Scharffen Berger - "Breaks" Salted Almond Bark - Oat Milk Chocolate with Coconut Sugar - Feb. 20, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Scharffen Berger 
"Breaks" Salted Almond Bark - 43% Cacao Oat Milk Chocolate with Coconut Sugar
Good ++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total package
Calories: 180 calories in 4-piece serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Today's "Breaks" Salted Almond Bark, made with 43% Cacao Oat Milk Chocolate and Coconut Sugar, was manufactured by Scharffen Berger* Chocolate Maker (Ashland, OR). This was one of 4 flavors in the company's Breaks oat milk chocolate product family.* 

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate, coconut/brown sugar, and very faint (barely detectable) sweet oatmeal with nuts (almonds). 

The generous field of tiny, crunchy bits of almond harmonized well with the 43% cacao dark oat milk chocolate in these bark pieces. The choice of coconut sugar (and very faint vanilla) added some pleasant warmth and flavor depth (memories of sprinkling brown sugar on hot oatmeal). The salt was subtle, and helped balance the sweetness.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Oat Powder (Oat Flour), Coconut Sugar, Almonds, Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla Bean.

Allergen-related information: "Contains Almonds, Coconut." "Processed in a Facility That Processes Tree Nuts and Dairy."

*The three other Scharffen Berger 43% cacao oat milk "Breaks" flavors include: Gluten Free Pretzel Bark (featured previously), Salted Sunflower Seed Bark and Coconut and Quinoa Bark.

Chuao Chocolatier - Milk Chocolate Nut Bark - Aug. 15, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chuao Chocolatier 
Milk Chocolate Bark - Almond and Hazelnut

Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 5.12 oz. (144.8 g.) in total 
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $7.04 total package of 3 large pieces
Purchased from: N/A - Received as a gift from a friend

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Almonds and Hazelnut Bark was with chocolate from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA). Today's package of three generously-sized pieces of chocolate nut-topped bark were sold (by weight) by Whole Foods Market in Cupertino, California. 

Aroma notes included: sweet, smooth dark milk chocolate and faint nut and spice.

Flavor notes for these thick 41% cacao slabs included: rich, creamy smooth, chocolate (fudge, creamy ganache); authentic whole almonds and hazelnuts; occasional bites of of sweet(er) white chocolate drizzle; and overall sweet mellow vanilla.

Eating this on a slightly warmer day made the thick milk chocolate just right, i.e. not too hard, but not too soft either. (It can be hard to take a bite of a very thick piece of chocolate on a cold day.)

Ingredients: "Premium milk chocolate (41% Cacao, Cacao Butter, Sugar, Dehydrated Milk, Soy Lecithin (as an emulsifier), Natural Vanilla), Almonds, Hazelnuts, Premium White Chocolate (Pure Cane Sugar, 31% Cacao Butter, Cream Lactose, Soy Lecithin (as an emulsifier), Vanilla Bean. 

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nuts (almonds), hazelnuts; dairy (milk, lactose); soy.

Laderach - FrischSchoggi Milk and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut "bark" pieces - Jan. 17, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Laderach Chocolate

1.) FrischSchoggi Dark Chocolate Hazelnut - Good ++

2.) FrischSchoggi "Milch" Milk Chocolate Hazelnut - Good +

Weight: .75 oz x 2 = 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total pieces/slabs

Calories: 252.5 calories (per website) in 1.5 ounce serving (.75 oz. of each, dark and milk)

Cost: $9.67 for 3 oz. (85 g.) (Sold by weight; $51.60 per lb.)

Purchased from: Laderach chocolatier suisse store, Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

Gruezi, and welcome to Day #11 of European Chocolate Vacation Theme Week(s), with virtual visits to several European countries via chocolate. 

Covid-19 has made travel more challenging; but, thankfully, imaginary travel via food (and a good import and distribution network in the U.S.) is possible. 

Laderach is a family-run Swiss chocolatier based in Ennenda (Glarus), Switzerland. Fortunately, they recently opened a shop nearby. And instead of boarding a plane, I drove to this local Laderach outlet to buy some Swiss-made chocolate--including today's FrischSchoggi ("fresh chocolate") Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Hazelnut pieces. 

In lieu of a hike in the Swiss Alps, I took a great hike in the nearby California hills (green with recent winter rains) with friend and fellow travel lover, Toni. We were able to enjoy bites of these thick slabs of "fresh chocolate" from this Swiss chocolatier while enjoying mountain views of the Bay Area.

