two 40 pound granite wheels to refine the particle size of cocoa until grittiness is no longer detected on your palate.

Once finished, the chocolate is tempered and molded into invaders. Tempering is the process by which chocolate is warmed and cooled to specific temperatures in order to induce the propagation of stable cocoa butter crystals. Proper tempering will allow the chocolate to set shiny and have its characteristic snap.



The design was produced on a CNC (computer numerically controlled) machine to create the mold. The metal plate was then used to thermoform plastic, creating the molds they used to shape the chocolate into an invader.


The Chocolate Invader was designed in 3D CAD. You can download the STL model for their chocolate invader here at Thingverse

The Three Bar Gift Set:


three 50 gram 66% dark chocolate bars
- invader mini-poster
- invader sticker
- invader postcard
- joy of eating 69 pixels
$20, buy it here

2-Bars + Laser Engraved Box:

- two 50 gram 66% dark chocolate bars
- limited edition engraved wood box
- invader mini-poster
- invader sticker
- invader postcard
- joy of eating 46 pixels
$18, buy it here


Fan of Space Invaders? 
Then you'll want to check these out:

The Space Invaders Watch:


The Space Invader's Couch:


The Space Invader's Rings:

Sweet Co-Branding: Google and Nestlé Give Us The Android Kit Kat.

To mark the release of Android KitKat, the latest operating system from Google, more than 50 million specially branded KitKat bars shaped like the Android mascot, will be available in 19 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Dubai, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Kit Kat's own website has been redesigned as a parody of a tech site as part of the promotion:

The press release:
Sep 3, 2013 Google and Nestlé announce Android KitKat



Google has ended months of online speculation about the name of the latest version of its Android mobile operating system by revealing it will be called ‘Android KitKat’, after Nestlé’s popular chocolate and wafer confectionery.



The creators of the world’s most popular mobile platform have teamed up with the world’s biggest food and beverage company to name the next release of the platform ‘Android KitKat’.

Android KitKat 4.4 - The Future of Confectionary video:


SWEET THEMES
Android has been developed by the company’s engineers under sweet-themed names ever since the release of Android Cupcake in 2009 and continuing in alphabetical order until the most recent version, Android Jelly Bean.


above: The Android KitKat statue at Google's Mountain View campus along with others representing previous operating systems, such as Gingerbread, Jelly Bean, Ice Cream Sandwich and cupcake

The news that the letter ‘K’ will be dedicated to Nestlé’s KitKat will surprise most technology commentators, who had widely thought the latest version would be ‘Android Key Lime Pie’.

“We couldn’t imagine a better name for our Android K release than the tasty chocolate that’s been a favourite among the team since the early days of Android,” said Marc Vanlerberghe, Director of Android Marketing.

STRONG DIGITAL PRESENCE
“We’re excited to announce this partnership with Android, the world's most popular mobile platform, which will help us to enable even more KitKat fans to enjoy their break,” said Patrice Bula, Nestlé’s Head of Marketing.


above: A small number of Android robot-shaped KitKat bars will also be offered as prizes in addition to the 50 million created.

“KitKat is one of the world’s top ten fast-moving consumer goods brands in social media in terms of fan numbers and engagement,” he continued. “We continue to build on its strong digital presence with interactive, creative branding campaigns.”



To mark the release of Android KitKat, more than 50 million specially branded KitKat bars will be available in 19 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Dubai, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.


above: The Android KitKat robot arrives at Nestlé headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.

The packs will lead consumers to the website android.com/kitkat where they will have the opportunity to win prizes including a limited number of Google Nexus 7 tablets, and credits to spend in Google Play, Google’s online store for apps, games, music, movies, books and more.

CLOSER TO CONSUMERS
Nestlé’s branding partnership with Google is the company’s latest move in its ambition to leverage digital technology and online content to get closer to its consumers to better understand and cater to their preferences.

Earlier this year, Nestlé acquired its first-ever piece of online content property, the Petfinder website in the United States. The online database, which links prospective adopters with adoptable pets, is visited by more than 100 million pet-lovers annually

all images courtesy of Nestlé and Google

Chocolate On A Chain. Edible Jewelry by Wendy Mahr

Jewelry designer Wendy Mahr has a small sampling of real edible jewelry amongst her other gemstone jewelry offerings. Real chocolate covered malted milk balls are decorated with real edible gold leaf and turned into a ring, a pair of earrings and three different necklaces. The yummy gems are paired with non-edible findings such as wire, cord and chain. And what's really neat is that once you've eaten the chocolate, if you want to reuse/recycle what's left after the chocolate’s gone, you can send it back and for prices from $25-$45 (depending upon the piece) +shipping and they'll replace the chocolate with pearls, or other available stones for you.

Golden Chocolate Ring:


Everything is edible except for the wire and if you hold out and keep it safely tucked away, you can be the hit of the party several times.
For an additional $25+shipping, Wendy Mahr can reuse/recycle the wire into a new ring.
Price: $55

Chocolate Earrings:


Malted milk balls with edible gold leaf on gold-filled earwires. Tested in the mid-day Miami heat, the edible earrings did not melt.
Price: $55

Pretty Chocolate Necklace:


A gold filled chain with one edible real chocolate ball with edible gold leaf. Each additional ball is $10.
Price: $55

Children's Chocolate Necklace on Golden Cord:


The children's version of their Pretty Chocolate necklace.
Order them in bunches for party favors, but don’t eat the cord - it’s the only non-edible part.
Price: $30

Center of Attention Chocolate Necklace:


Gold filled wire and clasp and edible gold leaf make for a great malted milk ball fashion accessory.
Is it real? Yes. Will it melt? No, at least not when they were tested in the sweltering Miami heat. They smell great, look really pretty, and you can wear it several times, or until you eat them. (Please don’t eat the wire).
If you want to reuse/recycle after the chocolate’s days are over, you can send it back and for $45+shipping, they’ll replace the chocolate with pearls, or other available stones.
Price: $150

Packaging:


Ready for gift-giving, their edible earrings, ring or single necklaces come in this clear gift box finished with shimmering gold ribbon. Cost of box is included in shipping charges. Available for all edible jewelry items, except the 9-ball necklace which comes in a white wendy mahr jewelry box (not shown).

Shop for Wendy Mahr's Edible Jewelry here

Belgian Chocolate Bumholes. That's Right... Edible Anus.

Founded in 2004, they're not new, but they've been making the rounds on the web, so I'll follow suit and jump on the butthole bandwagon.

Love Hurts: A First Aid Kit For The Broken Heart

Who among us hasn't spent a tearful evening eating chocolate followed by a vodka chaser while taking a candlelit bubble bath and listening to heart-wrenching songs in an effort to forget that asshole or bitch? You haven't? Well, maybe you ought to - it works surprisingly well. Which is why the Love Hurts concept kit by Melanie Chernock, created for an activity book assignment, is spot on.




The recent Graphic Designer/Animator graduate thought it would be more interesting to make a sort of activity kit instead of an activity book. So she came up with the concept of Love Hurts: A first aid kit for a broken heart. Melanie wanted to approach the product with a sense of humor and she did - creating a fun kit that contains the necessary items needed to get through a rough breakup: dark chocolate, vodka, bubble bath soap, a candle with matches, candy hearts, a mix CD, and, if all else fails, tissues.







All of the products come neatly and attractively packaged in a compact kit designed by Melanie. Now, if only it were available for purchase.




The promo video below was also made to show the products in use:


Photos by Luke Nilsson

Melanie Chernock

a special thanks to Maria Victrix for bringing this to my attention