Chocolate of the Day:Santosha Chocolate
Goji Berries, Ginger and Ashwagandha Root bar
Good
Weight: "about 1 oz. (29 g.)" in 1 bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA
Welcome to Day #21 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.
Today's Goji Berries, Ginger and Ashwagandha Root bar from Santosha Chocolate (Asheville, NC) was made with Raw, Organic 70% cacao.
This dark, raw bar—made from fair trade, "heirloom variety" Peruvian cacao beans—was vegan, and low-glycemic (made with coconut palm sugar.) It was also nut, soy and gluten free.
The flavor inclusions were subtle. I couldn't really taste the ginger. Occasional whole goji berries provided pleasing mild fruit flavor. Ashwagandha is a bit of an acquired taste, but is said to offer certain health benefits.
I bought this bar in Dec. 2014; but it still tasted fine in 2016—in part due to the bar's sealed silver wrapper and careful storage (in a cool, dry place). That said, I wouldn't recommend keeping most chocolate bars this long.
Even though well-tempered dark chocolate bars can last up to 18-24 months, it's almost always best to eat chocolate as soon as you can.* (And, some chocolates, e.g. truffles, should be eaten within a week or purchase date.)
*Some might actually benefit from a little "resting" or aging during the making process; but that time usually occurs in the early stages, before you purchase a bar.