The aromas and flavors of both these chocolates (dark and milk) were infused with sweet cocoa and true hazelnut flavor. Whole hazelnuts played a starring role in both, adding a satisfying, hearty crunchy texture, and helping to off-set the sugar.

As expected, the dark chocolate was richer and deeper with more true cacao flavor (uniform, dark chocolate mousse, brownie, with almost invisible green and cherry notes). 

The "Milch" milk chocolate was quite sweet and creamy, providing a lush, sugary backdrop for the whole (Piedmont) hazelnuts--which tasted like they'd been very lightly roasted and tumbled in a very thin (caramelized) sugar coating. Light sweet finish with hazelnut cocoa (creamy hot chocolate) notes.

Note: Ingredients listed below for these chocolates were taken from Laderach website.

Dark Chocolate (56%) Hazelnut slab Ingredients: Sugar, hazelnuts (30%), cocoa paste, cocoa butter, emulsifier (soya, E322), vegetable oils (rapeseed), natural flavouring substances, cocoa powder, colouring (E100).

Allergen-related information: Contained nuts (hazelnuts) and soy. "May contain egg, milk, other gluten (inclu(ding) wheat), other nuts."

Milk Chocolate (36% min.) Hazelnut slab Ingredients: Hazelnuts (31%), sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa powder, skimmed milk powder, vegetable oils (rapeseed), emulsifier (soya lecithin, E322), natural flavour, natural flavouring substances, cocoa powder.

Allergen-related information: Contained nuts (hazelnuts), milk and soy. "May contain egg, other gluten (inclu. wheat), other nuts."

Brownie Brittle, LLC - Sheila G's Thindulgent Milk Chocolate Bark - June 21, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sheila G's - Brownie Brittle, LLC
Thindulgent Milk Chocolate Bark - Cashew Toffee
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 4.7 oz. (133 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cashews Theme Week.

Today's Sheila G's Cashew Toffee Thindulgent Milk Chocolate Bark was created and distributed by Brownie Brittle, LLC (West Palm Beach, FL).

The bark had a sweet, berry aroma, and was a blend of sweet, creamy milk chocolate, crunchy toffee bits and mild nutty bits.

The sweetness level overpowered the more delicate nut flavor of the cashews (their flavor was more evident in the aftertaste)—a common challenge with cashews. However, some looking for a chocolate confection might prefer tasting the sugar. A subtle hint of Himalayan sea salt helped balance out the sweetness a bit.

The base chocolate was reasonably high quality for a commercial milk chocolate. I could still taste that it was chocolate, unlike many other sweet brittles.

The pieces of bark are a good size and are easy to share with others. And the resealable packaging made it transportable for an outdoor adventure or snack on the go.

The Market's Tart Cherry and Hazelnut bark - May 5, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Market at Edgewood
The Market's Tart Cherry and Hazelnut bark
Good+
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) / 13.28 oz. (375.82 g.) in total container
Calories: 225 calories (estimate) in 1.5 oz. serving
Cost: $14.10 for 1 container of pieces
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's The Market's Tart Cherry and Hazelnut Bark from The Market at Edgewood (Palo Alto, CA) was made with smooth, and not too sweet (thank you!), dark chocolate seasoned with pieces of dried, tart cherries and whole hazelnuts.

The darker chocolate (percent not listed) in these slabs of bark helped balance the concentrated tart sweetness of the cherries. And the hazelnuts paired very nicely with both the dark chocolate and the cherries.

JoJo's Chocolate - Chocolate Bark 70% Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Almonds - Dec. 20, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

JoJo's Chocolate LLC 

Chocolate Bark 70% Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Almonds

Good +

Weight: 2.4 oz. (68 g.) / 8.4 oz. (238 g.) in total package of 7 bars

Calories: 320 calories in 2 bars

Cost: $10.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bark 70% Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Almonds from JoJo's Chocolate LLC (Orem, UT).

JoJo's Chocolate was created by Jodie Jones (JoJo) after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. The desire to eat and snack healthier led to experimenting with batches of chocolate barks and other treats with less sugar than conventional chocolates. 

These rectangular 70% dark bars had a pleasing dark chocolate aroma with a hint of fruit. Pressed on the back of each one were dried cranberries, pistachio and almond pieces. These bars were smooth yet flavorful. And, best of all, they weren't too sweet (thank you)!

Sorbabes - Coffee Almond Frozen Dessert - Sept. 30, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet
Coffee Almond Frozen Dessert with Espresso Bark
Good
Weight: 5 fl. oz. (147 mL) total container
Calories: 160 calories in 1 container
Cost: $0.50 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Sorbet is not ice cream; but this offering was a frozen dessert, and it served as a transitional item into Today's Coffee Almond Sorbet with Espresso Bark and other natural flavors was from Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet (Le Mars, IA).

