Sweeter that Sweet
It’s that time of year. Latkes. Sufganiyot. And…gelt!
That’s right. What would a dreidel game be without foil-wrapped chocolate coins in small, yellow mesh bags??
Most of us have had our gelt provided by the now-defunct now-renamed Elite company. The company merged with the Strauss company in 2004 and was renamed Strauss-Elite. Though Elite was sadly removed from the formal name of the company, it has remained on certain products, such as the gelt, due to its brand recognition.
What about this year? What if one is wanting to go or-GAN-ic for Chanukah 5770?
How about Trader Joe’s?
In case you can’t quite make out the text, let me help you:
Trader Joe’s Coins of the World are a valuable addition to any holiday season. A sweet derivation of traditional Hanukkah gelt, or money, these kosher-certified chocolate coins make great gifts for everyone on your list.
True to their international moniker, you’ll find US coins, Euros and Francs in gold, silber and copper foil. Give a gold mesh bag each night of Hanukkah. Play Santa and stuff them into stockings. Or, if Scrooge is more your kind of role model, buy a bunch and keep them all to yourself. At $1.99 for each four ounce bag, even old Ebenezer would be proud.
What?!? Santa? Scrooge??
There’s another route. What about Whole Foods?
Again, here’s the text in a legible size:
Divine Chocolate Milk Coins
Looking for greater gelt? Kosher certified, these are made with the finest responsibly traded cocoa butter, guaranteeing you a tasty advantage and cocoa farmers an equitable deal.
“Responsibly traded?” An “equitable deal” for the “cocoa farmers?” What the heck does that even mean?
OK — here’s the scoop. Most of the chocolate we eat? Comes to us by way of thousands and thousands of children forced to work on the cocoa farms. That’s right. Slaves. Enslaved children. We were once enslaved children…
So please consider taking a trip to Whole Foods and purchasing your gelt this year from Divine Chocolates. A company devoted to protecting the rights of those farms who engage in responsible growing practices.
[And special thanks to HomeShuling for bringing this issue to my attention.]
Frume Sarah is Shabbos-observant -- in a Reform way, that is. Please note that from Friday afternoons until one hour after sundown on Saturday evenings, Frume Sarah will be unavailable, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath.
Comments made during this time will be held in a queue, to be moderated afterwards.
Thank you for your understanding...and gut Shabbos!!! 
Frume Sarah's World 
huh.
guess i’m off to whole foods.
who knew!?
Learned about it over at Homeshuling.
What is funny is that I gave a talk last Purim on ethically-traded chocolate. Can’t imagine why I didn’t think of ethically-traded gelt sooner!
I’ve already stocked up on gelt for this year but I haven’t seen organic anywhere. (On the other hand I didn’t buy my very non-gourmet kids the superfancy artesanal chocolate they’re making at the shop down the road, either. I’ll save that for myself ;).)
I’d love to talk with you about the cover art. Let me know what you’ve got in mind and I’ll see what I’ve got.
Let me get through this festival of
giftslights and then I’ll be in touch over the cover art!