What do you get when you marry local vanilla bean ice cream with local chocolate covered cacao nibs?
You end up with a perfectly happy union: an ice cream sundae made with Batch ice cream, topped with Taza chocolate sauce and cacao nibs. You end up supporting local Boston businesses, both of which are committed to fair-trade and organic ingredients. You end up with a giant grin, because you’re enjoying the tasting with your friends. And you end up wanting a second serving…
Last Sunday, I attended the Taza + Batch = Ice Cream Sunday event at the Taza Chocolate Factory in Somerville.
I’m no stranger to Taza: the stone ground, organic, local, artisan, Mexican-style chocolate that I always pick up at farmer’s markets and local festivals. And Batch? I’ve heard so many rave reviews about the all-natural ice cream that’s made from scratch. From Boston.com to some of my favorite bloggers like the fabulous Michelle, I’ve been reading about Batch and it has been enjoying a nice build-up for my taste buds. And the moment I tasted it, I was an instant fan. I had a glorious little sundae:
At the Batch ice cream booth, I was faced with two seemingly simple choices that stumped me for a few seconds: Vanilla or Coffee? I ended up trying the vanilla bean flavor
At the Taza booth, I was asked if I wanted to top my ice cream with some homemade chocolate syrup? Why, yes please. (I then had to restrain myself because I kinda sorta almost wanted to chug it.)
I was later faced with two more difficult decisions: Roasted Cacao Nibs or Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibs to top my sundae? I ended up with chocolate covered crack, I mean nibs.
Batch owners Susie and Veronica chatted with everyone while scooping out ice cream.
I actually arrived a little late for the blogger tasting, but before the crowds came for the free-and-open-to-the-public event. I wanted to try the coffee flavor too (because you know, I HAD to. I mean, I didn’t want to insult them…) but by the time I was finished licking my first cup clean savoring my first cup, the line was already snaking onto the street. So I decided to go inside the Taza store instead with my blog gals Elizabeth, Megan, Meghan, and Daisy.
Inside we were greeted with more samples...
... a lot more samples (hello, Orange chocolate squares, let me pop you in my mouth).
I wanted to buy A LOT of things from Taza:
like these chocolate covered hazelnuts
or these stack of chocolate discs
or alien eggs (FYI these cacao pods are not for consumption, I just wanted some for... apartment decor)
there were so many tempting Taza products
other people who were browsing the store probably had a hard time deciding what to get too!
I settled on a few things including small baggies of crack
and several cookies called Maitelates
I am so happy to find these!! Maitelates are basically alfajores (shortbread cookies filled with caramel) covered in dark chocolate. Whenever I am in the Philippines, I hoard jars of alfajores to bring back to Boston – and seeing these cookies sold at Taza jolted memories of home for me!
As we were leaving, Carol from Batch ice cream (who invited us to the blogger gathering), gave each of us a gift bag: inside were a Batch tee-shirt, some Taza treats (a bar of chocolate and a can of chocolate covered nibs – yay), and two pints of Batch ice cream:
salted caramel (*drool*) and coffee (I can finally try it!)
It was incredibly sweet of them to do this! I can’t wait to dig into my stash! I’m so happy I can’t stop using exclamation points!
I had a wonderful ice cream Sunday, thanks again to the nice folks at the event and to my blogger friends. It looks like I can have my second serving of ice cream sundae after all :)
Want Taza and Batch for yourself? Check out the Taza Chocolate website and Batch ice cream blog.
Hi! I’m Bianca Garcia. I love food, running, yoga, sangria, and my job. I'm an advertising professional, social media enthusiast, blogger, freelance writer, and obsessive list-maker. I think about dessert constantly. 
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