This frozen dessert was rich, sweet and refreshing, and was made with no soy or gluten; and it was labeled Non-GMO.

barkThins - Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt - July 19, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

barkThins

(manufactured by Ripple Brand Collective, LLC)

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt

Good +

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 4.7 oz. (133 g.) in total bar

Calories: 230 calories in 1 serving 

Cost: $3.27 for 1 package

Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week. Most of the seed items in this year's seed week seem to contain pumpkin seeds. More pumpkin seeds are being used with chocolate and energy bar items; however,  this finding was also linked to what was available in local shops that I hadn't tried before.

Pumpkins originated in the Americas; however most pumpkin seeds are now from pumpkins grown in China.*

Today's Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt from barkThins were manufactured for Ripple Brand Collective, LLC (New York, NY). The brand was acquired by Hershey in 2016.

A generous helping of dry roasted and salted pumpkin seeds were embedded in slim sheets of dark chocolate. The seeds gave this bark a satisfying crunch and contributed a seed flavor and aftertaste.

*Pumpkins are now grown on every continent but Antarctica. While China is likely the top producer of pumpkin seeds; Ukraine, India, the U.S. and Mexico are also significant producers.

Neo Cocoa - Sarsaparilla and Vanilla Toffee Brittle - Dec. 23, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Neo Cocoa
Sarsaparilla and Vanilla Toffee Brittle
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package
Calories: 225 calories (estimate) in 1/2 package
Cost: $10.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: La Cocina, San Francisco Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Holiday Spices and Maple Theme Week.

If you like unique, appealing herbal flavors, like root beer, herb/spice teas, vanilla creme soda, please do try this thin, delicious Sarsaparilla and Vanilla Toffee from Neo Cocoa (Belmont, CA).

Today's brittle was another well-executed holiday brittle from this San Francisco Bay Area chocolatier.

The brittle was composed of ultra-slim layers of 72% dark chocolate and toffee fused together. The resulting slim shards were infused with unique sarsaparilla (root) and vanilla flavor that tickled memories of old candy shops. (If you're old enough, you may remember horehound,* sassafras and root beer candy.)

Not to be confused with sassafras (derived from bark and leaves of a tree), sarsaparilla comes from a South American vine. Most edible botanicals and spices seem to harmonize well with chocolate in some form.

Sadly, this brittle disappeared so quickly, the photos taken (shown here) were rather sketchy.

*Horehound is an aromatic mint relative native to Europe and Asia that eventually was brought to the U.S. Although less common now, horehound herbal tea was often cooked with sugar to make hard candy and cough drops in the 1900s.

World Market - Bark Dark Chocolate with Everything - June 16, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cost Plus, Inc.
World Market Bark - Dark Chocolate with Everything... (bar)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 146.6 calories (per label) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: World Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cashews Theme Week.

Today's "Bark - Dark Chocolate with Everything..." bar was distributed by Cost Plus, Inc. (Oakland, CA).

The "everything" in the title here I'm guessing is derived from the expression "everything but the kitchen sink."

The Belgian dark chocolate bark came in rectangular bar form and was adorned with five flavor inclusions: pieces of coconut, cashews, bits of dried cranberries and apricots, and a pinch of chipotle chili powder that gave the chocolate a few bursts of spicy flavor.

It was a bit of a jumble, but it was interesting to try.

BarkThins - Dark Chocolate Gingerbread - Jan. 30, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Manufactured for Ripple Brand Collective, LLC
barkThins - Dark Chocolate Gingerbread
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 9 oz. (255 g.) in total box
Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $8.99 for 1 box
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of DEFGHIJK Theme Week. Today is "G" day; and fortunately, there were several "g" possibilities, but one stood out. Anything with ginger.

Ginger and/or gingerbread are favorite pairings with dark chocolate here at ChocolateBanquet. If you like ginger and chocolate and haven't yet tried them together, I highly recommend trying this combination.

Today's Dark Chocolate Gingerbread barkThins were manufactured for Ripple Brand Collective, LLC (New York, NY).

These dark chocolate "snackable slivers" had an attractive, chocolate gingerbread aroma and a crunchy texture. The chocolate was made with Fair Trade USA certified (over 65%) and Non-GMO project verified ingredients.
And, the embedded gingerbread cookie bits were gluten free. Thank you!

More photos will be included later.

