We've been imbibing on vino long before beer. Or even coffee, for that matter. And we've had a love affair with brownies since we first cracked open a Duncan Hines box. So it was instant attraction between us and the line of Cabernet brownies at Blackmarket Bakery in Irvine.
Dessert doesn't do as much for us anymore, unless we're talking about certain treats, including these guys. The alter ego of Blackmarket Bakery, Marche Noir is more mysterious than mischievous–like Escher and Magritte on a playdate.
]
A trio of choices await you at the bakery: hazelnut, dark chocolate, and currant & cherry. All of them start with their signature wine flour (made from leftover skins and grape seeds) as well as evaporated cane juice. Why bother with ordering an after-dinner beverage when it's built right in?
High in iron and antioxidants, its dark hue is an indicator of what to expect. Every nibble is intensely rich with flavor. A hint of sea salt brings out the unsweetened cocoa powder. Or was it the dark chocolate? Regardless, Chef Rachel Marie Klemek wants you to feel good about being bad. It's working . . . .
The list so far:
86. Cookie Monster at Lola Ice Cream and Deli
87. Polenta Board at CUCINA Enoteca
88. Falafel Taco at Taco Asylum
89. Wagon-Wheel Bread at THE RANCH Restaurant
90. Toothpick Tacos at Mexico Supermarket
91. Hoppin' John at Memphis at the Santora
92. Free Beans and Chips at Taqueria Zamora
93. Pig in a Blanket Waffle with Gringo Bandito at Cafe Calacas
94. “Pork Hash” at Huong Giang
95. Sweet Chili Chicken Quesadilla At Kogi
96. Licuados at Mil Jugos
97. Hawaiian Ahi Poke at California Fish Grill
98. Takoyaki at Takoyaki Tanota
99. Fiesta Noodles at Jollibee
100. Chilaquiles Verdes Con Huevos Estrellados at La Tablita California
Click here to view our 100 Favorite Dishes of 2010!
Click here to view our 100 Favorite Dishes of 2011!
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.