Would I like to try three new desserts, that come in cute, reusable vessels, that require little-to-no preparation and are portable, they asked. YES, please, I responded, to the people representing Pots & Co. desserts. After receiving them and trying them, I, personally, will be an enthusiastic customer, but I am also happy to recommend them to Real Food Traveler readers. Why? Because it’s rare that we taste something that’s really exceptional, with great quality and flavor, and that reflects authentic flavors from someplace else – in this case, the United Kingdom.
Keep this article about Pots & Co handy for when you need dessert, fast.
What is Pots & Co?
It’s a UK-based company known for making restaurant quality desserts with nothing artificial added – ever.
What are the kinds of desserts?
There are three flavors: Chocolate Fudge Lava Cake, Salted Caramel & Chocolate Pot de Crème, and Lemon Cheesecake.
What’s in them?
Salted Caramel & Chocolate Pot de Crème contains heavy cream, single origin Columbian “fino de aroma” cocoa, which is in the top 8% of cocoa in the world, and, interestingly Cornish sea salt because they believe it has a zesty but un-harsh flavor that other salts don’t have. I’m not normally a “salted caramel” lover but this was delicious. I really did taste a difference in the salt, which augmented the caramel and chocolate well, without the weird sensation I usually get on the tongue. It was my favorite of the three.
Upside-down Lemon Cheesecake was my husband’s favorite – he loves lemon desserts. Unpasteurized, fresh lemon juice is used to make lemon curd, mixed with cream, topped with a cookie crumble. Sometimes, lemon desserts can kind of “get you” in the throat (it’s the reason I typically don’t like them), or they are sickeningly sweet. But this dessert has the right balance, pleasing my lemon-loving husband and making me a new fan of lemon desserts – well, this one.
Chocolate Fudge Lava Cake is one of those things that can go very wrong or be very right. Remember that scene in the movie, Chef, when Jon Favreau’s character goes ballistic trying to explain to a food critic what chocolate lava cake is and isn’t? However it’s made, Pots & Co has figured out how to make it a success and in the microwave, no less. It’s the only flavor that needs any preparation at all and it’s minimal. Like in the Pot de crème, they use that same, single origin Colombian chocolate so it’s very chocolaty and rich. They’ve made sure the ratio of sauce to cake is just right so that you can get a bite of both in every spoonful.
What’s with the pots?
It’s a heck of a deal, really – you’re getting a yummy dessert, that you don’t have to cook, in a container you can keep and reuse. (Think of it as a little parting gift for guests.) The colorful, ceramic pots absorb and maintain heat better, making them perfect for baking and also doubling their shelf-life in your fridge. Each is handcrafted by, get this, a family of potters in Valencia, Spain, which makes me love them even more! A far more “green” packaging option, I’ve been using mine to serve olives, nuts, to curb my ice cream consumption, and… for paper clips. You can even grow things in them like little succulents, as shown below. Perk – they’re dishwasher friendly. I’ve never felt so good about eating dessert!
Double the fun – first, Pots & Co’s containers hold a yummy dessert, then, they can be reused in any way you can imaging. Photo courtesy Pots & Co.
Who is behind Pots & Co?
Julian Dyer, chef and founder of Pots & Co. In 2012, he left the restaurant world and began making the desserts, steam-baking them in individual ceramic pots in London. The recipes are created by top restaurant chefs using the finest ingredients. While the three flavors above are currently the only ones offered in the U.S., there are other flavors available to other countries. Sourcing is very important to the company. They work with The Chocolate Dream in Colombia, to support farmers and their communities to make sure the cocoa is fairly and ethically grown.
Where can you get them?
In America, they are available at Kroger stores (King Sooper’s, Ralph’s, and Smith’s throughout Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico), Costco Wholesale, Whole Foods, Safeway, Fresh Direct, Walmart, and on American Airlines plus some British Airlines flights. At Kroger stores anyway, they retail for $4.99 each and are worthy every penny. In addition to being available in the United Kingdom, they are also available in France, the Netherlands, and some in Australia. They’re hoping to broaden their reach soon.
Look for these three varieties of Pots & Co in U.S. stores. Additional flavors are available in other countries. Photo courtesy Pots & Co.
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