Philip Marks Chocolates - Dark 72% Raisin Bark - Aug. 12, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Philip Marks Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Raisin Bark
Very Good
Weight: 2.25 oz. (64 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total package
Calories: 320 calories (estimate) in 1/2 package
Cost: $5.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

I was surprised and delighted to taste today's Dark Chocolate Raisin Bark from Philip Marks Chocolates (Brisbane, CA). Dried fruits such as raisins don't always get the respect, and careful treatment, they deserve.

Today's thick shards of high-quality, 72% (Arriba) cacao, dark chocolate bark were topped with jumbo-sized, plump golden raisins—that tasted more like juicy, sweet white wine grapes than the shriveled, dry raisins I recall from childhood.

This was a great elevated execution of a classic confection.

Chocolate Maya - Dark Chocolate + Almonds - August 2, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Maya
Dark Chocolate + Almonds
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 2.65 oz. (74.9 g.) in 1 bag of pieces
Calories: 397 calories (estimate) in 1 bag
Cost: $5.19 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Today was Day #12 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week. (As often happens, one week of chocolates often leads to two weeks.)

This evening I enjoyed a small bag of Dark + Almonds chocolate pieces from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA) for dessert. The dark chocolate was rich tasting without being bitter, and had a creamy melt. And the crunchy, toasted whole almonds embedded in these bark-like pieces were perfectly done. 

The Chocolate Gallery - Texas Crunch - Aug. 1, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Chocolate Gallery
Texas Crunch
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) / 3 oz. (84.9 g.) in total bag
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1/3 bag
Cost: $2.25 (guesstimate) for 1 bag
Purchased from: The Chocolate Gallery, Goleta, CA

Welcome to the first day of August, and Day #11 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week.

The Chocolate Gallery is located in a shopping center in Goleta, CA -- just north of Santa Barbara. (And the company's first location was on State Street in Santa Barbara.)

The owners have been in the chocolate business for 35+ years. That's a long time to be a small business owner in any business. Hats off to them.

When picking out chocolates, I consulted with Karen Kegg (co-owner). When I asked about best sellers she pointed to today's Texas Crunch, available in either milk or dark chocolate. This bark-style confection was cut into squares and sold in small plastic bags. Karen (who grew up in Houston, TX, in a candy-making family) suggested the milk chocolate version of Texas Crunch, so I went with that.

A faint milk chocolate aroma wafted out when I opened the bag. These creamy + crunchy squares were sweet, but the bits of toffee (that supplied the crunch) helped off-set the sweetness. Toffee does that. It enables a chocolate to be quite sweet, but still enjoyable. The butterfat, butter and hint of salt in this house-made toffee roped me in.

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - 85% Fig, Pumpkin seed bark - Nov. 21, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Co.
85% Cacao Chocolate Bark - Fig, Pumpkin and Hemp Seeds
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70.75 g.) in total bag/package
Calories: 149 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. piece of bark
Cost: $5.50 for 1 bag/package
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Co., Oakland, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week. Cold weather tends to enhance my appreciation of rich, concentrated flavors, like those found in dried fruits. So, while fresh figs are wonderful, I'm focusing on great chocolates made with dried figs this week.

Today's dark chocolate and fig offering from The Oakland Chocolate Co. (Oakland, CA) came in the form of thin shards of 85% (Jamaican) cacao bark, adorned with small slices of dried figs. Green pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and small, sparkling crystals of sea salt added great, well-balanced texture and flavor.

When so many other holiday barks are loaded with sugar, this one stands out as a less-sweet, tasty, dark alternative. 

MarieBelle - Caramelized Almond Bark bar - Sept. 30, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

MarieBelle New York
Caramelized Almond Bark bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 207 calories for 1/2 bar
Cost: $ N/A - present
Purchased from: N/A - present (from NYC)

Today was the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate, Brittle and Bark Theme Week.

Thank you to Elana for this gift -- a Caramelized Almond Bar chocolate bar from MarieBelle New York (NYC, NY). This bar conjured up very fond memories of the cozy and beautiful MarieBelle retail space in SoHo.

I spent at least one hour there during a trip to Manhattan a few years ago. Bought some chocolate tea too as I recall. It was equal parts creative, relaxing and invigorating.

Once again, food, place and time has colored my food (and chocolate) memories.

Fair trade chocolate enveloped bits of caramelized Spanish almonds to make a smooth, sweet chocolate bark bar. 

Divine Organics - Gojiberry Brittle - Sept. 27, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Divine Organics Raw Chocolate
Original Gojiberry Brittle
Good
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45.3 g.) in total package
Calories: 234 calories (estimate) in 1 package
Cost: $7.95 for 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Chocolate covered brittles from Divine Organics Raw Chocolate (Marin County, CA) are made with certified organic, fair trade, raw chocolate (from Ecuador, Venezuela and Indonesia).

Today's original gojiberry brittle had just 5 ingredients: organic raw cacao, organic maple sugar, organic raw goji berries, organic raw vanilla, and Royal Himalayan pink crystal salt.

The maple sugar and plump, flavorful gojiberries gave this chocolate a pleasing aroma and flavor. The texture of this brittle was less crackly crisp and more a smooth chocolate bark with a soft, satisfying crunch. Sweet, but not overly so -- like many sugar brittles.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate, Brittle and Bark Theme Week.

Pretzel Perfection - Sept. 24, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pretzel Perfection
Good - Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package
Calories: 420 calories in 1 package
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the first day of Chocolate, Brittle and Bark Theme Week.

While not technically a brittle, today's crunchy, gluten-free amalgam of chocolate, pretzels, toffee peanuts and chocolate and peanut butter chips from Pretzel Perfection (Vancouver, WA) contained a sprinkling of toffee bits as well -- making each one of these clusters similar to a fully loaded shard of chocolate brittle or bark.

The jumble of layered flavored and textures was fun and satisfying; and this made me want to try more of the company's sweet and savory gluten-free pretzel offerings.

Windy City Organics - rawmio Superfood Bark - August 4, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Windy City Organics - Rawmio
Rawmio - Organic Gourmet Active Superfood Raw Chocolate Bark
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Health Theme Week. "Health" is a relative, and occasionally rather slippery, term that requires weighing one's individual needs and evokes long and wordy posts this week full of disclaimers. However, I believe one's health is worth exploring when it comes to chocolate as a food.

This Rawmio "Organic Gourmet Active Superfood Raw Chocolate Bark" from Windy City Organics (Northbrook, IL) offers two attributes (and several add-in ingredients) that may contribute to one's health.

Organic
First, using "organic" ingredients removes some toxic chemicals. This omission may benefit those who are more sensitive to pesticides, herbicides and GMO ingredients.

Second, the antioxidants and nutrients in this superfood bar: cacao, mulberries, chia seeds, red clover, mushrooms and maca, may be more intact, or "active," with less heat or processing, i.e. when raw.

Raw
Raw food items are processed at much lower temperatures, and some believe raw foods are better and healthier than cooked food. Forgoing longer (or any) roasts (of cacao beans) and processing chocolate and lower temperatures may help preserve antioxidants and other nutrients. However, unroasted cacao also creates a different flavor profile; some like it, and some prefer more complex roasted flavors.

The only risk I see in "raw" (anything) is that by eliminating the higher temperatures you also may be eliminating that step which kills undesirable bacteria that can exist in rare cases. But the only time I've run into this issue was in the middle of a Central American jungle with no refrigeration -- i.e. one chocolate out of 2,800+ different chocolates I've eaten since 2006 made me sick. That's a better record than some salads and meats I've eaten, so I'm willing to take that chance.

Rawmio Superfood bar

This Rawmio organic raw chocolate bar (more bar than bark) was thick with a substantial layer of bits on one side of the bar. Coconut sugar-sweetened cacao nibs, chia seeds, berry and clover bits provided some crunchy and slightly chewy texture, and the other ingredients adhered to the dark bar base made you feel you were getting your money's worth of mulberries and mushrooms* (there was no identifiable mushroom taste). A hint of maca provided some additional, natural malty sweetness.

*Mushrooms can be a source of B vitamins, trace minerals and antioxidants, in case you are wondering what they might be doing on this chocolate. (This bar contained a blend of chaga, reishi, cordyceps and lion's mane mushroom bits.) They also can add nutrients without extra fat, sugar, calories or salt.

rawmio - hazelnut and fig raw chocolate - May 9, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Windy City Organics, LLC
rawmio
Organic Gourmet Hazelnut and Fig Raw Chocolate Bark
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total package
Calories: 268 calories in 1 package
Cost: $6.95 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Abe's Market (online order)

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week.

Raw chocolate bars lack some of the stronger roasted and acidic flavor notes that some dark chocolates have, but they often make up for that in terms of smoothness. Flavor additions (added ingredients) can also boost the flavor profile as in today's bar (bark).

This vegan rawmio Hazelnut and Fig Raw Chocolate Bark from Windy City Organics, LLC (Northbrook, IL) had subtle dark flavor. And organic, sprouted hazelnut pieces and a peppering of crunchy cacao nibs added contrast and texture to the stoneground chocolate. The few sliced bits of organic black mission fig I detected added a hint of acidic, dried fruit, and a little extra pizazz.